There are nightmares that stick to sleep with no apparent remedy, until exhaustion. And one fine day, usually when least expected, right then, at the limit of strength, on the edge of the abyss, when a new stumble leads to dangerous depths, the opportunity arises to leave everything behind in one fell swoop, or rather, with a good stomp, headers, or legal means. And Atlético was able to remove the thorn from the La Cartuja Cup final, in which they barely lost to Real, when the match looked very bad, against a solid txuri urdin team and an Atlético that did not appear until the 75th minute. A 0-3 that, given what was seen on the field, seems like the result of another match.
Read more Levante challenges an effective Barcelona without reward
The match made it clear early on that it was not going to be a walk in the park for either team. Both started with an offensive mindset, contesting possession of the ball, to the point where the match could tip either way. In Atlético, somewhat lacking ideas, the fear surrounding this match became evident. Without Pablo Barrios, who is out due to injury, without his originality and vision of the game, without his baton, the music of this Atlético does not sound the same. And the expected happened: retreat, surrendering the ball, and playing the wounded animal, as if consumed by a death drive. Matarazzo’s men moved and moved, with good combinations in midfield, but in the final third they faced the composed, defensive but effective red-and-whites. Time stretched like chewing gum, more and more. Occasionally a spark, electrifying the veins of the fans, but little else.
As the minutes passed, something like an outpouring of optimism began to appear in Anoeta. Simeone’s men, already stiff, started with the first defensive inaccuracies, and the spaces and opportunities for the Donostiarras gradually increased, getting closer and closer. Oyarzabal had a shot full of malice, but it crashed into the red-and-white defense. The match continued with Real’s 11 against Atlético’s 11, plus their 11 ghosts, growing larger and larger.
To prove that mistakes are not always learned from, this Atlético, which is in penance, came out in the first minutes of the second half just as they did in the previous two matches, sleepy. Barrenetxea’s cross from the right wing reached a completely alone Sucic, who stumbled and almost didn’t score out of modesty.
At 10 minutes into the second half, Simeone said enough. He took out Baena, Kang-In Lee, and Marcos Llorente and brought in Cardoso, Koke, and Jonathan David. It had its effect. A recovery by Koke in midfield, with his characteristic mastery, led to a good combination of passes. It was the premonition of a change in trend. Shortly after, Grimaldo’s wing served as the theater of operations for the red-and-whites’ electric plays. A shiver ran through San Sebastián. And rightly so.
HE ARRIVED AT ATLETI TO SCORE GOALS LIKE THIS 🔥
— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) September 13, 2026
Jonathan David debuts as a goalscorer for Atlético in LALIGA 🌟🇨🇦#LALIGAenDAZN ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/IlP4AphroN
A rebound from Grimaldo’s cross, in the first good minutes of Simeone’s men on the field, caused the ball to hit Ochieng’s hand. Penalty and Grimaldo’s execution. With Real already pushed forward, the second came from David and the third, at the buzzer, from Giuliano. In football, as in many other occasions, the best or the most elegant does not win, but the one who does not forgive. And Atlético was much more effective.
