Ten years: the amount of time Atletico have gone without beating Real Liverpool fans may feel they deserve better from the people running their club but when it comes to unrewarded loyalty and massive potential ruined by gross incompetence their rivals tonight could be European champions.
As the old joke goes - the directors of Atletico Madrid would not be able to organise the proverbial drinking session inside the giant brewery situated alongside the club's crumbling stadium.
There is no doubting the fanaticism of the supporters. The club were relegated from the top flight in Spain for the first time in 2000 and promptly sold 40,000 season tickets. There is even a special room inside the ground where fans can request their ashes be stored in urns bearing the club's crest so as to remain loyal beyond the grave.
But shambolic mismanagement has usually been the reward for such eternal dedication. 'Why do we support Atletico?' says the child to his father in one of the famous adverts produced every year in honour of those long-suffering supporters.
Atletico have gone 10 years without beating great rivals Real Madrid and yet always seem to do Real the begrudging favour of beating Barcelona.
They scrapped their youth system just as a 13-year-old kid called Raul was coming through the ranks, therefore allowing him to join Real.
They have not won the league since 1996 and, although their haul of nine titles is the third best in Spain, it is small fare compared to Real's 31.
Slipped through their fingers: Raul came through the youth system at Atletico This season's tilt for the title began in typically self-destructive fashion when they sold right back John Heitinga on the last day of the transfer window to Everton, leaving coach Abel Resino no time to find a replacement. Not that finding one would have been his job any way.
Just like richer neighbours Real, Atletico don't tend to let the coach anywhere near the player-buying process.
After a poor start Resino soon became the 12th managerial casualty of the last decade. Atletico compiled a short-list of replacements but so poisonous is the chalice that they got down to number seven before Quique Sanchez Flores stepped in.
Old adversary: Ex-United striker Diego ForlanThere has since been a small improvement in league form, although they are still known as the only team in Spain who take the weekends off. Courtesy of midweek form in knockout competitions they find themselves in the Spanish cup final and tonight one step from the Europa League final.
It is a step they are capable of taking because, while they possess none of the consistency necessary in the league, they can raise themselves for one-off games and the crowd in their creaking Vicente Calderon stadium, which they are due to leave in 2012, will roar them on tonight with an Anfield-esque atmosphere.
Fans will hope a rickety defence can hold firm. Centre half Alvaro Dominguez has been their steadiest defender this season but he was hauled off after 25 minutes at the weekend after a mistake led to a goal. Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi has been their second best defender but in the same defeat he tried to dribble out of defence and conceded the second goal.
An all-star attack of Sergio 'Kun' Aguero and Liverpool's old adversary Diego Forlan occasionally cover the multitude of defensive sins and it is Liverpool's good luck that Aguero is suspended. He will be hoping Atletico stay in the tie so he can shine at Anfield in the second leg.
source :dailymail
