 |
| Griezmann’s Magic Strikes Again, Simeone Proud as Atletico Reach Copa del Rey Quarterfinals. |
Atletico Madrid have secured their place in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, and once again Antoine Griezmann was the man who made the difference. A moment of brilliance from the French star was enough to seal a narrow 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna.
Playing away at Estadio Abanca-Riazor, Diego Simeone’s side faced tough resistance from the Segunda Division team. The deadlock was finally broken in the 61st minute when Griezmann curled a stunning free-kick past the goalkeeper, a goal that proved decisive.
After the match, Simeone was full of praise for his talisman, highlighting Griezmann’s influence and competitive spirit.
“He scored a fantastic goal,” Simeone said. “Griezmann is a difference maker. What stands out is that he still has that magic, that desire to compete and help the team in every way.”
That goal marked Griezmann’s 10th direct free-kick goal for Atletico across all competitions. Since the 2014–15 season, only Lionel Messi and Dani Parejo have scored more direct free-kicks for a single LaLiga club, underlining how special his record is.
Griezmann’s impact in the Copa del Rey is just as impressive. He has now been directly involved in 37 goals in the competition, with 28 goals and nine assists. Since detailed data began being recorded, only Messi has contributed to more goals in the tournament.
Against Deportivo, Griezmann delivered a complete performance. He led the team in chances created and ball recoveries, showing his value not just in attack but also in defensive work. It was a display that left Simeone applauding his contribution across the pitch.
Simeone also explained a key decision he made in the second half, choosing to substitute Julian Alvarez while keeping Griezmann on the field.
“We felt he was closer to scoring,” Simeone explained, referring to Griezmann. “That’s why we kept him on.”
Statistically, Atletico could have won by a bigger margin. They registered 15 shots in total, although only six were on target. The woodwork denied both Matteo Ruggeri and Griezmann in the first half, while Marcos Llorente and Giuliano Simeone also came close to extending the lead.
Despite the missed chances, Simeone remained calm and optimistic.
“I would be more concerned if we weren’t creating scoring opportunities,” he said. “The team is generating chances. Now we just need to fine-tune the finishing from our key attacking players.”
Off the pitch, Atletico are also dealing with squad changes. Conor Gallagher and Giacomo Raspadori were left out of the matchday squad amid strong transfer rumors.
Gallagher is reportedly close to a return to England, with Tottenham believed to have agreed a permanent deal worth around 700 billion rupiah. Meanwhile, Raspadori, who only joined Atletico from Napoli last summer, is expected to return to Serie A, with Atalanta emerging as his likely destination.
“The club is working to give us what we need and to help cover the absences we currently have,” Simeone concluded.
With Griezmann’s magic shining once again and full backing from his coach, Atletico Madrid look well-positioned to keep pushing forward and aim high in this season’s Copa del Rey.