It would be so easy to be negative after this, Ipswich's fourth pre-season friendly defeat on the bounce - but it really isn't that bad at Portman Road.
Sure, Joe Royle has a few headaches to solve before the big kick-off against Cardiff City in five days' time, but it's not all doom and gloom, as Royle's assistant, Willie Donachie, was quick to stress afterwards.
The first positive is that the Blues will not come against anything as good as this in the Coca-Cola Championship.
Apart from an impressive spell midway through the first half, after Town had gone ahead through Ian Westlake, Atletico were largely on top - despite the absence of Spanish football's hottest young property, Fernando Torres.
Indeed, for the opening quarter of an hour, Carlos Bianchi's men looked as if they were going to have a leisurely stroll for 90 minutes. They passed the ball in neat triangles and Royle's boys were chasing shadows.
Westlake's 18th-minute goal changed that, though. The Clacton-based midfielder drove a powerful right-footed shot past Leo Franco following fine link-up play with Jimmy Juan and the impressive Dean McDonald.
The goal sparked a good spell for Town when they managed to rattle their illustrious opponents, forcing them out of their short-sharp passing game and into a more agricultural style.
However, class usually prevails and it did so in this game when Atletico equalised in first-half stoppage-time.
Martin Petrov forced his way down the left past Town trialist Castro Sito, and his cross found Braulio, whose shot was well-saved by Blues stopper Lewis Price only for ex-Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman to neatly fire in the rebound.
That strike seemed to suck the life out of the hosts because, after the break, their game petered out, while Atletico grew stronger, even though they changed half their side midway through the second period.
They threatened to take the lead in the 58th minute when Braulio's superb effort cannoned off the crossbar, but they struck what was to be the winner shortly after when Pablo Ibanez headed home unmarked from a corner.
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Monday, August 1, 2005
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