The Penalty's Shadow Over the Metropolitano
Since that fateful penalty shootout in the Champions League, something has changed at Atlético and among its fans. You can feel it in the air, from the subway to the depths of the Metropolitano. The memory lingers like a nightmare, an eternal dream that slipped through their fingers.
After Julián’s penalty, the team suffered another setback in the Cup, but the Champions League wound remained open. The obsession with the ‘big-eared’ trophy, that longing to close a historical wound, seems to haunt the club.
Simeone, as always, steps up and verbalizes what many prefer to ignore. The blow was hard and still echoes in the Metropolitano, bothering those who wish to see Atleti defeated: rivals, internal critics, and false neutrals who long for a less combative team.
The Copa match against Barça evidenced the damage done. In the end, that penalty that still floats in the Metropolitano seems to have achieved its objective, although the Atlético fans are confident that one day it will dissipate and allow the team to continue fighting.
