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Antony’s side suffered a crushing defeat against Atlético. |
The game highlighted a clear difference in character, effectiveness and ability to exploit mistakes between the two teams. All of these are elements that have become the Madrid club’s trademark under Diego Simeone.
Despite the away game, Atlético got off to an offensive start and dominated the game from the start. In the 12th minute, central defender David Hancko headed the ball precisely into the net after a corner from Koke, giving Betis the lead. The early goal unsettled the hosts’ defense, while Atlético acted with increasing confidence.
Betis tried to respond with attacks from Antony and Abde Ezzalzouli, but their hasty and inaccurate shots were not enough to trouble the visitors’ dense defense. While Betis continued to search for a goal, the team suffered another setback. In the 30th minute, Giuliano Simeone made it 2-0 after an assist from Matteo Ruggeri. In the 37th minute, Pablo Barrios played a soulful through ball to Ademola Lookman, who ran free and scored to make Atlético 3-0 at halftime.
In the second half, coach Manuel Pellegrini tried to turn things around with several substitutions, but Betis’ efforts were quickly dashed. In the 62nd minute, Antoine Griezmann easily made it 4-0 after a precise pass from Lookman. The game was thus decided.
In the 83rd minute, Thiago Almada scored the fifth goal, sealing the win. With a convincing 5-0 win, Atlético Madrid secured their place in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and underlined their ambition to win the title this season.
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