By Bootballer Desk • Football • Mar 13, 2025 00:17 AM • 267 views
Madrid — In a dramatic night soaked in tension and theatre, Real Madrid held their nerve in a gripping penalty shootout to eliminate city rivals Atletico Madrid and book their place in the Champions League quarterfinals — keeping alive their pursuit of a record-extending 16th European crown.
A cagey encounter at the Wanda Metropolitano saw Atletico draw level on aggregate just 27 seconds into the match, courtesy of a lightning-fast strike from Conor Gallagher — the England international etching his name into derby folklore as the first Englishman ever to score in a Madrid derby.
That early goal cancelled out Real's 2-1 advantage from the first leg, but despite flashes of attacking threat from both sides — including a missed penalty by Vinicius Jr. —neither team could break the deadlock in regulation and extra time, forcing the contest into a nerve-shredding shootout.
And then came the controversy.
Former Manchester City forward Julián Álvarez appeared to have coolly converted Atletico's second penalty despite slipping during the attempt. But in a stunning twist, VAR intervened and ruled the effort out — replays showing Álvarez had made a double contact on the ball during his slip, a rare and cruel turn of fate that left Atletico stunned.
Real seized the momentum. Fede Valverde buried his effort to make it 3-1, and though Jan Oblak briefly rekindled Atletico's hopes with a save from Lucas Vázquez, Marcos Llorente rattled the crossbar moments later. Antonio Rüdiger stepped up and coolly dispatched the decisive penalty, sealing a 4-2 shootout victory and sending the white half of Madrid into raptures.
It was another bitter pill for Diego Simeone's side, who had executed a near-perfect defensive masterclass throughout the match; despite frustrating Real for large spells and seeing Álvarez denied thrice by Thibaut Courtois, Atletico's dream ended in heartbreak — again — at the hands of their eternal rivals.
Real Madrid's resilience under pressure continues to define their European campaign. The next stop is Arsenal in the quarterfinals, and the hunt for No.16 continues.
