Madrid, April 30 (DPA) Atletico Madrid are the toast of Spanish football after they managed to reach the final of the new Europa League Thursday.
Atletico were losing 2-0 in Anfield away to Liverpool and on their way out of the competition – until an extra-time goal from Diego Forlan allowed them to go through on the away goals rule.
Atletico will face surprise package Fulham in the final, in Hamburg May 12.
Their exploits in Anfield are front-page news in practically every Spanish newspaper on Friday.
El Mundo praises the “character and courage” of the Atletico players, La Vanguardia compares their performance to earlier “courageous displays” away to Sporting Lisbon and Galatasaray.
Sports daily Marca comments that Atletico “are important again in Europe”, 24 years after reaching their last European final.
ABC, for its part, comments that Atletico’s exploits in Anfield “have cheered up Spain, after what happened to Barcelona Wednesday.”
Barca crashed out of the Champions Cup against ultra-defensive Inter Milan.
Friday’s newspapers are full of praise for Forlan, who has scored vital goals in practically every round, and for coach Quique Sanchez Flores.
Quique has turned out to be the revelation of the Spanish season.
He was out of contract last summer after an undistinguished spell at Benfica. He was given the difficult task of revitalizing Atletico in November, after Abel Resino had been sacked.
“Quique has worked hard to restore morale and confidence at the club,” said sports daily AS on Friday, “and has fully exploited all the talent that the team has in attack, at the same time as rebuilding a troubled defence.”
In particular, his decisions to pick teenage goalkeeper David de Gea and young defender Alvaro Dominguez have been lauded.
Quique has taken Forlan and company out of relegation trouble – they are now in comfortable 10th place – and into two cup finals.
They face Sevilla in the final of the King’s Cup in Barcelona May 19.
Around 2,000 Atletico fans accompanied their team to Liverpool. A similar number celebrated the result in Madrid’s Plaza de Neptuno, the downtown square where Atletico’s triumphs are traditionally celebrated.
More than 15,000 “atleticos” are expected to make the trip to Hamburg and around double that number to Barcelona for the final of the King’s Cup.
rounak