Real Madrid edge Atletico in dramatic shootout to reach UCL Quarter-Finals

Real Madrid secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a tense penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid, winning 4-2 on penalties following a 2-2 aggregate draw. The Spanish giants will now face Arsenal in the last eight as they continue their quest for a record-extending 16th European title.

The match began with a dramatic moment as Conor Gallagher struck just 27 seconds into the game, bringing Atletico level on aggregate after Real’s 2-1 first-leg win. Despite both teams pushing for a winner, extra time ended without any breakthrough, leading to a penalty shootout.

In a bizarre turn of events, Julian Alvarez’s penalty for Atletico was initially given but later ruled out by VAR after he was judged to have touched the ball twice while slipping during his strike. Real Madrid capitalized on the advantage, with Fede Valverde converting his penalty to put them 3-1 ahead. Although Jan Oblak briefly revived Atletico’s hopes by saving Lucas Vazquez’s spot-kick, Marcos Llorente missed his effort, hitting the crossbar. Antonio Rudiger then sealed the victory for Real Madrid with the decisive penalty.

Atletico will feel disappointed after a strong defensive performance that kept Real Madrid at bay for most of the game. Gallagher’s early goal had put them in control, making him the first English player to score in a Madrid derby. Despite Atletico’s solid display, Real’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied Alvarez multiple times.

Real Madrid also had their share of frustrations, with Vinicius Jr missing a crucial penalty in normal time after Kylian Mbappe was fouled in the box. However, history repeated itself as Real once again triumphed over their city rivals in a Champions League knockout tie, maintaining their perfect record against Atletico in penalty shootouts.