In Spanish, there’s a saying that goes, Copa del Rey back after “The second half was never good.” They say that sequels never measure up to the first, but this one did. The second installment of the Madrid Trilogy, which consisted of three derbies in three weeks and three different competitions, was much greater than the first, despite how unbelievable the first had seemed. It was similar to The Godfather Part II. Six days ago, these fierce rivals faced off in a match that saw eight goals and 120 minutes of joy until Real Madrid prevailed 5-3. Now, on a soggy night in their home city, they are back where they belong—in their hometown—for another 120 minutes that saw six goals, more mayhem, and retaliation. Atlético Madrid retaliated this time.
Griezmann shines as Atletico Madrid gets its Copa del Rey back after losing to Real Madrid
Thanks to goals from Samu Lino and Antoine Griezmann, they led 1-0 and 2-1. On two occasions when Atletico led, they discovered Real Madrid—the opponent who simply will not go away—returning to haunt them and bringing back all of their memories and anxieties. The derby went into extra time once more due to a Jan Oblak own goal and a diving header from Joselu. This means that eight final or knockout games between these teams have now been played during the Diego Simeone era. There, Griezmann scored a spectacular goal in the hundredth minute, sprinting past Vinícius and slamming the ball over Andriy Lunin to make it 3-2 while taking off his shirt.
Nobody was sure how this would turn out yet. Even if Atlético persisted, Madrid arrived. Jude Bellingham was called offside even though they had the ball in the net through Dani Ceballos once more. And then, with seconds left and the suspense engulfing everyone, just as the majority of those in attendance were at their breaking point, Rodrigo Riquelme broke free to curl in the winner at exactly midnight.
After the explosion rocked the venue, Diego Simeone ran drenched and clad in black down the touchline into the rain to celebrate something far bigger than just moving on to the next round of the Copa del Rey. There was something almost exorcism-esque about this; it had been a classic.Match preview and squad news for the african cup of nations
A suitable match for a suitable rivalry.
This was more real, more intense, and more significant even though it wasn’t as exciting or accessible as the Super Bowl. And, in the end, far superior. Much more noise and a little more blood. Madrid forward Joselu had remarked that the weather in Saudi Arabia had been “cold,” but in front of 70,000 spectators, it wasn’t. It was a night of suspense and drama that meant far more. and a ton of skill.
Not least of all was Bellingham, who played outstandingly the entire time and nearly opened the score at the ten-minute mark. He managed to stave off Koke, squeeze past Axel Witsel, get away from Rodrigo De Paul, and then take aim close to the six-yard box. José Maria Giménez dove in and touched it just enough to send the ball spinning off the bar and skyward.2024 Copa del Rey predictions, odds, start time, and best bets for Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
After five minutes, Vinícius spun Koke so easily to run through after Atlético was caught by a deep free kick, and Oblak made an amazing double stop. The movement slowed, but Madrid managed to hold onto the ball, work it back to the Brazilian, and he curled in a brilliant pass to Rodrygo beyond the defense. Rodrygo maneuvered, spun, and fired close to the penalty spot. Incredibly, Oblak managed to grab it with his right hand and quickly stood up to tackle Vinícius, sprinting for the rebound.
Atletico Madrid gets its Copa del Rey back after
Atletico Madrid tried to take the game to them, but they were more interested in having the ball and playing from deep. Lunin made easy saves against a header by De Paul and an overhead kick by Alvaro Morata. Madrid didn’t appear to mind, content to sprint; as the half progressed, they made more and more clear advances, showing clarity and intent. A particular issue for the home team was Rodrygo.
But Atlético’s goal came at that very moment. Morata was the target of a curling pass from Rodrigo de Paul, but Antonio Rüdiger intercepted it first. Prediction and Betting Advice for Egypt vs Ghana | Sports News Today, Jan 18, 2024
As the ball looped up off his head, Lino guided it past Lunin by slipping in at the far post. Bitty gameplay ensued. Believing that everything was well and that the number of conflicts was rising, Bellingham threw Lino to the ground and then lifted him back up. The fouls were also a factor, as one of them resulted in an equalizer and a humorous moment just before halftime. Oblak arrived to catch a long free kick from Modric that had fallen into the six-yard area. He diverted the ball backward off his glove and into his own net.
Rodrygo struck against the side netting to start the second half, and Bellingham displayed some amazing footwork to almost set up Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga by slipping past three men inside the box. However, it was Atlético who struck first, scoring a goal that was nearly as absurd as Madrid’s. It appeared that Marcos Llorente attempted to turn the ball into the Griezmann path, but it struck Camavinga and served as the ideal “assist,” slipping and spinning all over the place. Lunin misjudged it from nearly the same position that Oblak had held, allowing Alvaro Morata to put it into an open net.
Madrid retaliated as well. Brahim did a fantastic job inside the area to pull back for Rodrygo on the right. His shot rebounded off the bar after being deflected. Ever more tense was Atletico because of all the sorrow they had experienced in the past—when Madrid had broken their hearts and snatched away their hope—clung to them. It could have been terminated by Atlético, which would have just made matters worse and increased the predictability of Madrid’s comeback. Griezmann nearly scored the third after a deft angled ball from Lino; Llorente managed to break free but was unable to loft over Lunin to his teammates who were waiting; and Morata had a clear opportunity to seal the victory but the keeper, a hero in waiting, made a save.
And then it was bound to happen. Bellingham supplied it, sending a perfectly weighted ball to the far post, where Joselu dove in headfirst to score the equalizer. Naturally, this would add thirty additional minutes to this epic.
This time, as Episode II approached its conclusion, it was Griezmann’s and Atlético’s turn—a great moment fulfilled.