MADRID, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Atletico Madrid's start to the season has been complicated by a muscle injury to striker Alexander Sorloth, which means he will miss the opening matches of the new campaign.
"Alexander Sorloth has suffered a muscle contracture and will have to work apart from the rest of the squad," informed the Atletico website on Wednesday.
The Norwegian's injury comes at a difficult time, with the future of Argentina international Julian Alvarez still uncertain amid interest from FC Barcelona.
However, even if Alvarez stays, the 26-year-old only returned for preseason training on Monday after taking his permitted three-week holiday following the World Cup final and is unlikely to be fit for Atletico's La Liga opener against Malaga on August 19.
With Antoine Griezmann leaving the club at the end of last season to play in the United States and Atletico selling Thiago Almada to River Plate a week ago, that leaves Ademola Lookman as the only option to play as a makeshift striker.
After opening the season against Malaga, Atletico then faces a difficult home game against Villarreal on August 23 before traveling to face Sevilla the following weekend. ■
