Actual Madrid produced a gritty show to succeed in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-2 win on penalties in opposition to rivals Atletico Madrid, following a 1-0 defeat after further time on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone’s facet outplayed the document 15-time champions on the Metropolitano stadium for a lot of the sport, however Madrid have by no means been eradicated by Atletico within the competitors and so they battled onerous after Conor Gallagher’s first-minute opener to safe a 2-2 mixture draw.
Thibaut Courtois made a number of saves to thwart Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Junior blazed a penalty excessive and broad for Madrid.
Atletico appeared prone to finish a historical past of being dominated by Madrid in Europe however Los Blancos have the knack of survival all the way down to a wonderful artwork and took the sport to penalties.
Within the shoot-out Julian Alvarez scored for Atletico however his effort was dominated out as he touched the ball twice due to a slip as he shot.
Marcos Llorente additionally missed for Atletico and Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger struck the winner for the reigning champions.
Atletico performed with warning within the first leg regardless of trailing, keen to take a single aim deficit again to the fiery Metropolitano stadium, the place they believed they may actually flip the warmth up on their arch-rivals.
Actual Madrid knocked Atletico out within the 2017 semi-finals within the ultimate European sport on the Vicente Calderon, with this the primary time the derby has been performed at Atletico’s new residence within the Champions League.
After defeats by Madrid within the 2014 and 2016 finals, the latter on penalties, and elimination on each different event the groups have met within the competitors, Atletico had been determined to vary the narrative.
They got here flying out of the blocks and took the lead after simply 27 seconds via Gallagher, levelling the tie on mixture.
Rodrigo De Paul’s low ball in from the correct was not reduce out by Raul Asencio and former Chelsea midfielder Gallagher lunged in to beat Courtois from shut vary.
Atletico had been content material to sit down deep and take in strain as Actual Madrid pushed the ball round of their territory however had been additionally able to spring ahead on the counter.
With a powerful hand Courtois batted away a robust Alvarez effort as Atletico sought a second, then denied the Argentine once more at his close to publish earlier than half-time.
The Belgian goalkeeper made one other save to disclaim Alvarez quickly after the break too, as Atletico continued to threaten and Jan Oblak was nonetheless untested.
– Excessive rigidity –
With Atletico controlling the sport, Ancelotti introduced on Eduardo Camavinga and Lucas Vazquez in the hunt for contemporary vitality.
Madrid quickly produced their finest assault of the sport, with famous person trio Vinicius, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe combining on a fast counter.
Mbappe skipped away from Jose Gimenez after which was dragged down by the determined Clement Lenglet for a penalty earlier than he might shoot.
After the French ahead missed spot-kicks in opposition to Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao earlier within the season, Ancelotti mentioned Vinicius was his staff’s major taker.
So it was the Brazilian ahead who stepped up, going through down a purple wall of whistling Atletico followers behind the aim, and buckled beneath the strain, firing excessive and broad of the goal.
Correa virtually snatched Atletico victory within the final minute however hammered a vicious half-volley over the crossbar, and the match went to further time.
Madrid shaded the extra interval as each groups seemed drained however pushed themselves to their limits with the match on a knife-edge.
Mbappe stepped up first from the spot and despatched Oblak the unsuitable means, with Bellingham following go well with after Alexander Sorloth netted for Atletico.
Alvarez slipped as he smashed residence the hosts’ second penalty and after a VAR overview it was dominated out as he had touched the ball twice as he struck it.
Oblak saved from Vazquez’s weak penalty to place Atletico again on observe nevertheless it was short-lived as Llorente crashed his penalty off the bar.
Oblak dived the correct means for Rudiger’s decisive penalty however couldn’t preserve it out as Madrid marched into the final eight, the place they are going to tackle Arsenal.
