Plucky Marbella FC's Copa del Rey dream is over

Marbella’s valiant effort to topple one of Europe’s footballing powerhouses ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey on Saturday evening.

A sold-out La Rosaleda stadium witnessed an intense encounter where the underdogs matched their illustrious opponents for long spells, only to be undone by Antoine Griezmann’s first-half strike.

The round-of-32 tie saw Marbella host a side laden with international stars. Atlético fielded a strong starting XI, with Griezmann leading the line alongside Julián Álvarez and Giuliano Simeone.

The visitors asserted their dominance early on, with possession and territorial control pinning Marbella back. The breakthrough came in the 15th minute when Giuliano Simeone’s run and cross led to a sharp save from Dani Martín, only for Griezmann to fire home the rebound from a tight angle at the far post.

Marbella responded with resilience, maintaining defensive organisation and probing forward when opportunities arose. Their only shot on target came from Dorian, whose header from a corner lacked the power to trouble Juan Musso, Atlético’s stand-in goalkeeper.

The 'hosts', playing at the city's stadium for this one-off clash, emerged from the break with renewed intent, pressing higher and showing flashes of creativity on the wings through José Callejón and Ernest Ohemeng. However, they struggled to carve out clear chances.

Meanwhile, Atlético continued to threaten, with Rodrigo de Paul having a goal chalked off for handball, the Argentinian drawing a crucial save from Dani Martín, and former Chelsea man Conor Gallagher hitting the post.

Then, despite both Ángel Correa and Alexander Sørloth spurning close-range chances, the atmosphere inside La Rosaleda remained electric, with Marbella’s supporters urging their team forward.

Marbella coach Fran Beltrán introduced attacking reinforcements, but their efforts to find an equaliser fell short as Atlético’s experience and depth saw them through.

Following the match, Beltrán spoke of his pride in the team’s performance. “We didn’t come here to swap shirts; we came to compete,” he said. Highlighting their defensive solidity and ability to push Atlético into their half late on, he added, “We gave 110 per cent against one of Spain’s top three teams.”

Nelson Vivas, deputising for the suspended Diego Simeone, acknowledged Marbella’s spirited display. “They were very solid, and we could have conceded late on,” he admitted, crediting the hosts for a strong performance.

The defeat brought an end to Marbella’s memorable cup run, which had included wins against Bergantiños and Burgos. The occasion marked their tenth appearance in the competition, and the team can take pride in pushing Atlético to the limit.

Marbella now turn their focus back to league action in Primera RFEF, Spain's third tier. Sitting 12th with 23 points, they face Alcorcón on Sunday at their usual La Dama de Noche ground. The side will aim to build on a morale-boosting win over Recreativo in December, which ended a run of poor form.