Atletico Madrid's 10 Greatest Games of the 21st Century: Nos. 10-7
With club football taking yet another international break, we’ve taken the opportunity to look back at Atletico Madrid’s rise to prominence during the 21st century through some of the matches that made them what they are today.
Throughout this week, we’ll be remembering Atleti’s 10 greatest games since 2000, and we begin with Nos. 10-7.
10. Atletico Madrid 4-2 Barcelona: March 1, 2008—La Liga
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Other than beating Real Madrid, there are few things in this world that Atleti love doing more than getting one over on Barcelona, and that’s exactly what they did on a riotous March evening in 2008.
Barca had arrived in the capital hoping to go top of the table, but with Atletico chasing a place in the top four then, that wasn’t going to be easy.
The great Ronaldinho gave the visitors the lead on the half-hour mark, but it was to be a fellow South American who went on to steal the show.
It was the first season after Fernando Torres had left Atletico, and there was plenty of pressure on Sergio Aguero's shoulders to deliver. And here, he showed just what he was capable of.
With Aguero to the fore, Atleti blitzed Barca with four goals in 35 minutes either side of half-time, with the current Manchester City forward grabbing two as well as helping out with goals for Maxi Rodriguez and Diego Forlan, a penalty. A Samuel Eto’o consolation was all that Barca could muster.
Writing in the Guardian, Sid Lowe rounded up some of the coverage of the game in the Spanish press:
""The Prado museum has a new work of art," raved Luis Aznar, "and they'd better make space for more because Kun churns them out like churros". "In 30 years, I've seen some great players at Atleti, from Hugo Sanchez, to Torres, Futre, Caminero, and Kiko," added Inako Diaz-Guerra, "but none ooze excellence like El Kun."
And former Madrid coach Angel Cappa declared: "Atleti were going to a funeral but Kun took them to a party." AS, meanwhile, gave him four stars.
Out of three.
"
9. Atletico Madrid 3-0 Athletic Bilbao: May 12, 2012—UEFA Europa League final
It was the Basques who had captured the imagination to a greater degree ahead of what was the first all-Spanish final in this competition since 2007, when Sevilla beat Espanyol.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side had demonstrated fast, fluid football throughout the group stages, and then they took that into the knockout rounds when they shocked a Manchester United side who clearly didn’t see it coming. Schalke and then Sporting CP were also beaten on the way to the Bucharest final.
But while Atletico might not have been as pleasing on the eye, they were clinical.
They, too, had breezed through the group stages after winning all of their home games, and at least four goals were scored across both legs, as Lazio, Besiktas, Hannover 96 and Valencia were beaten on the way to the final.
The key to that? Radamel Falcao.
The Colombian had arrived at Atleti having scored the goals that took Porto to Europa League glory the previous season, and yet again the final was to be his.
From the moment the forward brilliantly and clinically dispatched the opening goal after just seven minutes—expertly placing a superb shot into the top corner with his left foot—the destination of the trophy never looked in doubt.
Almost half an hour later, sloppy play from Bilbao on the edge of their own penalty area resulted in the ball reaching Falcao in the box, and after twisting and turning his way into some space, he blasted home a second before the break.
This was a peak performance from a devastating attacker, and with the foundations for victory laid, Diego put the cherry on top when he skipped through to make it 3-0 five minutes from time.
It was Atletico’s second European trophy in three years and a firm sign that a giant had awoken.
8. Valencia 0-1 Atletico Madrid: April 27, 2014—La Liga
The tail end of Atletico’s remarkable 2013/14 La Liga success was a fairly surprising one, with Diego Simeone’s side almost falling over the line—the amount of sweat and blood they’d given for the cause over the campaign having an effect.
That they got there in the end was almost down to sheer willpower, although this result at Valencia had a lot to do with it.
Before heading to the Mestalla, Simone’s side had won eight league games in a row to open up a six-point advantage at the top, but there was little doubt that this trip to a side who were hurt by an underperforming season was going to be crucial.
It turned into something of a battle.
In what was almost an identikit Simeone performance, his side were cautious and relied on their ultra-tight defence for 43 minutes of the first half, until Raul Garcia gave them the lead thanks to a mix-up between Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and defender Jeremy Mathieu.
The remainder of the game was spent with hearts in mouths, with Valencia forward Jonas missing a couple of huge chances and the visiting defence standing firm.
Indeed, this was Atletico’s eighth clean sheet in those nine successive victories as they edged closer and closer to glory, with not even the late sending-off of Juanfran able to spoil the party.
Simeone’s men left Valencia still six points clear of closest rivals Real Madrid, knowing that it was going to take something remarkable to stop them from winning the league for the first time in 18 years.
7. Atletico Madrid 4-0 Real Madrid: February 7, 2015
In the season following that title success, Atletico were in danger of falling 10 points behind their city rivals when the Madrid derby rolled around in early February. But they didn’t, and how.
Taking advantage of injuries to the Real Madrid defence, Atletico took apart Carlo Ancelotti’s side to inflict Real’s heaviest defeat upon them since Jose Mourinho’s team infamously lost 5-0 at the Camp Nou in 2010.
The hosts tore into their opponents and flew into a two-goal lead by the 18-minute mark when Tiago drove a low shot past Iker Casillas and then Saul Niguez—who had only just come on for the injured Koke—made it 2-0 with an overhead kick.
Despite having Cristiano Ronaldo back in their team following a two-match suspension, Real were impotent in attack and barely threatened their rivals’ goal before Atletico wrapped the win with two more goals in the second half—first Antoine Griezmann slotted home under little pressure, before Mario Mandzukic made it 4-0 with a diving header.
The win made it six unbeaten in the Madrid derby for Atletico, although this was the most emphatic of that run.
Look out for Nos. 6-1 in our countdown coming later this week
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