Atleti takes revenge against Real Madrid and gets a ticket in extra time for the Cup quarterfinals

The Metropolitano pushed their team to beat the merengue team 4-2

MADRID, 19 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Atlético de Madrid beat Real Madrid 4-2 this Thursday, with a decisive goal from Antoine Griezmann and another from Rodrigo Riquelme in extra time, and qualified for the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, after a tough match in red-and-white fiefdom and which served the locals to take some revenge against their capital opponent.

In a packed Cívitas Metropolitano, the start was one of contention on both sides. Two fighters well controlled at short distances, until Álvaro Morata threatened with a shot at the turn inside the area, unsuccessful, after a center-shot from Mario Hermoso from below.

Real Madrid responded in the 11th minute, with a sharp left foot shot from Jude Bellingham hitting the crossbar after a great dragging movement in the rival small area, including Axel Witsel; Vinícius Jr., attentive to the rebound, had his sights turned away and sent the ball into the clouds.

The Madrid team was stretched by Eduardo Camavinga in the midfield and Luka Modric leaning to the right, which Rodrygo Goes took advantage of to get into the gaps in Atlético's advanced defense. In one of those situations, Vini chipped the ball for the white '11' to shoot from the pointer, forcing a save from Jan Oblak.

The Slovenian goalkeeper repeated a save on his rebound, with Vini shooting from behind almost to the baseline. It was the 20th minute and Carlo Ancelotti's men seemed looser than an Atlético team without ideas, although a minute and a half later Rodrigo de Paul tested Andriy Lunin, a luxury spectator until that moment, with a header.

Josema Giménez had corrected the red and white errors in his defense, including a shot by Vini in another approach by Bellingham from the left side. The young English playmaker, faithful to his style, covered space on both sides to hook Witsel or Hermoso; or Giménez himself, who fouled him in the 35th minute, cleverly taken by Rodrygo.

From there, a corner due to the touch of the barrier, a play was born with a dangerous center from Rodrygo that Witsel deflected when Antonio Rüdiger arrived with everything behind him. Oblak then caught a shot from Bellingham on another occasion for Real Madrid who, however, made a mistake shortly before half-time and paid dearly at 1-0.

Morata dropped to the three-quarter line, controlled the ball and connected with Antoine Griezmann, an all-rounder in Diego Pablo Simeone's plans. Atleti's '7' passed to De Paul and he looked at the area, where he crossed in search of Saúl Ñíguez, whose presence made Rüdiger touch the ball with his head and involuntarily assisted Samu Lino backwards.

The Atleti winger finished first with his left foot and low, to the surprise of Dani Carvajal and a soft Lunin on his way out. But the Metropolitan's joy did not last long, as Modric hit a distant free kick into the area and Oblak 'sang' when trying to clear; He hit the ball with his right hand, in the jump with Rüdiger and Saúl, and the score was 1-1 (45').

The tie spurred Real Madrid, who started the second half with a chance from Rodrygo with a right foot at grass level that kissed the post. Bellingham liked that scenario and made Saúl bitter, replaced by Nahuel Molina to cover gaps and give Marcos Llorente some flight.

Precisely from Llorente the 2-1 was born, with the rebound of a pass from Camavinga that reached the small area; Lunin made a mess with the presence of Rüdiger, he cleared half-time against his teammate's leg and the ball was left at the mercy of Morata to push it into the net (57').

Atleti was winning with more aim than gunpowder, on the verge of a bullfighting phase. The plan of each coach then came into play, with a view to dosing in the last half hour of regulation time. Extra time was not ruled out if Ancelotti's team found a reward for his insistence, with Toni Kroos and Brahim Díaz at the controls.

Of course, on the counterattack Atleti had a very clear lead to make it 3-1. Llorente launched the play, Griezmann seasoned it and Morata finished off that low assist with a point-blank shot, which Lunin managed to repel. The ball was still alive and the hosts did not respond well to Rüdiger's forward charge, in a mismatch that was the prelude to the 2-2 score (82').

At the left edge of the mattress area, Vini filtered a pass to Bellingham and he, who had slipped between Giménez and Witsel, assisted Joselu Mato's header into the back of the net with the outside of his right boot. 'Cholo' Simeone's team reduced the ball, not exempt from another scare in a spur shot by Vini in stoppage time.

But that did not prevent extra time, the eighth in the last eight derbies that were direct eliminators, including the recent one in Riyadh (Arabia) during the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup. This time Atleti came first with a powerful shot from Llorente, answered by another from Vini from outside the area and which went wide.

Kroos tried to govern this round trip, while Atleti entrusted itself to his right eye. And he answered the call. With a quick sprint down the right wing, Griezmann focused while leaving Vini behind in his race, who contained his marking to avoid a penalty.

That couple of meters 'Grizi' advanced to get in line and beat Lunin with a left foot, once again weak in his attempt to bail. Near the squad that ball of ecstasy entered the Metropolitano stands. Ancelotti came up with an alternative plan with Fran García and Dani Ceballos, who on the opposite bench was countered by César Azpilicueta.

The merengue formula took effect, following a ball stolen by Kroos that continued in a shot by a teammate from outside the area, which after a rebound ended up at the feet of Bellingham. He turned the Englishman on himself, faced with the threat of the central defenders, and shot quickly; For the rejection of Oblak's save, Ceballos ran desperately and scored.

However, Bellingham was called offside and that reduced Real Madrid's soufflé. Fortune seemed on this occasion to be on the side of the rojiblancos, who on the counterattack made it 4-2. 'Grizi' tamed the ball, passed it to Memphis Depay and, deciding wisely, the Dutchman assisted Roro Riquelme so that the youth player sealed the ticket to the quarterfinals in the 119th minute.

--RESULT: ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 4 - REAL MADRID, 2 (1-1, at half-time).

ATLÉTICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Llorente (Barrios, min.98), Giménez, Witsel, Hermoso, Lino (Riquelme, min.90 2); Koke, De Paul (Azpilicueta, min.106; Savic, min.115), Saúl (Molina, min.57); Morata (Memphis, min.98) and Griezmann.

REAL MADRID: Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho (Fran García, min.105), Mendy (Brahim, min.66); Camavinga (Ceballos, min.105), Valverde (Tchouaméni, min.74), Modric (Kroos, min.66); Bellingham; Rodrygo (Joselu, min.81) and Vinícius.

1-0, min.39: Lino.

1-1, min.45: Oblak (pp).

2-1, min.57: Morata.

2-2, min.82: Joselu.

3-2, min.100: Griezmann.

4-2, min.119: Riquelme.

--REFEREE: Cuadra Fernández (Balearic Islands). He yellow carded Hermoso (min.67), De Paul (min.79), Koke (min.80), Griezmann (min.101), Witsel (min.113) at Atlético de Madrid, and Vinícius (min. .45), to Camavinga (min.56), to Brahim (min.67), to Tchouaméni (min.85), to Carvajal (min.90) at Real Madrid.

--STADIUM: Cívitas Metropolitano, 67,623 spectators.

--INCIDENTS: Before starting the match, Atlético de Madrid honored Antoine Griezmann for having become their all-time top scorer and also held a minute of silence for the recent death of Jorge Griffa, former Colchonero player.