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Almada’s Role Diminishes at Atlético Madrid Amidst Winning Streak

Madrid, Spain – Thiago Almada, the Argentinian midfielder who arrived at Atlético Madrid this season for a reported €21 million, has seen his playing time significantly reduced in recent weeks, despite the team’s impressive winning streak. Almada has been on the bench for the last three games and hasn’t started a LaLiga match since August 30th.

Coach Diego Simeone has opted for rotation in recent matches, bringing in players like Sorloth, Pubill, Molina, and Gallagher into the starting lineup. However, Almada has been consistently overlooked. The situation is surprising, considering Simeone initially placed considerable faith in the young player after his arrival from Botafogo.

Almada started the first three league games, but Atlético failed to secure a win in any of those matches. An injury sustained during international duty with Argentina then sidelined him for seven games, including the first two Champions League fixtures.

While he scored a crucial goal in his return against Osasuna on October 18th and another against Sevilla FC, along with an assist, he has struggled to regain a consistent place in the starting eleven. In total, he’s played only 341 minutes across nine games this season, a limited amount of time for a player expected to play a more significant role.

With a crucial match against FC Barcelona looming, it appears unlikely that Almada will break back into the starting lineup. This lack of consistent playing time could impact the young player’s chances of being selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad in 2026.

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