Immediate Reaction: Atlético Madrid 4-2 Real Madrid (AET)

Los Blancos bow out of the cup…

• By
  
  Sam Sharpe
  
• on January 19, 2024 12:09 am

Atlético Madrid 4-2 Real Madrid (OG & Joselu). Defeat in the derby. Here is the reaction. Up next: Player ratings, post game quotes and a derby post game podcast.

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Real Madrid were back in action after winning the SuperCup (and beating Atlético Madrid along the way) in the Copa Del Rey for a place in the quarter-finals. The line-up reflected their intentions to progress despite the recent celebrations, with Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modrić coming into an otherwise unchanged side. Arda Güler was back on the bench alongside three Castilla players. The rivals as per usual benefited from Castilla graduates in their line-up once more. Luka Modrić had the skippers armband on in the derby.

Jude Bellingham got things going by hitting the bar in the opening minutes, before Jan Oblak had to make a double save to deny Rodrygo Goes and Vinícius Júnior. The game got as scrappy as you would expect a derby to get with Atlético Madrid at home, and their first real chance of the game was just as messy. The ball bounced into the area after some poor defending from Los Blancos and Samuel Lino was quick to pounce on the ball and finish around Andriy Lunin in goal. Real Madrid would equalise by half-time, but their goal would be even worse as an awkward ball flew in and made contact with Oblak who seemed to punch it over his head into his own net. 1-1 at half time.

The second half started off tense and got worse when another bad mistake led to Castilla graduate Álvaro Morata getting an easy tap-in to give the home side the lead once more. For a period of time after this they were playing some of the best football I have ever seen them play, with quick short passes heightening the excitement from the crowd. Rodrygo tried to silence them after breaking into the box but a touch from the keeper meant that his effort was pushed onto the bar. A Vinícius mistake led to the shaky Lunin having to make a big save to keep his side in it. That proved to be massive, as Joselu Mato was brought on, and two minutes later became the hero with an accurate header to draw things level once more. The visitors almost finished it late on after a lovely Vinícius flick caused chaos in the area, but luckily for the hosts the ball bounced over the target. Full time, 2-2 and extra-time once more.

The first half of extra-time brought nothing but more bad news as Antoine Griezmann latched onto a loose ball before being allowed to travel all the way towards goal and smash home to make it 3-2. Real Madrid tried to push forward, and had the ball in the net through substitute Dani Ceballos – but the goal was brought back correctly for offside. As Los Blancos continued to up the intensity in search for a goal, the old space left behind story came into play and Atlético went on the counter to make it four through Rodrigo Riquelme. Final score: 4-2.

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