Cup knockout at Atletico
Rude awakening for Real Madrid after the Saudi frenzy
January 19, 2024, 12:17 a.m
The title is followed by frustration: Supercup champion Real Madrid suffered a bitter defeat in the national cup – against their big city rivals Atletico. Meanwhile, FC Barcelona, just humiliated by Real in the Supercup, is progressing lackluster.
Spain’s record football champions Real Madrid experienced a rude awakening in the national cup competition after their Super Cup triumph in Saudi Arabia. The cup defender, with national player Antonio Rüdiger and substitute ex-world champion Toni Kroos, failed in the round of 16 with a 2:4 (2:2, 1:1) after extra time against local rivals Atlético Madrid.
Champions FC Barcelona, on the other hand, moved into the round of the top eight four days after the 1:4 humiliation at the hands of their arch rivals in the Super Cup final with a lackluster 3:1 (1:1) at third division club Unionistas Salamanca. The Catalans, with national team captain İlkay Gündoğan coming into the game after around an hour, followed other top teams such as league leaders FC Girona into the quarter-finals. The pairings for the games for a place in the semi-finals have not yet been determined.
Real had to chase down Atletico’s lead twice in regular time. After the hosts scored goals from Samuel Lino (10th) and Alvaro Morata (57th), in which Rüdiger cut an unfortunate figure, the Royals equalized with an own goal from Jan Oblak (45th + 1) and Joselu (82nd). , before Atletico completed their coup in extra time with goals from former world champion Antoine Griezmann (100th) and Rodrigo Riquelme.
Barça initially struggled in Salamanca and even fell behind 14 minutes before half-time. But Ferran Torres (45th) initiated the turnaround before the break, which Jules Kounde (69th) and Alejandro Balde (73rd) completed in style.