Bitter return: Duván Zapata entered the field and was changed minutes later in Atalanta

Very hard blow for Duván Zapata. The striker returned to activity after suffering a muscle injury. However, the Colombian’s enthusiasm quickly faded: the return to the ring with Atalanta lasted just 14 minutes. The ‘9’ was substituted in the clash of day 24 of Serie A against Cagliari.

The team from Bergamo moved the bench after receiving the first goal of the day, courtesy of Gastón Pereiro. Then, the coach Gian Piero Gasperini ordered the entry of Zapata to replace his compatriot Luis Fernando Muriel. Thus, the gunner made his return to the fields for the first time since last December 21.

Duván, as is often the case, squared off between the Cagliari central defenders to tempt equality. In fact, with the attacker on the pitch, Atalanta equalized thanks to José Palomino’s goal. When it seemed that the panorama for the locals was going to change, two consecutive slaps arrived.

In the first instance, Pereiro repeated and scored the second for his colors. Then, just a few minutes later, Zapata left the field to allow Valentin Mihaila to enter. That is to say, the soccer player of the national team only participated in the actions in 14 minutes and, from Italy, they presume that he was injured again.

The truth is that Duván went directly to the substitutes’ bench. The player sat in the first row of seats with a worried expression. He also stripped off the gloves and other garments he wore on the brief return to the fields with Atalanta.

As it is recalled, the attacker, due to the muscle injury, was not considered by the coach Reinaldo Rueda to play the Qatar 2022 Qualifiers with Peru in Barranquilla and Argentina in Córdoba (both ended in defeat).

Duván Zapata, 30, was also absent against Udinese in the first game of 2022 for his club. Immediately, he was absent from the match against Venezia for the Cup, Inter Milan and Lazio, these two corresponding to the Serie A season.