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Money alone could not prevent Wednesday?s humiliation. Marca called it a ?dark night? for Spanish football. Wednesday saw three of LALIGA?s four Champions League participants compete ? I use that term lightly ? and saw all three of them lose. Girona fell 3-2 to Feyenoord at Montilivi and were arguably unlucky to do so, but the Madrid clubs suffered much worse fates in the second week of the new league phase.

#LaPortada

? Noche negra

? La triple derrota de Real Madrid, Atlético y Girona en Champions protagoniza nuestra primera de este jueves pic.twitter.com/AjVCmYwl5z? MARCA (@marca) October 2, 2024

While Real Madrid limped to a 1-0 loss at Lille, Atlético Madrid traveled to Lisbon and suffered a thrashing at the Estádio da Luz, enduring one of the worst losses in Diego Simeone?s lengthy touchline tenure and sparking significant questions over the head coach?s handle on his squad ? psychologically as well as tactically. ?The responsibility is mine. ... I always think positively, always see this as a good opportunity to keep improving. We had been doing very good work,? Simeone said Wednesday night, after Benfica had polished off a 4-0 win that somehow flattered Atlético. ?We had a game that wasn?t what we expected, but it?s part of (football).?

Both Madrid and Atletico paying an emotional toll from the derbi, I reckons. Not a huge surprise either.? Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) Octobe...