Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid: In a thrilling midweek encounter, Atletico Madrid exacted sweet revenge on crosstown rivals Real Madrid, pulling off a dramatic 4-2 victory in extra time during the Copa Del Rey Round of 16 Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid. This triumph comes just a week after Atletico’s agonizing defeat to Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid semifinals, making the victory even sweeter for Diego Simeone’s men.
The Metropolitano witnessed a passionate affair between Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid, with both teams trading blows throughout the regulation 90 minutes. Atletico drew first blood through Samuel Lino’s close-range finish in the 39th minute, but a bizarre own goal from Jan Oblak shortly after leveled the score. Alvaro Morata, on loan from Madrid, put Atletico back ahead in the 57th, capitalizing on Andriy Lunin’s poor clearance. However, Joselu’s header in the 82nd minute, following a pinpoint cross by Jude Bellingham, threatened to send the game to penalties.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid 105th Minute
But the drama had just begun. Antoine Griezmann, Atletico’s talismanic figure, stepped up in the 105th minute with a moment of pure magic. Drifting past Vinicius Jr. on the right, he curled a stunning finish into the top corner, leaving Lunin rooted to the spot. Rodrigo Riquelme then sealed the deal in the 119th minute, latching onto Memphis Depay’s pass and slotting it home on the break.
This victory serves as a powerful response to Atletico’s Super Cup disappointment. The Metropolitano faithful, still smarting from last week’s loss, roared their team on to victory, with no guard of honor offered to Madrid despite their recent triumph. The atmosphere was further charged by reports of alleged racial abuse directed towards Vinicius Jr. from a section of the Atletico fans, casting a shadow over the otherwise electrifying contest.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid, on a 21-game unbeaten run before this clash, were left stunned by Atletico’s resilience. With their focus now shifting to the league clash on February 4th, the rivalry between these two giants of Spanish football is set to intensify even further.
Meanwhile, Barcelona also booked their place in the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 3-1 win over third-division Unionistas. After a shaky first half, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde scored in the second half to secure the victory, following Ferran Torres’ equalizing goal before halftime. This win comes as a much-needed boost for Xavi’s men, who were under pressure after losing the Super Cup final to Madrid.
The Copa Del Rey quarter-final draw promises another round of exciting match-ups, with Atletico Madrid potentially facing a Barcelona-Girona clash. With the race for the trophy heating up, Spanish football fans can expect more exhilarating encounters in the weeks to come.