Pepe Mel conceded that he knew before Real Betis’ elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid that it would be a tall order on Thursday.
Betis picked up a 1-1 draw in the end thanks to a last-minute Jorge Molina penalty, but were eliminated 3-1 on aggregate in this Copa del Rey quarter-final.
“Their goal in this game killed my team, but we lost the tie for the chances we failed to take at the Calderon in the first leg,” mused Mel in his post-match message.
“We had the chances to score then and we did not. The chances we left there.
“I had already said before the game that having not scored at the Calderon was not good for us.
“But we refused to throw in the second leg, because we never do that and it is a horrific expression.
“I do not ever throw a game. If we have been eliminated then it is because Atletico Madrid are a good team, well structured and that, overall in the tie, has been the better team.
“And that is what has happened.”
