Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo Riquelme found the net in extra time, securing a 4-2 derby triumph for Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid. This victory not only avenged their recent 5-3 loss in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals but also propelled Diego Simeone’s team into the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey. The intense match unfolded at a lively Metropolitano, mirroring the competitiveness of their recent encounters, with the tables turning in Atletico’s favor this time around.
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Rollercoaster of Errors Define Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid Clash
Atletico Madrid’s winger, Samuel Lino, initiated the scoring for the home team in the 39th minute, capitalizing on a counter-attack. He tapped in a point-blank range shot after centre back Antonio Rüdiger’s miskick resulted in a backward clearance, presenting Lino with a gift.
However, Atletico’s goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, committed a costly error just before halftime when he failed to properly punch away a Luka Modric free kick, inadvertently sending the ball into his own net.
The 57th minute saw another blunder leading to a goal. Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga’s wayward pass back to his own area baffled goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and Rüdiger, allowing Álvaro Morata to easily tap the ball into an empty net.
In the 82nd minute, Morata squandered a close-range opportunity, leading to a Real counter-attack. Jude Bellingham’s cross found Joselu, who headed in the equalizer, forcing the match into extra time.
In the 100th minute, Griezmann showcased his skills by dispossessing Vinicius Junior at the halfway line. He swiftly advanced through the right channel, entering the box to score. The victory was sealed in the 119th minute when Riquelme delivered a precise finish.
Coaches’ Perspectives and Post-Match Drama: Insights from Atletico vs. Real Clash
Diego Simeone, the coach of Madrid, expressed admiration for Griezmann’s remarkable goal, describing it as one of his best. Simeone commended his team’s performance, highlighting their effort against a formidable opponent and emphasizing the overall quality of the match.
Simeone’s exchange of heated words with Vinícius after regulation seemed to stem from the latter’s celebration following Joselu’s goal. Additionally, Vinícius reportedly had a dispute with a ball boy at the Metropolitano. Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid’s coach, acknowledged the competitiveness of the match and attributed Vinícius’ actions to the intensity of the game.
Ancelotti’s Madrid entered the game on an impressive unbeaten run of 21 matches in all competitions, including 17 wins and four draws. Despite the defeat, Ancelotti acknowledged the beauty of recent matches against Atletico and accepted the outcome, expressing happiness for Atletico’s fans and Griezmann’s exceptional goal.
With this victory, Atletico Madrid will join Barcelona, Girona, Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo, Mallorca, Athletic Bilbao, and Sevilla in the quarterfinal draw of the Copa del Rey.
Coaches’ Perspectives: Insights from Atletico vs. Real Clash
“A magical football player like Griezmann appeared,” Simeone said. “He beat Vinícius,[Júnior] who is very quick, in a long race and put the ball into the top corner.”
“Antoine scored a spectacular goal, perhaps his best we’ve seen. We are lucky to have him here and that he wants to be here. I hope he can bring us many more nights like this one.”
Griezmann, 32, became Atlético’s all-time top scorer when he found the back of the net in his team’s 5-3 loss to Real Madrid in the Spanish Supercopa semifinal on Jan. 10.
“We are delighted for Griezmann,” Atlético Madrid captain Koke said. “He scored a fantastic goal.
“We weren’t able to give Griezmann a win last week to celebrate his achievement of becoming the club’s all-time top scorer. Today we can. It’s great to beat your eternal rivals in our stadium.“
Simeone expressed gratitude to Atlético fans for generating an excellent atmosphere at the Metropolitano stadium. His team, which had previously handed Real Madrid their only loss of the season in September, continued to make an impact.
“We were coming from the hotel to the stadium, and we saw something that made us proud and gives you extra strength to continue working,” he said.
“You just forget for how many years we have been working already in the club. It looks like we just have arrived to the club …. When we were arriving, we saw our fans excited and looking forward for the game, a match that it is only the round of 16 of Copa del Rey … only the Round of 16!”
“And you see our fans in that way and it is impossible to not give your all.”
“We understood the match very well, we were better in the extra time, and I think we deserve to win. It is more important this win to our fans than to be playing the next round.”
“No one deserved to lose,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We gave our all. I think in the end there’s nothing to reproach. We have to look ahead.“
“We leave this game with good sensations.”
