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Atletico Madrid’s preparations for their Champions League semi-final against Arsenal have been dealt a significant blow after suffering a heartbreaking Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Diego Simeone’s side were favourites to lift the domestic trophy but were beaten on penalties at the Metropolitano Stadium, denying them crucial momentum ahead of their European showdown with the Gunners later this month.
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The match got off to a nightmare start for Atleti when Ander Barrenetxea gave Real Sociedad a shock lead after just 15 seconds. Ademola Lookman equalised midway through the first half, but Mikel Oyarzabal restored Sociedad’s advantage just before the interval.
Julian Alvarez salvaged extra time for Atletico with a late strike, though neither side could find a winner in the additional 30 minutes. The game ultimately went to penalties, where both Alexander Sorloth and Alvarez missed their spot-kicks while Sociedad converted three of their four attempts to claim the trophy.
Simeone’s reaction
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Speaking after the defeat, Simeone acknowledged his side’s disappointment while praising their opponents’ clinical finishing. According to Marca, the Argentine coach said: “First, I want to congratulate our opponents. We reacted well to the first goal, then continued at a slow pace.”
“We could have scored a third with Johnny \[Cardoso\] or \[Alex\] Baena. Then in extra time, we each had a chance: Julián’s shot hit the post and Musso made the save. We competed very well, but unfortunately, they won the penalties.”
When pressed about the upcoming Champions League semi-final, Simeone remained focused on the immediate disappointment. “I’m not thinking about Arsenal. Today hurts a lot; we needed to win, but we couldn’t. The way we competed gives me a lot of peace of mind.”
European focus intensifies
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The Copa del Rey defeat means Atletico are now firmly out of the La Liga title race, making the Champions League their only remaining chance of silverware this season. Arsenal face a similar situation after their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday potentially ended their Premier League title hopes.
The first leg of the Champions League semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 at the Metropolitano Stadium, with the return fixture taking place the following Tuesday in north London. On the other side of the bracket, Bayern Munich will face Paris Saint-Germain.
Arteta’s side have already faced all three potential opponents this season, defeating both Atletico and Bayern during the league stage while suffering defeat to PSG in last season’s semi-finals. The French champions went on to win the competition and have also overcome English opposition including Aston Villa and Chelsea in recent European campaigns.