Copa slips away on penalties | OneFootball

After 13 years, the day had finally arrived. Atlético de Madrid were back in a Copa del Rey final at La Cartuja, this time against Real Sociedad. The red-and-white fans were located in the North Stand of the stadium, although not all the supporters were there, as thousands of Atlético fans had traveled to Seville to cheer on Diego Pablo Simeone’s men. There was a special sense of excitement in the air, and for several hours beforehand, Cholo’s soldiers were roared on from the stands by their own supporters.

The match could not have started in a more bitter way for Los Colchoneros. Just 14 seconds had gone by when Real struck first. A poorly defended long ball allowed the San Sebastián side to create the first attacking move, finished off by a precise header from Ander Barrenetxea that left Juan Musso with no chance. It was an unexpected start that forced Atlético to start chasing the game immediately.

Far from collapsing, Diego Pablo Simeone’s men responded by leaning on the inspiration of Ademola Lookman. The Nigerian forward, the most active player throughout the first half, got his reward in the 18th minute. After receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he set himself and produced a low angled shot just inside the post to restore parity and light up the final.

From that point on, the match entered a phase of trading blows, although the opposition enjoyed slightly more possession. Matarazzo’s side settled better on the pitch, creating danger especially down the flanks, with a very incisive Barrenetxea and an involved Guedes.

For their part, Atlético continued to look for depth down the left, once again with the Nigerian winger as their main attacking outlet. However, Cholo’s men showed some doubts in defense and struggled to find any real continuity in their play, relying too heavily on individual actions.

When everything seemed to be heading toward a draw at halftime, the moment came that tipped the balance again. In the 43rd minute, the referee pointed to the spot after a play in which Musso was late coming off his line. From 12 yards, Oyarzabal made no mistake and, with great composure, wrong-footed the Argentine goalkeeper to make it 1-2 just before the break.

The goal was a major psychological blow for the red-and-whites, who had managed to level the match after conceding so early. With the scoreboard in their favor, the San Sebastián side went into halftime one goal ahead, although there were still 45 minutes left in the final.

After the break, the red-and-whites tried to step up, although they found it hard to create clear danger. Real managed to contain Atlético’s attacks and look for chances on the counter. Cholo turned to his bench in search of solutions, bringing on players like Sorloth and Baena, but the team still could not find any fluency in the final third.

When the title seemed to be leaning toward the San Sebastián side, Julián Álvarez stepped up. The Argentine striker scored one of the goals of the night with a spectacular left-footed strike from the edge of the box in the 83rd minute, leveling the match and sending the final into a tense decisive stretch.

Atlético de Madrid even had chances to complete the comeback before the end of regular time, with clear opportunities for the Norwegian striker and Cardoso, but a lack of precision kept the scores level. As a result, the final went to extra time, where fatigue and fear of losing weighed more heavily than ambition.

Atleti could not break the deadlock in extra time

During extra time, both teams had chances to tip the balance. Julián hit the crossbar and the blue-and-white side responded with several dangerous attacks, forcing Musso into some fine saves. However, the score did not change and the Copa del Rey final was decided from the penalty spot.

In the shootout, nerves made themselves felt from the start. Marrero became the key figure by saving crucial spot-kicks, while Real showed greater composure in the decisive moments. In the end, Pablo Marín converted the winning penalty that handed the title to the Basque club.

Los Colchoneros, who produced a final full of character and resilience, came up just short of lifting the trophy after a match in which they managed to overcome adversity. The defeat leaves the red-and-whites empty-handed after a battle that had everything, but the season is not over yet and great things can still happen. If this team has shown anything, it is that it always gets back up, so you can be sure that Atlético de Madrid will return overflowing with courage and heart.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.