Real Madrid secured a thrilling 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, ending the hosts’ 18-match unbeaten home run in UCL knockout matches. The win sets up a quarter-final clash with Arsenal for the reigning European champions.
Atlético Madrid got off to a blistering start, with Conor Gallagher scoring his first European goal just 27 seconds into the match. The early goal wiped out Real Madrid’s aggregate lead and sent the Metropolitano crowd into a frenzy. Despite the hosts’ dominance, clear-cut chances were scarce, but Julián Alvarez forced Thibaut Courtois into two separate saves before halftime.
After the break, Alvarez continued to pose a threat to Real Madrid’s defense, but Courtois was equal to the task, pushing away the Argentine’s shot. Atlético Madrid came close to taking an outright aggregate lead when De Paul’s free-kick was headed narrowly wide by Clément Lenglet. However, Kylian Mbappé’s slalom through the Atlético defense earned Real Madrid a penalty, which Vinícius Júnior missed atrociously.
The miss seemed to galvanize the hosts, and Ángel Correa almost made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute. With the match heading into extra time, another substitute, Alexander Sørloth, scuffed his close-range attempt wide. The match ultimately went to penalties, where Real Madrid emerged victorious.
In the penalty shootout, drama unfolded as Alvarez’s effort was controversially ruled out for a double touch. Jan Oblak then made a fine stop to deny Lucas Vázquez, but Antonio Rüdiger’s effort squirmed through Oblak’s grasp, securing Real Madrid’s spot in the quarter-finals.
Real Madrid’s win sets up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with Arsenal, while Atlético Madrid’s European campaign comes to an end. The thrilling encounter will be remembered for its dramatic penalty shootout, which saw Real Madrid emerge victorious and advance to the next round.
The victory marks another milestone in Real Madrid’s pursuit of European glory as they continue to demonstrate their resilience and determination. With the quarter-finals looming, Real Madrid will look to carry this momentum forward and make a deep run in the competition.
