Héctor Herrera called up to play in the Spanish Super Cup in Arabia

Héctor Herrera is part of the Atlético de Madrid squad that will travel to Arabia to play the Spanish Super Cup. The Mexican midfielder was sidelined the last matches due to Covid-19 but tested negative since last Thursday and rejoined the club in Saturday training with Simeone boss. 

The former Porto player was also called-up for Atlético’s de Madrid last match for La Liga against Villarreal but the Mexican remained on the bench. Héctor Herrera has played just 300 minutes this season under Simeone's orders. 

Kondogbia and De Paul ahead of Mexican midfielder

The Argentine has relegated the international midfielder following the arrival this season of Rodrigo de Paul, who plays as a midfielder, as well as the rise in play of Frenchman Kondogbia. Both players are prime options ahead of the Mexican player.

It seems that Hector Herrera is following in the footsteps of Lucas Torreira as the Uruguayan left the club after failing to fulfill Simeone's eyes and his future is likely to be away from Madrid.

Atlético de Madrid prepares for its match against Athletic

The rojiblancos trained at the Ciudad Deportiva de Majadahonda without Stefan Savic and Antoine Griezmann, both recovering from muscle injuries, before traveling to Saudi Arabia, with the Mexican midfielder, where they will face Athletic Club next Thursday in the second semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh.

Pending the call-up for the journey, both the Montenegrin center-back, injured last December 2 in the first half of the match against Mallorca, and the French striker, who relapsed last Thursday from the muscular ailment in his right thigh he suffered on December 12 in the derby against Real Madrid, are the only two absentees for Simeone to face Thursday's semifinal against the reigning champion of the tournament.

The rest of the players are available to the coach, who recovers Luis Suárez and José María Giménez from last Sunday's match against Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

The two Uruguayan internationals served a one-match suspension for a five-match yellow card cycle and are now ready to play the Spanish Super Cup, in which Atletico were finalists in 2020, also in Saudi Arabia.

Atletico's expedition will leave for Riyadh. It is scheduled to depart for the Saudi city from the Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport, where it will travel almost 5,000 kilometers to the Saudi city in approximately six and a half hours of flight time. Once there, he will stay at a 5-star hotel in the city's new financial district.

On Wednesday, the day before the match against Athletic Club, Atlético de Madrid will train at the Príncipe Faisal stadium.