This Saturday, La Rosaleda served as a gift for Kings Day and marked the end of Marbella FC’s dream run in the Copa del Rey, which faced Atlético de Madrid. It was a day the Málaga club can be extremely proud of, despite failing to overthrow Griezmann’s early goal which sealed the match at 0-1.
The meeting was overshadowed well before kick-off. Hundreds of ultras, joined by Frente Atleti, staged a shameful clash a few meters from La Rosaleda, leaving the Mesón Segalerva terrace in ruins. Interestingly, peace only came when the two fans sang ‘La gitana loca’ together, after Atlético supporters tried to make their voices heard by chanting ‘Puta Málaga’ and interrupting the anthem of Marbella with theirs.
La Rosaleda surprised with a predominantly red and white atmosphere, making the task even more difficult for newly-promoted Marbella FC, who were aiming to spring an upset against the most in-form team in Spanish football. The performance of Fran Beltrán’s team was magnificent: true to their style, they kept their calm and did not shy away from controlling the ball. However, Griezmann and Atlético struck first (0-1) after a great save from Dani Martín.
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Marbella FC kept guard. Ohemeng was a constant headache for Simeone’s men, outplaying Javi Galán on every occasion. The problem arose when De Paul or Gallagher exploited the spaces behind the defenders, regularly posing a threat. Unfortunately for Marbella, the half-time break came at a bad time for them; they finished the first half completely in an attacking position, with Callejón very active, forcing goalkeeper Musso to intervene.
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With the same intention, the second half began, imbued with confidence. Marbella controlled the rebounds and scoring chances, eagerly seeking the equalizer. The only obstacle was their lack of bite in the final third. Far from the level of danger displayed when Griezmann almost scored again, forcing Dani Martín into two spectacular saves.
The match started to gain momentum in both penalty areas. First, Diori protested for a penalty due to a draw during a corner kick. Without VAR, his complaints fell on deaf ears as referee Muñiz Muñiz asked him to get up. Just one action later, Gallagher hit the ball against the inside of the post—only the magic of La Rosaleda can explain how that ball stayed out. To add to their misfortune, Giuliano and Sorloth wasted a two-on-one opportunity.
With 20 minutes remaining, Fran Beltrán brought on Marcos Peña and Edwards in search of that elusive equalizer. Fatigue began to set in, yet some elements remained unchanged: Luis Acosta’s masterpiece and Dorian’s tireless battle with Lenglet and Le Normand. The substitutions of Jorge Álvarez and Du put everything on the line.
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Correa had the chance to seal the match in the 84th minute. In an attempt to show off, he played too much, losing control of his dribbling and sending the ball out of the goal. Griezmann also sent a free kick over the bar. Now Marbella entered the final countdown. A corner seemed to hold the key to rewriting history, but it remained an unfulfilled dream.
Despite everything, it was another historic day for Malaga football. Marbella FC can proudly boast of having faced Atlético de Madrid in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, a feat that will remain engraved in their history.
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