Atlético de Madrid hosts Real Madrid today, in what is the highlight of the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. Merengue’s 5-3 victory last week in the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup is still fresh, although Vinicius Junior is looking askance at another precedent to maintain his scoring streak.
The Brazilian winger did not add his name to the large number of goals in the match played in Saudi Arabia. In the derbies he has one victory in twelve games: it was almost a year ago, on January 26, 2023, for the same competition and in the same stadium where the duel will be played today.
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At the Metropolitano, the former Flamengo player, at that time wearing number 20, scored the third goal in the last minute of extra time that put the final figures at 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the last edition of the Copa del Rey.
An inspired Vini against a defense that lost solidity
Vini arrives inspired in the rival area after scoring a hat-trick against FC Barcelona in the Super Cup final. That is bad news for an Atlético de Madrid that lost the defensive solidity that characterized it in recent times.
👊🔥 DERBI MADRILEÑO: #COPADELREY EDITION
🆚 @Atleti
⏰ 21:30 CET
🏟️ Civitas Metropolitano pic.twitter.com/83V54bpjxk— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) January 18, 2024
“We are conceding more goals than we should and in that aspect we need to improve,” acknowledged the coach, Diego ‘Cholo’ Simeone, on December 19 after drawing 3-3 with Getafe in LaLiga. The red and white team, for its part, looks to another immediate precedent: in September they beat Real Madrid 3-1 in the Spanish tournament, the only defeat suffered this season for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
