Real Madrid edged out Atlético de Madrid to secure their spot in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, triumphing 4-2 on penalties after both teams finished deadlocked at 2-2 on aggregate. This thrilling encounter highlighted the fierce rivalry between the two clubs and kept Real’s hopes of lifting the coveted trophy alive.
The two-legged tie began with Real Madrid taking the advantage at the Santiago Bernabéu, where they secured a 2-1 victory. But the second leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano turned dramatic when Atlético, spurred on by their home crowd, equalized just 27 seconds after kickoff with Conor Gallagher scoring the opener.
Despite dominating possession, Real Madrid struggled to create clear opportunities. They came closest when Kylian Mbappé was fouled inside the Atlético box. Vinícius Júnior, tasked with taking the subsequent penalty, faltered and shot over the crossbar, much to the delight of the Atlético supporters, who celebrated as if they had scored.
This miss seemed to invigorate Atlético’s coach, Diego Simeone, who made strategic changes to bolster their offense. His substitutions aimed to clinch victory, but the match concluded without any additional goals and progressed to penalties after 120 hard-fought minutes.
Real Madrid emerged victorious from the penalty shootout, with Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, and Antonio Rudiger finding the net, even as Lucas Vázquez stumbled during his attempt. For Atlético, Alexander Sorloth managed to convert his spot-kick, but Julián Álvarez’s attempt was disallowed due to double contact with the ball, which added to the controversy. Ángel Correa scored for Atlético, but Marcos Llorente's miss allowed Rudiger to seal the win for the Merengues.
Carlo Ancelotti reflected on the match: "Lo importante era no perder el equilibrio para buscar una contra. En la segunda hemos tenido un control bueno en campo contrario, podía ser como ha pasado, llegando a los penales," emphasizing the tactical management needed throughout the match.
This victory marked the sixth time Real Madrid has bested Atlético Madrid in Champions League knockout stages, consistently showcasing their superiority since their first encounter dating back to the 1958-59 season. Madrid's current run has seen them through to the Champions League quarterfinals for five consecutive seasons—a record since their last exit, which occurred during the 2019-20 campaign at the hands of Manchester City.
By defeating Atlético, Real Madrid secured the final spot for the impending quarterfinals of the competitive tournament, joining Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Aston Villa, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan.
The quarterfinal matchups include Real Madrid confronting Arsenal, marking only their second encounter at this stage after Arsenal’s triumph over them in the 2005-06 season. Meanwhile, Inter Milan will face Bayern Munich for the third time, each holding one win against the other from the past knockout ties. Barcelona is set to battle Borussia Dortmund, and PSG will meet Aston Villa—an exciting prospect as it marks Aston Villa's first quarterfinal appearance since 1983.
The schedule is set for the first leg of the quarterfinals on April 8 and 9, followed by the return legs on April 15 and 16, concluding the round with the final match on May 31, 2025, at the Allianz Arena, Munich.
With intense rivalries and storied histories on display, the upcoming matches promise to be thrilling encounters as European giants vie for the coveted Champions League title.