Lumin’s Blunder Sees Atleti Knockout Real Madrid in Copa del Rey Thriller

It wasn’t to be for Real Madrid. In a pulsating Copa del Rey clash, Los Blancos went down 4-2 to their city rivals Atletico Madrid, with reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin’s error proving the turning point.

The game had all the hallmarks of a classic cup tie – frantic, exhilarating, and ultimately cruel for the reigning champions. Jude Bellingham had an early chance to open the scoring but rattled the bar, while Jan Oblak, Atleti’s ever-reliable guardian, thwarted both Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr.

Yet, it was Atleti who drew first blood. Samuel Lino capitalized on a defensive lapse, coolly slotting the ball past Lunin. An equaliser seemed imminent, but Luka Modric’s free-kick took an unexpected bounce off Oblak and into his own net.

That joy proved short-lived. In a moment that will haunt him, Lunin punched a weak cross onto Antonio Rudiger, the deflection presenting Alvaro Morata with a tap-in. Madrid rallied, with Rodrygo hitting the bar, before substitute Joselu headed home Jude Bellingham’s deflected shot – setting up a tense extra 30 minutes.

The drama continued. Antoine Griezmann, the Atleti legend returning to haunt his former club, conjured up a moment of magic, rifling a shot into the top corner past a helpless Lunin.

Madrid thought they had equalized again, but Bellingham was ruled offside. And to compound their misery, Rodrigo Riquelme put the game to bed late in extra time.

While Atletico celebrate a memorable victory, Real Madrid are left to lick their wounds. An early exit from the Copa del Rey serves as a reminder that, even for the giants of Spanish football, complacency can be a bitter pill to swallow.

Lunin’s mistake will be the focus of the post-mortem, but Diego Simeone’s men, led by the brilliance of Griezmann, deserve their plaudits.

This night belonged to them, and the roar of the Atleti fans echoed through the Civitas Metropolitano, confirming that the old guard of Madrid can still be toppled.