Actual Madrid’s Champions League magic survives Atlético — via inches in a penalty shootout

Actual Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after successful the penalty shootout all the way through the Champions League spherical of 16, 2d leg, football fit between Atletico Madrid and Actual Madrid on the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Picture/Bernat Armangue)Actual Madrid’s Champions League hoodoo faltered Wednesday on a frantic, grueling evening throughout the town, however by hook or by crook survived a first-minute sucker punch, a overlooked Vinicius Jr. penalty and a wild shootout.It was once examined via Atlético Madrid, via Diego Simeone’s valiant warriors. It was once driven to the threshold over 120 brutal mins.However Actual Madrid, the everlasting Champions League champions, discovered some way, and complicated to the quarterfinals, the place they’re going to face Arsenal.They discovered some success, as they all the time appear to do, in a penalty shootout, after law had ended 1-0 to Atlético, 2-2 on combination. In the second one spherical of kicks from the spot, Atleti’s Julián Alvarez slipped, and nonetheless scored … however replays it sounds as if confirmed that his plant foot had slightly clipped the ball as he rocketed it into the roof of the web. Video assistant referees disallowed the conversion.Jan Oblak, Atleti’s stoic keeper, made a snatch save to provide the hosts existence. However Actual Madrid’s magic reigned. Within the fourth spherical, Atleti’s Marcos Llorente spanked his shot off the crossbar. Within the 5th, Antonio Rüdiger scored — off the hands of Oblak and into the facet netting.And Los Blancos pranced across the box, nonetheless alive, nonetheless the kings of Europe till additional realize.