MADRID, 22 January 2005 — Atletico Madrid completed the line-up for the quarterfinals of the King’s Cup on Thursday when they a claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over third division Lorca at the Calderon.

Youth team striker Braulio helped himself to a neatly taken second-half double to secure Atletico a 5-1 aggregate victory over their modest opponents.

The 19-year-old grabbed his first in the 63rd minute when he fired home at the the second attempt after good work by fellow striker Salva Ballesta on the right.

Lorca suffered a further setback minutes later when defender Pomar was sent off for a tough challenge on midfielder Mane and Braulio took advantage by scoring his second when he drilled home after turning sharply in the area.

The shock of the round occurred on Wednesday when second division Valladolid knocked out last year’s losing finalists Real Madrid on the away goals rule after a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.

Third division giant-killers Gramenet, who knocked out Barcelona and Levante in previous rounds, became the only other non-Primera Liga side to make the last eight by claiming a 2-1 aggregate victory over second division Lleida on Tuesday.

In the week’s other ties Osasuna got the better of Getafe in the only all-Primera Liga clash, while 23-times winners Athletic Bilbao recovered from a shock 2-1 defeat in the first leg to crush third division Lanzarote 6-0.

Sevilla and city rivals Real Betis eased their way through to the quarterfinals thanks to comfortable aggregate wins over Recreativo Huelva and Mirandes and Primera Liga basement side Numancia edged their way past second division Elche after a penalty shootout.

Frenchman Petit Calls It a Day

Former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit has announced his retirement from playing after failing to recover from knee surgery.

The 34-year-old, who scored in France’s 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil, told French sports daily L’Equipe yesterday that he had taken the decision to retire “shortly before Christmas” after realizing he would never regain full fitness.

“I was spared by injuries for most of my career but unfortunately I have had to undergo three operations within a year,” said the former Monaco, Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder, who was released by Chelsea at the end of last season.

“Twenty years of your life come to a stop. It’s like a small death.”

Petit earned his first France cap in August 1990 when he was 19 and made 63 international appearances.

He scored France’s third goal in the 3-0 victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final in Paris and helped his country to clinch the European championship title in 2000.

He decided to quit the international scene after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan when the then world champions were eliminated in the first round.

“The 1998 World Cup means something special to me,” Petit said. “It’s like a diamond I want to keep for myself.”

Asked about his future, Petit said he had no firm plans yet but hoped he would be able to find a soccer-related job.

“I have had contact with French clubs like Olympique Lyon and Girondins Bordeaux but I didn’t feel like going there. What I wanted to was to play again in the (English) Premier League which is the place I belonged to.

“Now I’m considering taking a break for a year or so to give me time to decide what I’m going to do next.”

Petit said he had enjoyed working as a pundit for a French television pay-per-view channel during live broadcasts of English league matches.

He has also talked with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger about the possibility of starting a coaching career but said Wenger had suggested he bide his time.

“He (Wenger) believes it’s too soon for me and I partly agree with him,” Petit said. “But I realised that my feelings with the players were just great. I have a great potential and I have to use it.”

Petit turned professional with Monaco in 1988 when he was only 18 and spent nine years with the principality team, winning the French Cup in 1991 and the French title in 1997.

He joined Arsenal the same year and had an excellent three-season spell with the Gunners, winning both the FA Cup and the Premier League title in 1998.

He then moved to Barcelona where he only stayed one season and returned to England to play for Chelsea from 2001 to 2004.

“Overall I’m very proud of my career,” he said. “My only regret is having to end my career because of an injury, like (Dutch striker) Marco van Basten or (England midfielder) Glenn Hoddle.