Atletico suffer shock Cup ET KO at third-division Leonesa

Atletico Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday, defeated 2-1 in extra-time by third division Cultural Leonesa.

Atletico, who are third in La Liga and are looking forward to a Champions League clash next month against Liverpool, were one of four top-flight sides dumped out of the tournament on Thursday at the last 32 stage.

Argentine striker Angel Correa put them in front in the 62 minutes before Leonesa levelled seven minutes from the end through Julen Castaeda.

Sergio Benito then delievered the winner for the hosts in the second period of extra-time.

Defeat completes a miserable January for Diego Simeone’s Atletico who were defeated in the Spanish Super Cup by Real Madrid and 2-0 at Eibar in La Liga last weekend.

“The responsibility is mine alone,” admitted Simeone.

“Cultural deserved the victory, we had no forcefulness.”

Also exiting the Copa del Rey on Thursday were Eibar, Real Betis and Celta Vigo.

Meanwhile, Atletico midfielder Saul Niguez said his team need to take a long hard look at themselves and work out what they are doing wrong after Thursday’s humiliating 2-1 loss.

“I hope and want the team to see this loss as a very painful defeat and that it can spur us into action because we cannot allow something like this to happen again,” Saul told reporters.

“I won’t tire of saying it, this is not what Atletico Madrid should be about, this defeat doesn’t represent the team. The fans don’t deserve this, the club doesn’t deserve this.”

Agencies