Real Madrid secured a place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. Despite a 1-0 second-leg defeat, Antonio Rudiger’s decisive spot-kick sealed their passage after a tense night of European football.
Atletico struck first, with Conor Gallagher scoring just 27 seconds into the game, wiping out Madrid’s 2-1 first-leg advantage. Kylian Mbappe won a penalty in the second half after being fouled by Clement Lenglet, but Vinicius Junior blazed his effort over the bar, forcing extra time.
With neither side able to break the deadlock, the match was decided from the spot. Julian Alvarez saw his penalty disallowed after a VAR review confirmed a double touch, handing Madrid the advantage. However, Jan Oblak denied Lucas Vazquez, only for Marcos Llorente to hit the crossbar, keeping Madrid in control.
Rudiger stepped up for the decisive penalty and slotted home, sending Los Blancos through to face Arsenal, who demolished PSV 9-3 on aggregate. The victory extended Madrid’s perfect penalty shootout record against Atleti, ensuring their European ambitions remain alive as they chase another Champions League title.
