Atlético Madrid suffered yet another painful Champions League defeat against Real Madrid, extending their European curse against their city rivals. Despite a valiant effort, fate once again favored Real, leaving Atlético heartbroken in a dramatic penalty shootout.
A Familiar Story of Heartbreak
This was the sixth European encounter between the two clubs, and for the sixth time, Real Madrid emerged victorious. Atlético had their moments, dominated for stretches, and pushed their rivals to the limit. But just like in Lisbon 2014 and Milan 2016, history repeated itself.
Julián Álvarez thought he had given Atlético a crucial goal, only for VAR to intervene and disallow it due to a barely perceptible double touch. It was another cruel twist of fate, a tiny detail that changed everything.
Simeone’s Pride Amidst the Pain
After the match, Diego Simeone found solace in his team’s performance. “We made them suffer,” he insisted. “They will remember how hard it was to beat us.” But that didn’t change the reality—Real Madrid always finds a way.
Simeone’s arrival once promised an end to Atlético’s reputation as the “jinxed ones.” Winning the Copa del Rey at the Bernabéu in 2013 and La Liga in 2014 proved they could conquer Madrid. But in Europe, Real remains their executioner.
A Night That Ended Like So Many Others
The match followed a script Atlético fans know too well. Extra time felt inevitable, and so did Real’s triumph. Even as Atlético fought with everything they had, the final moment belonged to their rivals.
Now, they must regroup, exhausted and heartbroken, before facing Barcelona in a crucial La Liga clash. But in the quiet moments, they will still hear the chants from Real Madrid fans: “Tell me how it feels…”
For Atlético, it feels like a nightmare they can never wake up from.
