An error from reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin proved costly, combined with attacking brilliance from Antoine Griezmann, saw Real Madrid fall to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey. A classic chaotic cup tie needed extra time to settle things, but individual errors from Los Blancos, coupled with two moments of brilliance from Atleti handed Diego Simeone’s side a deserved 4-2 win.
Bellingham came within inches of opening the scoring, beating two defenders before cracking a left-footed shot off the bar from close range. Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak also played a role in keeping Los Blancos out, making a duo of neat saves to deny first Rodrygo, then Vinicius Jr.
Atletico took the lead, though. Samuel Lino scored the goal, latching onto a deflected ball and finishing into the bottom corner after a passage of loose Madrid defending.
Oblak had an unfortunate role in the Madrid equaliser, punching Luka Modric’s free-kick into his own net. Lunin responded with a goalkeeping error of his own to give Atleti their second, punching an awkward cross off the leg of Antonio Rudiger, into the path of a grateful Alvaro Morata — who finished into an open net.
Rodrygo came close to leveling the contest, his poked effort cannoning flicking off a defender and onto the bar. His replacement, Joselu, did one better, nodding Bellingham’s sliced shot into an empty net.
Griezmann flipped the scoreline back to Atleti in extra time, creating an angle before rifling an effort into the roof of the net past a helpless Lunin. Madrid had the ball in the net in the 110th minute, but Bellingham was adjudged to have been offside. And Atleti bagged a decisive fourth late in extra time, Rodrigo Riquelme completing a fine fluid attack to knock the defending champs out of the competition early.
GOAL rates Real Madrid’s players from the Wanda Metropolitano…