An Insufficient Triumph Leaves Atlético Without World Cup

Atlético's dream in the first Club World Cup vanished at the first hurdle. Between the initial setback, frustration with refereeing decisions, and the struggle to find the net in an insufficient narrow victory against Botafogo, the 'colchonero' team exited the tournament early, extending the end-of-season disappointment to a championship they viewed as a way to sweeten the campaign and inspire hope for the future.

The future of Atlético in the World Cup depended on a monumental challenge: winning by three goals against the Copa Libertadores champion, a formidable opponent as demonstrated by their historic victory over PSG in the second matchday.

The Rio team, as expected given their football philosophy, waited defensively and tried to counterattack with menace. Savarino found himself one-on-one with Oblak, who made a crucial save to keep Atlético's hopes alive in the early minutes. Artur doubled the threat shortly after with a deflected shot off Lenglet.

The first quarter of an hour had passed with Botafogo closer to scoring. Atlético, lacking ball control and bite, only managed a high shot from Gallagher. Scant reward for the need for a big haul. The provisional goalless draw between Seattle Sounders and PSG, combined with Atlético's increased possession, slightly lifted the spirits of the team, only to be dampened again by Vitinha's goal near halftime. In Los Angeles, the break approached with little news from Atlético's attack against a tough opponent.

Julián Álvarez missed a cross-shot against John, a golden opportunity to score before the break. The Argentine, the most active player, was in the spotlight again shortly after, with a penalty incident involving Gregore on 'La Araña', which the referee reviewed on the VAR monitor but went unpunished due to a highly debatable prior foul by Sorloth, much to the frustration of Simeone and his team.

Cholo made a bold move after the break, bringing on Griezmann for Gallagher. It was time to go all out, and Atlético pushed towards the Brazilian goal. In this context, Giuliano had his chance but was thwarted by John after a hesitant exit by the goalkeeper, in an action that led to a scuffle and heated an atmosphere already tense due to refereeing controversies.

With Correa, a fourth attacker on the field, Atlético's chances increased but went unrewarded. John, crucial, deflected a slightly angled left-footed shot from Griezmann, and Sorloth failed to find the net while PSG's second goal meant Atlético needed three goals in less than half an hour.

In pursuit of an increasingly difficult objective, Atlético took risks and nearly paid for it in a Rio counterattack, finished by Igor Jesus, Botafogo's hero against PSG, and saved by Oblak, who made a remarkable stretch to keep his team alive in the tournament. The relentless ticking of the clock burned, while the faces among the 'rojiblanco' side increasingly symbolized frustration.

The Club World Cup slipped away, with little happening on the Rose Bowl pitch. The long-awaited first goal to break the deadlock, scored by Griezmann, came too late, just four minutes before the end of regular time. Atlético's pride was undeniable, as they tried everything in the long stoppage time but achieved nothing more than bowing out with their boots on.