1999
That’s the last time Atletico has beaten Real Madrid in a match. It doesn’t matter the location or the teamsheets, the Rojiblancos have lost or tied every single time since then. Even when Real put out their second string, Atletico still contrive to lose. They are a European version of the Red Sox pre-2005. The indispensible Sid Lowe explains:
Atlético need the pressure to be transferred. Asked what the difference is between Real and Atlético, the Atlético manager Diego Simeone replied: “400 million euros a year on the budget.” He was right of course and, man for man, there is virtually no comparison. Of the sides who are likely to start on Friday perhaps only Radamel Falcao, Thibault Courtois and Miranda would get into the Real side. Yet there is something else that lingers over this tie: the psychology.
Atlético have not beaten Real this millennium. Their last victory was in 1999 – and that year they went down. Since they came back up to the first division, they have not been able to beat Real once. In that time more than 60 clubs have managed it but not Atlético. It is 25 games now and there is a kind of depressing inevitability about it; they have invented countless different ways, each more absurd than the last, to lose.
They call Atlético El Pupas, the jinxed one, and that has become excuse and millstone wrapped in one. It is an odd nickname for a team who have won two Europa Leagues in the last four years and Simeone has given Atlético a toughness that belies the nickname. But Real have so far proven an insurmountable hurdle. It is hard not to feel like there is a mental block that paralyses them. Less than a month ago, Atlético took a three-minute lead against Real only to concede an own goal and lose 2-1.
All of these kinds of streaks end eventually even though no one thinks they will happen in the moment. We are betting it will happen today. All kinds of hedgeworks for this one as is standard for high odds matches. Also it’s a Cup tie, so extra time doesn’t count for our purposes.
ATL Mardid to win +550
ATL Madrid to draw +325
ATL Madrid +1 goal +105
3:30 ET kickoff I believe.
Baseball would have been 1-1 had we found decent lines yesterday. Verlander had a poor outing as Texas cruised and the Rockies led 6-0 after three before Chacin imploded to lose 8-6. Leans on the Twins, Fish and A’s today but none are particularly inspiring. Not sure yet what the schedule will be like for this weekend.
EDIT:
This is so ugly for baseball tonight:
Twins (Worley) +129 at home to Red Sox (Buchholz)
A’s (Parker) +103 at home to Royals (Shields)
More soccer tomorrow.
