Atletico Madrid Exit Early from Club World Cup Despite Victory over Botafogo

Despite defeating Brazilian club Botafogo 1-0 in their final group match, Atletico Madrid became the first major team to be eliminated from the Club World Cup. Under the guidance of coach Diego Simeone, the Spanish side needed at least a three-goal victory to advance, following a heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their opening game.

The match at the Pasadena Rose Bowl saw Atletico struggle to create scoring opportunities against a formidable Botafogo team that recently defeated Champions League winners. The only goal came late in the game from Antoine Griezmann in the 87th minute, offering a glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t enough for qualification as Botafogo held on for the win.

In other results, PSG secured a place in the knockout stages with a 2-0 win over MLS team Seattle Sounders, who finished top of Group B. PSG could face Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami side, currently second in their group, in the next round.

Reflecting on their campaign, Atletico was disappointed with their performance and contentious refereeing decisions. During their match against PSG, a goal by Julian Alvarez was disallowed for a foul, and in their final game, a penalty appeal involving Alvarez was denied after a VAR review, awarding a free-kick to Botafogo instead. Midfielder Marcos Llorente commented on the officiating, saying, “Everyone told us it was a penalty,” expressing frustration with seemingly inconsistent refereeing.

Despite the setbacks, Atletico’s efforts in the tournament ended prematurely, and they now look back on missed chances and controversial decisions that impacted their campaign.