Real Madrid progressed in the Champions League on Wednesday night, beating city rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties.
Former Chelsea midfielder Connor Gallagher gave Atletico the perfect start to the second leg, scoring from close range inside 20 seconds, levelling the tie at 2-2. From there, Atletico threatened with World Cup winner Julian Alvarez going close on numerous occasions.
It was Real Madrid who had the best chance after Kylian Mbappe won a penalty following Clement Lenglet’s foul on Madrid’s star summer signing. However, it wasn’t the Frenchman who stepped up for Los Blancos, instead it was Ballon d’Or runner up Vinicius Junior, with the Brazilian subsequently blasting his effort over the bar.
After 120 minutes, the game headed to penalties.
Both teams converted their first efforts from 12 yards, then the aforementioned Alvarez stepped up for Atletico’s second. Alvarez appeared to convert from the penalty spot, levelling the shoot-out at two a piece. However, on replay it was adjudged that Alvarez, while slipping, had touched the ball twice, meaning the penalty was disallowed and Real took the lead in the shootout. Jan Oblak kept out Lucas Vazquez’s spot kick but Atletico couldn’t level the shootout, with Marcos Llorente being denied by the crossbar. German international Antonio Rudiger scored the winning penalty for Real, with Jan Oblak not getting a strong enough hand to keep Atletico in the tie.
Real Madrid will meet Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Arsenal themselves secured their place in the quarter-finals: they drew 2-2 with Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven. Oleksandr Zinchenko opened the scoring for the Gunners with a curled effort from just outside the area. PSV responded through former Spurs winger Ivan Perisic before Raheem Sterling teed up Declan Rice to put Arsenal 2-1 up on the night. PSV left North London with some pride after they suffered an embarrassing 7-1 defeat at home, after Couhaib Driouech lobbed David Raya to level the score on the night.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa booked their place in the quarter-final, defeating Belgian champions Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate. Brugge defender, Kyriani Sabbe, was dismissed in a low-key first half as he hauled back Marcus Rashford as the England forward chased after Emi Martinez’s long ball. In the second half Villa took control, Marcos Asensio scored a brace between an Ian Maatsen goal in 11 minutes to give the Villains a 3-0 win on the night, ensuring them a place in the next round of Europe’s premier club competition.
Villa now face PSG in the quarter-finals with Marcos Asensio, Lucas Digne and Unai Emery set for a return to the Parc des Princes.
Finally, Borussia Dortmund came from behind against Lille to book a place in the next round. Canadian forward Jonathan David scored inside 5 minutes, putting his effort through Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel’s legs from a cutback. Dortmund, who are sat 10th in the Bundesliga, came back in the second half, with captain Emre Can and summer signing Maximillian Beier scoring to send Dortmund through. Serhou Guirassy assisted Beier’s goal on the night, meaning the Guinean matched Mohammad Salah’s 14 goal and assist season in the 2017/2018 edition of the Champions League, the most for an African player in the competition.
Dortmund face Spanish giants FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
UEFA competitions return on Thursday night, with the Europa and Europa Conference league’s round of 16 second legs set to take place.
