Into the Calderón reflects: Atlético’s journey back to the Copa final
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 17: Joao Miranda of Atletico de Madrid holds the trophy in celebration after the Copa del Rey Final match between Real Madrid CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on May 17, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo/ Getty Images) (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) | Getty Images On this Saturday, April 18, Atlético de Madrid will play in the Copa del Rey final, ending a 4,720-day drought since they last did so. Many Atléticos will have fond memories of that night, 13 years ago, when João Miranda’s header broke a 14-year winless curse against Real Madrid and gave Atleti their first domestic trophy in 17 years.
The journey that rojiblancos have undertaken since then has been nothing short of a whirlwind, making it hard to resonate with how life was as a fan back then. While there is one striking consistency on the touchline, and one certain midfielder who will have featured in both matches, the reality of where the club is now compared with 2013 couldn’t be more polarised. The Into the Calderón team have all grown to share an equally strong love for Atlético Madrid, but where the source of this passion stems differs from person to person.
Here we detail our Atleti stories which link that night in the Santiago Bernabéu 13 years ago, with hopefully one just as memorable in Sevilla this weekend. Jeremy Beren, Editor Thirteen years is a long time to wait. Some of you know my personal journey with Atlético de Madrid is an unusual one.
I have no familial ties to Spain, and I didn’t watch much football as a kid. But shortly after Christmas 2012, I happened upon Atlético — sitting second in the league table — as I sifted the digital pages of ESPNFC, and I had absolutely no inkling as to the journey that began when I tapped “follow” on the club’s Twitter profile. On May 17, 2013, I arrived home from a volunteer shift at a hospital in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona and flipped on ESPN just in time to see Diego Costa sweep home the equalizing goal at the Santiago Bernabéu.
What followed was my first true experience suffering through an Atlético match: Real Madrid dominated the rest of normal time, Juanfran made a clearance off the line from Mesut Özil and Atleti dragged it to extra time, setting up the 98th-minute “ Mirandazo ” that clinched my fandom for life. The underdogs had done it. They had won their 10th Copa del Rey.
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