THIS TIME MARBELLA WASN’T JUST A NAME ON OUR RETRO JERSEYS
We started the year doing what we love most: traveling with Atleti.
When it was announced that Marbella would be our next opponent in the Copa del Rey, and we saw that Marbella was doing things right by offering affordable ticket prices and confirming that the match would be played in Málaga, we barely had time to think about it. Some members of our peña requested tickets through Atlético de Madrid’s virtual office, and a few days later, we were informed that they had been granted.
It took us less than half an hour to book our plane tickets and accommodations. We had to act quickly because the match was scheduled for January 4, practically with the New Year’s grapes still in our mouths, and on the eve of the Epiphany holiday in Spain. We decided, as we’ve done before, to combine the match with a bit of sightseeing, and the Costa del Sol is a great spot for that. On top of that, it was about time our lucky mascot, Juliana the spider, got on a plane.
Our flight departed very early, at 6 a.m., so on January 3, we barely slept to make sure we were on time at Cologne Airport. We arrived in Málaga without any issues and picked up the rental car to head to our apartment, located on the outskirts of the city. That day, we explored the area and rested because the next day was going to be packed: it was match day.
On Saturday, we headed to the Barceló Hotel to pick up our tickets. The club’s new rules require the presence of every attendee. Honestly, rules like this make you think twice about traveling: instead of making things easier for us, which would make sense, they keep complicating the process. At the hotel, we saw many familiar faces and met up with our dear Txus, who helped us park the car near the stadium for easy retrieval after the match.
From there, we took an Uber to visit the Peña Atlética El 96 in Málaga, where we had previously arranged to meet with its president, Arturo. Our driver must not have understood us very well because he dropped us off quite far from the venue, so we had to take a bit of a walk to get there. It was worth it because we were warmly welcomed by members of the local peña and even some from Alcobendas, who were also present. Every time we travel, we’re reminded that the rojiblanca family is a real family—one that sticks together—and we love being part of it.
After enjoying some delicious pescaíto frito, we headed to Plaza de la Merced, the meeting point for Atleti fans and the starting place for the corteo to the stadium. We heard alarming reports of a large brawl between Bokerones and members of Frente Atlético somewhere in the city, but the atmosphere in the square was peaceful and full of pre-match excitement.
We ran into many familiar faces and were pleasantly surprised by how many people already know Juliana and associate her with our peña. Some even asked to take photos with her! It was Txus’s first time attending an away match, and she had her proper initiation by joining the pre-match festivities and the corteo. She didn’t miss a single detail, and we hope she enjoyed the experience enough to join us again soon.
The corteo started on time, with chants and applause echoing through the streets, though the hostile vibes from the balconies were noticeable. It’s no secret that Málaga has a fair number of ciervos, and they didn’t bother to hide it. We left the corteo a bit early to avoid the usual bottleneck at the stadium entrance, which turned out to be a good decision. We entered smoothly, with no crowding or checks, and managed to hang our flag in a visible spot.
Marbella is a town forever linked to Atleti’s history. Back in the ’90s, then-president Jesús Gil printed its name on the team’s jerseys, and many colchoneros wore those jerseys for this match, as it was the perfect occasion.
The stadium was not only filled with Marbella fans but also Málaga supporters, so the atmosphere wasn’t as festive as in other Copa matches. We’re sure some people would have been happier with an Atleti loss than a Marbella win. Moreover, Callejón’s statements—where he expressed his excitement about eliminating us as a good madridista—didn’t sit well with the rojiblanca crowd. He was booed and jeered throughout the match. His remarks were as unfortunate as the chants directed at him and our neighbors from the capital, who had nothing to do with this match.
In summary, a generally solid Atlético de Madrid team, albeit lacking punch in the final third, secured their place in the Copa del Rey Round of 16. Marbella put up a strong defensive effort and showed bursts of energy but couldn’t seriously trouble the rojiblancos. Griezmann’s goal in the 16th minute—another by De Paul was disallowed for handball—was enough to seal the victory.
The Three Kings brought us a spot in the Round of 16 and our 13th consecutive win. Great gifts; we can’t complain.
Two days later, we headed back home with Griezmann’s goal in our memories and eager to find out who our next opponent will be so we can plan our next trip. The Copa is exciting, and this year our peña is determined to be even more active and surpass last year’s number of trips. So… let’s go for it!
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