Atletico Madrid's German miracle (News Feature)

By Maria Laura Araoz May 12, 2010, 23:51 GMT

Hamburg - Two European finals in Germany, two titles: Germany again proved lucky for Atletico Madrid Wednesday, as it did back in 1962 to give the club the European Cup Winner's Cup against Fiorentina.

That time around it was Stuttgart. On Wednesday it was a cold and rainy Hamburg that witnessed the Atletico Madrid win 2-1 against Fulham in extra-time.

Long queues to buy tickets and a trip of 1,781 kilometres were suddenly scrapped to nothing for the Spanish fans who chose to follow their team to northern Germany.

They travelled in 42 charter planes that overwhelmed Hamburg's usually quiet airport, and they spread their excitement and their noise around the port city's red-light district and its centre.

They came wrapped in red and white, and carried the dream of a second European title they had awaited for close to half-a-century.

And they got to cheer their triumph in their first European final in 24 years, as Uruguay striker Diego Forlan scored his second goal of the match just in time to avoid a penalty shootout. Fulham were denied their first-ever title in a 131-year history.

'We're in no way the favourites,' coach Quique Sanchez Flores had warned Atletico fans on the eve of the key match.

Sanchez Flores took over the team in November, to replace the hapless former Atletico keeper Abel Resino. Six months later, the team have won one tournament, and they still have the chance to add a second next week, in the King's Cup final against Sevilla.

In a season when they beat Galatasaray, Sporting Lisbon, Valencia and Liverpool in the Europa League, Atletico - always in the shadow of their next-door neighbours Real Madrid - proved their coach wrong and shook off the 'losers' tag that they were left with in European finals defeats in 1963, 1974 and 1986.

'This is one of the most important nights in the history of our club. It has taken us 48 years to win again in Europe,' said Enrique Collar, captain of the 1962 Cup Winners Cup.

'Everything happened very fast and I think with time we'll realize what we achieved. We want to enjoy this with all those who came here to support us and all our families. This is something beautiful!' Forlan said with a broken voice.

The generally level-headed forward stayed true to himself, when he called upon Atletico fans 'to enjoy themselves and not make too much of a mess.'

Captain Antonio Lopez, who first kissed the trophy before lifting it into the air, said: 'This is a special day, it's hard to find the right words. This is exactly what these wonderful fans of ours deserve.'

Euphoric fans led by Spanish Crown Prince Felipe were to fly back for more celebrations at home.

But the partying will have to stop by Wednesday, in time for the trip to Barcelona. That will be another chance to touch the sky, when they play Sevilla in search of Atletico's first King's Cup title since their historic double of La Liga and the Cup in 1996.

Atletico Madrid's miracle could then be complete, precisely 10 years after the club lived its worst days with relegation to the second category of Spanish football.