The gamble truly paid off in the second half when the youth academy graduates seized their moment on the big stage. Iker Luque, just 20 years old, broke the deadlock in the 74th minute with a clinical finish at the near post, finding the net only 10 minutes after being introduced from the bench. It was a dream debut for the youngster, who showed a level of maturity that belied his age.
He was not the only teenager to haunt Valencia, as 18-year-old Cubo effectively ended the contest eight minutes later. The starlet showed great composure to collect a clever throughball from Antoine Griezmann - one of the few established stars to see second-half action - and slot the ball low past Stole Dimitrievski. After a brief VAR review, the goal was confirmed, sparking wild celebrations among the Atletico substitutes.