SPANISH LEAGUE
Seville, Oct 28: Atletico Madrid continued their strong run of form in La Liga with a convincing 2-0 victory over Real Betis, stretching their unbeaten streak in the Spanish top flight to nine games.
The win lifted Diego Simeone’s men to fourth place in the standings with 19 points—eight behind league leaders Real Madrid—and reaffirmed their title credentials after an unsteady start to the season.
Facing a Betis side that came into the fixture unbeaten in eight games across all competitions, Atletico were quick to assert dominance.
The visitors struck early in the third minute when a long throw-in caused chaos inside the Betis box.
The loose ball fell kindly to Giuliano Simeone, who swivelled expertly and fired a crisp half-volley into the bottom corner, leaving the home fans stunned.
Atletico doubled their advantage just before halftime in controversial fashion. After goalkeeper Jan Oblak punched clear a Betis free-kick, Julian Alvarez launched a swift counterattack down the left flank.
His deep cross found Alex Baena, who cut inside and unleashed a fierce drive past the keeper to make it 2-0.
Betis players appealed for a foul in the build-up, but the referee waved play on, much to the frustration of the home side.Betis showed more intent in the second half following the introduction of Argentine playmaker Giovani Lo Celso.
However, despite enjoying greater possession and creating a few half-chances, they found no way past a composed and alert Oblak, who stood tall between the posts. Atletico, meanwhile, managed the game with characteristic discipline and defensive solidity, maintaining control to secure yet another clean sheet.
The result extends Simeone’s side’s unbeaten league run to nine games since their opening-day defeat to Espanyol, and the team now appears to be finding its rhythm with a fine balance between attacking flair and tactical organisation. Meanwhile, across Spain, attention turns to the Copa del Rey, where the first round of fixtures continues with several La Liga sides bracing for potential upsets against lower-division rivals in classic “David vs Goliath” encounters.
Elche, Villarreal, Osasuna, Mallorca, and Rayo Vallecano are all in action on Wednesday, each travelling to face opponents from Spain’s fifth and sixth tiers.
Villarreal, fresh from their league victory over Valencia, visit fifth-tier Ciudad de Lucena in Córdoba, while Elche take on UD Las Garres, an amateur side from Murcia with just a 1,000-seat home ground.Osasuna face a tricky away tie against CD Sant Jordi in Mallorca — a side buoyed by local enthusiasm and aware of Osasuna’s poor away record this season.
Similarly, Mallorca, last season’s Copa del Rey finalists, will meet fifth-tier Atletic Sant Just, though the match has been moved to Hospitalet due to stadium requirements.
Rayo Vallecano round off the day’s fixtures with a short trip from Madrid to Toledo to play CD Yuncos, another sixth-tier team dreaming of a historic upset.
The 2025–26 Copa del Rey marks the 124th edition of Spain’s most storied knockout tournament, offering the winner a direct berth in the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League and a place in the 2027 Supercopa de España alongside the runner-up. The final is slated for April 25, 2026, at Seville’s Estadio de La Cartuja, with Barcelona defending their crown after defeating arch-rivals Real Madrid in last season’s final.
As Atletico Madrid march forward in La Liga and Spain’s footballing underdogs prepare to test their mettle in the Copa del Rey, the week promises to deliver both excellence and romance — the essence of Spanish football in all its glory.
With Atletico Madrid displaying the consistency and control that once made them one of Europe’s most feared sides, their resurgence under Diego Simeone seems to be gathering real momentum. The blend of young attacking flair and trademark defensive resilience has started to pay dividends, giving fans renewed hope of a serious title challenge. Meanwhile, as Spain’s footballing calendar shifts focus to the Copa del Rey, the charm of the competition lies once again in its unpredictability — where small-town heroes prepare to lock horns with footballing giants, fuelled by passion rather than pedigree. Whether it’s Atletico’s march toward the summit of La Liga or the dreamers from the lower divisions chasing their moment under the floodlights, Spanish football this week captures the spirit of ambition, endurance, and the undying romance of the beautiful game. (IANS)
