Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has said his team had “paid for mistakes” as they lost 3-1 on the night at Sevilla to crash out of the Copa del Rey 5-2 on aggregate at the quarterfinal stage.
Atletico looked in deep soup within 24 seconds when Sevilla left-back Sergio Escudero volleyed in a cross for 3-1 on aggregate, but before the quarter-hour they had equalised on the night when Antoine Griezmann hooked a superb 25-yard lob over goalkeeper Sergio Rico.
“It is a hard blow,” Koke said. “We really wanted to do well in this Copa, especially with the final in our new stadium. We did not play a good tie, they were the better team, and we must congratulate them.
“They were better in the decisive moments, we made two mistakes in the first leg, and then at the start today.
“We got back into it at 1-1, and then had another blow early in the second half. It is difficult and even more strange [when you concede five goals in the two games]. But they were better and that’s it.”
“We had been on a good run, although in these last three games we have not been good,” Koke admitted. “But we will have to pick ourselves up, and this team always does that.
“We have to look at all the mistakes we made and improve as we are still up there in La Liga and the Europa League has given us a lot [before].”
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