Atletico Baleares 2-3 Atletico Madrid: Griezmann double seals unconvincing Copa win
Atletico Madrid are into the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, though they were not exactly convincing in a 3-2 win over Atletico Baleares.
Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Atletico Madrid navigated a tricky tie against fourth-tier Atletico Baleares in the last 32 of the Copa del Rey, holding on for a 3-2 win.
The hosts put up a good fight at Estadio Balear but were ultimately unable to overturn a 3-1 deficit against an Atletico team featuring plenty of big names.
After losing Clement Lenglet to injury and seeing Juan Musso tested by Juanmi Duran early on, Atleti hit the front in the 16th minute, with Griezmann given a simple finish by Conor Gallagher's assist.
The visitors had a two-goal cushion when Giacomo Raspadori headed Nahuel Molina's cross home four minutes later, but Diego Simeone's side then became sloppy and saw their lead halved when Gerardo Bonet converted at the second time of asking following a set-piece scramble.
Baleares missed two golden chances to level early in the second half, with Musso denying Duran and Jaume Tovar one-v-one, before Griezmann seemingly killed off the contest with a close-range finish in the 72nd minute.
But the hosts refused to go down quietly, even after Musso repelled Tovar's 80th-minute penalty – which the goalkeeper had himself conceded by catching his opponent's head with a misplaced punch.
Another spot-kick went the hosts' way in the 90th minute, with Mouhamadou Keita converting after he was bundled over by Nico Gonzalez, but they were unable to complete the comeback in the closing stages.
Data Debrief: Atleti unconvincing as Musso kept busy
Atletico can count themselves supremely lucky to find themselves in the draw for the round of 16, having lost the expected goals (xG) battle by 3.57 to 1.35.
While two late penalties contributed significantly to Baleares' tally, Simeone will not be satisfied after seeing Musso forced into seven saves by fourth-tier opponents.
Since the start of last season, the only two teams to draw more saves from an Atletico goalkeeper are Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in November 2024 and Real Madrid in LaLiga in February 2025 (both eight by Jan Oblak).
