Barcelona could receive a significant advantage ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash against Atlético Madrid, with Argentine defender Cristian Romero facing uncertainty over his availability because of a muscular injury, according to a report by Barca Universal on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

Hansi Flick's team will travel to the Metropolitano hoping to build on their convincing 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Spotify Camp Nou. However, their opponents may be forced to cope without one of their important defensive figures as Diego Simeone assesses Romero's fitness.

The World Cup-winning centre-back missed Atlético's Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich on Tuesday after experiencing muscular discomfort. His condition has reportedly been troubling him for some time, with the problem previously forcing him to sit out two successive matches.

Although Romero returned to Atlético's matchday squad for last weekend's meeting with Levante, he did not feature, remaining on the bench throughout the contest. His absence from subsequent training sessions before the Bayern fixture raised further concerns about his recovery and ultimately prevented Simeone from including him in the Champions League squad.

His chances of facing Barcelona on Sunday remain uncertain, and his involvement currently appears doubtful. Atlético will continue assessing his condition before deciding whether he can return to action.

Romero's potential absence would be a considerable concern for Simeone because of the qualities he brings to the defensive line. The Argentine is recognised for his physical presence, aggressive tackling, awareness and determination in one-on-one situations. His ability to follow opponents closely and disrupt attacking movements also makes him a valuable option in defensive match-ups.

Those attributes could have been particularly useful against Barcelona's attacking threats. Raphinha's movement across the forward line and Lamine Yamal's creativity and ability to beat defenders could test Atlético's backline. Barcelona also have Anthony Gordon available as another attacking option, providing Flick with additional possibilities going into the encounter.

If Romero is unable to recover, Simeone may retain the central defensive partnership of Robin Le Normand and David Hancko. The pair started together against Bayern Munich and could again be trusted to handle Barcelona's attacking quality. Their performance will be important if Atlético must adjust to the possible absence of their Argentine teammate.

Atlético enter the fixture seeking a response after losing 2-0 to Bayern in Europe. Simeone will want his players to recover quickly from that setback, although Barcelona represent another demanding opponent.

The Catalan side, meanwhile, have reasons to approach the trip with confidence. Their recent victory over Aston Villa featured two goals from Raphinha, while Yamal also found the net to complete a convincing performance. Flick will hope his forwards can reproduce that effectivenes in Madrid.

Julián Álvarez is another figure attracting attention ahead of the contest, having featured in transfer discussions involving Barcelona and Atlético during the summer. Nevertheless, Romero's fitness remains one of the most significant issues surrounding Sunday's meeting.

Barcelona would welcome the defender's absence, while Atlético will hope he recovers in time for the important league encounter.