Following the Seattle Sounders’ 3-1 loss on Thursday against La Liga’s Atlético Madrid at Lumen Field, the team now sits in fourth in Group B of FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ behind the Spanish giants, Paris Saint-Germain, and Botafogo.
While the past two group stage results against Botafogo and Atlético did not end in the Sounders’ favor, the team has maintained a positive outlook on the overall experience.
“Our objective was to win the game” said midfielder Obed Vargas of the team’s recent fixture vs. Atlético. “That wasn't accomplished, but I thought we competed with one of the best teams in the world.”
It was a hard fought, 90 minutes for the Rave Green, who not only cut the deficit to one in the 50th minute following a goal from midfielder Albert Rusnák, but also had plenty of chances to score before and after-the-fact, finishing the match with 16 shots and an xG of 1.50.
Atlético was able to get the best of the Rave Green with three goals of their own, but commended the Seattle side for making it difficult for them to scrape out the win.
“Fair play to the other team,” said Atlético midfielder Conor Gallagher of the Sounders. “I thought they played really well, and it was a really tough game.”
The Sounders showed that they are capable of battling it out against the best of the best yesterday afternoon. Regardless of the scoreline, Schmetzer emphasized the team’s courage that was displayed throughout the duration of the match.
“They were down, and they were able to come back and still fight and play brave,” he said. “Atlético's strength is in their transition, their counter attacks, but we weren't afraid to attack. And that opened us up a few times. But at the end of the day, the players played to win.”
With these positives also came an understanding of what needs to be done differently in order to come away with future wins against these top-tier teams.
“The thing that our players learned in these last two games is just the intensity is just a little notch higher,” said Schmetzer. “I think in those critical moments inside the 18-yard box, I think that's where the big players earn their paychecks. I would also say defensively too, because we had some half chances in the second half, and the Atlético players were throwing their bodies in front and trying to block the shots.”
He continued: “So just that little bit of extra, idea, intensity, savvy inside the two 18 yard boxes is what sometimes makes a difference between two teams.”
The hope is to emulate this intensity when the Sounders finish off FIFA Club World Cup group play on June 23 when they take on UEFA Champions League reigning titleholders PSG at Lumen Field.
“We're going to play the best in the world right now, and the mentality will be the same,” said Rusnák. “For us to pick up a result on Monday would be huge.”
