Marbella FC draw Atlético Madrid in dream Copa del Rey clash

Marbella FC have been handed a blockbuster draw against Atlético Madrid in the third round of the Copa del Rey, marking a historic moment for the Primera RFEF side.

The tie, set to take place between 2 and 4 January, pits the third-tier side against one of La Liga’s giants for the first time since 2009. That year, Atlético eliminated Marbella with a dominant 8-0 aggregate victory in a two-legged affair.

That, however, hasn't stopped excitement sweeping through the club, with star forward José Callejón expressing enthusiasm for the clash after the draw was made on Monday afternoon. "As a former Real Madrid youth player, this is a very special draw. It’s a huge achievement for the team and the town, and we want to savour every moment," he said following training in Cártama.

Head coach Fran Beltrán, however, struck a cautious tone. "While the town and team are thrilled, Atlético Madrid weren’t my first choice. Still, we will stick to our style and compete as always," he said, calling on local football fans to rally behind the team for what he described as a potential "celebration of football".

Venue unknown

The venue for the match remains undecided, though. Marbella’s usual ground, La Dama de Noche, may not meet requirements and options being considered include La Rosaleda in Malaga city and other nearby stadiums in Estepona, Algeciras and San Pedro de Alcántara.

Marbella’s journey to this stage included a dramatic 1-0 victory over Burgos last Thursday, secured by Jorge Álvarez’s 90th-minute goal. The side then followed it up with a 1-1 draw in the league on Sunday away to Villarreal B — a result which left them 14th in the table, just two points above the drop zone.

With memories of former Atlético president Jesús Gil’s ties to Marbella in the 1990s, the clash holds additional emotional weight. For Marbella, it is a chance to rewrite history in their tenth Copa del Rey campaign.