The returning Matthijs de Ligt could be Man United's saviour at the back

By Matt Law | 12 Oct 2026 16:04 , Last updated: 12 Oct 2026 16:10 Manchester United centre-back Matthijs de Ligt has reportedly travelled to Madrid with the Red Devils squad for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid . De Ligt has not played for the 20-time English champions since the end of November 2025 due to a back injury which ultimately required an operation over the summer. The Netherlands international has stepped up his recovery process in recent weeks and trained with the Red Devils on Monday morning ahead of the trip to Spain.