From Barcelona to Madrid. Free after the end of his contract at Olympique Lyonnais, Memphis Depay made his dream come true by joining Barça. But after a rather good first year, the Dutchman was invited to leave in the summer of 2022 in order to reduce the payroll and welcome new players. But like his compatriot Frenkie de Jong, the Dutchman refused to take the door. This, even if Juventus was very interested in his services. He therefore waited for the winter transfer window to change scenery. And he didn’t go very far since he left his bags in Madrid. In fact, he signed for Atlético.
Desired by Diego Simeone who wanted to expand his offensive sector, Memphis was excited about the idea of taking on this new challenge. Scorer three times in eight matches, he then went to the infirmary at the end of March following an injury with the Netherlands. The Colchoneros indicated that he suffered from a muscle problem in his thigh. Disappointed, the player confided: “It’s a difficult season for me, it’s very tough mentally. This is perhaps the most difficult season of my career so far. Unfortunately, moments like this injury are part of a career. I’ll probably experience good things again.”
Four injuries since arriving in Madrid
Returning on April 30 after a month off and missing four matches, he played eleven minutes against Valladolid. But he relapsed in early May. “Memphis Depay was unable to complete the training session on Tuesday May 2 before the match against Cadiz and had to withdraw after feeling discomfort in a rondo at the start of the session. Our attacker had evolved positively after an overload from which he had suffered in both legs in recent days. Examinations carried out by the club’s medical service indicate that the Dutchman suffers from a right soleus injury. The red and white 9 will soon begin receiving physiotherapy sessions and will undergo rehabilitation training, while awaiting progress”Atlético explained.
This 2023-24 season, Memphis wanted to get off to a good start and leave his physical problems behind him. Scorer on the first day against Granada on August 14 (3-1 victory, 33 minutes of play), he followed up with two starts against Betis (August 20, 0-0, 63 minutes of play) and Rayo Vallecano (August 28, 7-0 victory, 34 minutes of play). Author of a goal, he was also injured (muscular discomfort in the thigh). Back in the infirmary for a month, he reunited with his teammates on September 24 during the derby against Real Madrid (3-1 victory). Depay entered 9 minutes. But we won’t see him again right away since he was injured again after the Madrid derby.
Atlético misses him
It is affected in the soleus muscle. This is his fourth injury in nine months in the Madrid jersey. Enough to bother the player. Sport writes about him: “his four injuries hampered his career at Atlético de Madrid and prevented him from showing his full potential. When he played, Memphis clearly showed that he was a more than useful player for this team, with an efficiency in front of goal that the red and white team greatly lacks. In the 139 minutes he played this season, Memphis scored two goals, which means he scored every 70 minutes of play. A.S. also deplores his numerous absences, having already missed three matches in all competitions this season.
“The striker is suffering from a new muscular problem and since his arrival he has only participated in 17.7% of the minutes. His good level in front of goal is diluted by injuries”writes the Iberian media before adding: “Memphis signed with Atlético on January 20. Since then, the red and white team have played 28 matches, including a Copa del Rey match against Real Madrid that went into extra time. In the 2,550 minutes the team played on the court, they only had Memphis in 453 of them. 17.7% of the minutes he could have played. He participated in 13 games, he missed 13 others due to injury and there were two that he followed completely from the bench. A hard blow for Atlético, which despite everything counts on Morata and Griezmann, and Memphis Depay, who has suffered 8 injuries since his cruciate ligament rupture in Lyon in December 2019.
