Atletico Honors Koke's Mother Ahead of Manchester United Clash

Atletico Madrid will honor captain Koke's late mother before hosting Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid. The Spanish club confirmed that Koke will miss the match following the death of his mother, Ana Merodio Borja, while Manchester United manager Michael Carrick prepares for the second league-phase fixture with several players unavailable through injury.

According to Atletico Madrid's announcement, Ana Merodio Borja died on Tuesday morning. The club requested permission from UEFA to commemorate her during both the first team's match against Manchester United and a UEFA Youth League fixture. UEFA approved the request, allowing the planned tribute to proceed.

Players from Atletico will wear black armbands, and the stadium will observe a minute of silence before kickoff. The club flag at Riyadh Air Metropolitano has also been lowered to half-mast in mourning.

Atletico Madrid issued a statement expressing its condolences to the family, particularly Koke and Borja Resurreccion, who works as an assistant coach for the club's Juvenil A youth team.

"From Atletico Madrid, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the entire family and friends, especially Koke, captain of the first team, and Borja Resurreccion, assistant coach of Juvenil A. Rest in peace," Atletico Madrid said.

Koke is expected to be Atletico's only absentee for the Manchester United fixture, according to the club. Manager Diego Simeone can also welcome back players who missed the team's opening Champions League match against Liverpool, including Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth, who has returned to the squad.

Manchester United, meanwhile, arrives in Madrid under pressure after a difficult start to its domestic campaign. According to UA.News, the team had collected only six points in the Premier League, marking its worst league start since the 1986-87 season. The club had also been eliminated from the English League Cup following a defeat against Brighton at Old Trafford.

Carrick said the team's internal expectations mattered more to him than outside criticism. He acknowledged the difficult circumstances but maintained that the squad remained confident in its ability to win matches and continue developing.

The manager also said he had anticipated a challenging period following the previous season's success. He urged the squad to confront its current position and remain committed to the club's longer-term development.

Manchester United traveled without Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo, both of whom sustained injuries around the team's 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Mainoo completed the full 90 minutes despite having withdrawn from England duty because of an injury, while Shaw was substituted late in the match. The precise extent of Shaw's injury was not disclosed.

The defensive absences could create additional problems for Carrick. Patrick Dorgu is recovering from a hamstring injury sustained while representing Denmark and is expected to return next month. Noussair Mazraoui was also considered unlikely to feature, leaving Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro and young defender Harry Amass among the available options mentioned in the report.

Dan Armer, a young player developed at the club's Carrington academy, also traveled to Madrid as a potential defensive option. Matthijs de Ligt offered a possible boost after returning to team training following a back injury that had kept him out since November of the previous year. He joined the traveling squad and could be approaching a return to action.

Carrick also provided an update on captain Bruno Fernandes, who had been playing with a minor physical problem. The manager indicated that the issue was not serious and said Fernandes was close to full fitness after performing well in training ahead of the Atletico match.

Manchester United had won its opening Champions League fixture against Sabah, according to UA.News, despite its domestic difficulties and League Cup elimination. Atletico's match against United was scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. local time on October 13, with Spanish broadcaster Canal+ holding the Champions League television rights for the 2026-27 season in Poland.