Agency Report –
Berlin – Title holders Real Madrid survived a missed penalty from Vinicius Junior in regulation when they edged crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid 4-2 in a deciding shoot-out on Wednesday for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Antonio Rüdiger sealed the last 16 victory as goalkeeper Jan Oblak got his hands on the ball but couldn’t stop it from crossing the line.
Oblak had saved from Lucas Vazquez in the shoot-out but Atletico’s Julian Alvarez had his successful kick disallowed upon review because he touched the ball with both feet when he slipped, and Marcos Llorente hit the crossbar with his attempt.
Record 15-time winners Real had won the first leg 2-1 at home but Conor Gallagher levelled it up for Atletico 27 seconds into the return leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Vinicius Junior had the big chance to restore Real’s aggregate advantage but fired the penalty high over the crossbar in the 70th minute.
“This wasn’t our best performance, but no matter; we go through,” Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar.
“In the end, it all feels a bit like a lottery. When it came to the shoot-out, we had talked a lot about how it might be during the week, and then it’s down to the players who actually go up to take them.”
Real maintained their perfect record against Atletico in now six knock-out ties and finals in the elite event, and now meet Arsenal, who completed an emphatic 9-3 aggregate victory against PSV Eindhoven with a 2-2 home draw.
Last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 at French side Lille to advance 3-2 for a date with Barcelona.
Marco Asensio’s brace helped Aston Villa beat 10-man Club Brugge 3-0 on the night and 6-1 overall and into a quarter-final meeting with his parent club and Liverpool conquerors Paris Saint-Germain.
The other quarter-final tie is Bayern Munich v Inter Milan, with the matches set for April 8/9 and 15/16.
Excitement in Madrid with familiar winners
Atletico had an extraordinary start as they levelled the Madrid derby tie 27 seconds into the game when Gallagher slid in to convert Rodrigo de Paul’s low cross at the near post.
Real enjoyed more possession but struggled to create chances, while at the other end Courtois had to be on his guard twice against Alvarez.
Real then got the penalty mid-way through the second half when Kylian Mbappe was wrestled down by Clement Lenglet but Vinicius Junior fired high over the bar from the spot.
Atletico almost capitalised shortly after but Courtois saved from Guiliano Simeone, and with also no goals in extra time it was the shoot-out that broke Atletico’s hearts once again.
“We are in a state of shock still,” Lenglet said. “We produced a massive performance from start to finish. We have to pick ourselves up, but it is a big blow. I think we deserved [to win] as a team, a club, for the fans and their support.”
Arsenal complete job
Arsenal may have been excused for taking things easy against PSV with a much-changed team after their 7-1 triumph in the Netherlands.
But they needed just six minutes to take the lead from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s curling shot into the left corner.
Veteran Ivan Perisic levelled into the roof of the net 12 minutes later but Declan Rice restored the Gunners’ lead with a thumping header in the 37th, with Raheem Sterling getting a second assist.
Couhaib Driouech hauled PSV level again on the night with a nice chip over goalkeeper David Raya in the 70th as PSV saved face.
“We started well and scored a goal, were ahead twice, but unfortunately didn’t manage to win. You could see in the second half that we looked tired. When you make so many changes, you lack a bit of cohesion,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports.
Villa continue European adventure
Brugge’s hopes of turning around matters at Villa Park effectively ended after 17 minutes when Kyriani was sent off for a last-man foul on Marcus Rashford.
Villa stepped up the pace after a modest first half and scored three times in 12 minutes.
They took the lead in the 50th from Asensio who had come on for the second half. Asensio hit the right post before Ian Maatsen doubled the lead in the 57th, and Asensio completed his brace in the 61st.
“Very happy for the victory. I’m very happy for the team and the fans,” Asensio told TNT Sports. “We want more. Now we have a little break and to think about the upcoming objectives.”
Dortmund stay alive
Dortmund shook off their poor Bundesliga form again although they trailed early in Lille from Jonathan David who scored on the counter through the legs of unfortunate Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to give them hope of a first-ever European quarter-final.
Dortmund fought back but were wasteful until they got the equalizer in the 54th from captain Emre Can’s penalty, after former Dortmund player Thomas Meunier clipped Serhou Guirassy, who turned 29 on the day.
Maximilian Beier smashed the winner into the top right corner in the 65th to set up the date with Hansi Flick’s Barcelona who beat them 3-2 in the league stage in December.
“We are extremely relieved. On the one hand, it was enough for us to progress, but we also put in a really good performance,” Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl told streaming portal DAZN.
By John Bagratuni
