Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid in a Champions League penalty shootout.
Defender Antonio Rudiger scored a decisive spot kick in a 4-2 shootout on Wednesday after two Atletico players missed out.
Marco Lorente’s shot hit the bar after Julian Alvarez’s score was slipped and the ball was allowed to hit the right foot twice.
Madrid also defeated Atletico in a shootout and won the 2016 final. This is part of a winning streak that eliminates city rivals for the fourth year in a row.
Madrid will advance to the quarterfinals and face Arsenal. Arsenal moved forward with Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
Real Madrid’s penalty is low and high
The quarter-final lineup was completed with Madrid’s victory in the tense derby, finishing 2-2 with tally scores after an extra time.
Atletico led 1-0 after 90 minutes, spending extra time at Metropolitano Stadium, canceling Madrid’s 2-1 advantage from last week’s first leg.
Two important incidents defined the regulation time. Atletico Madrid scored within 30 seconds, while Real Madrid missed the penalty in the 70th minute.
Atletico took the lead on the first offense when England midfielder Conor Gallagher hit the ball from close range as Rodrigo de Paul’s cross deflected towards goalmoose.
Madrid star Vinicius’ junior burned a penalty kick on an Atletico goal when he managed to send the defending champion to the quarterfinals.
He was replaced by extra time for fellow teen Brazilian Endric.
Arsenal, Aston Villa and Dortmund also advance
Arsenal took some regulars off in a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven and ran a 9-3 overall score.
Aston Villa also spent a stress-free night at home to ensure England had two teams in the quarter-finals.
Villa won 3-0 against Club Bruges, who played 10 men since the 17th after a 3-1 victory in Belgium last week. Bruges defender Kiliani Sabbe was sent off after pulling Marcus Rashford back when he ran in goal.
Solfite Marco Asensio scored twice in the second half, lending on loan at PSG’s Villa and scoring twice in the second half to ensure his temporary club meets his parent club.
Borussia Dortmund came together with two second half goals, winning 2-1 on the reels, and rose 3-2 in total. The beat finalists last season are currently facing Barcelona.
The quarterfinal pairings are as follows: Arsenal vs Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa, Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan
The first leg game will be from April 8th to 9th, with the game one week later returning.
Only one former European champion in England remains in the Champions League. Villa’s undefeated home record ran to the quarterfinals with victory over Bayern, Juventus, Celtic and the current Bruges.
Liverpool’s exit to PSG followed Manchester City being pushed out of the knockout playoffs last month by Real Madrid. Without the Champions League winners in 2019 and 2023, England’s challenge would have only been two.
Aston Villa is the only English winner still standing
The Villa’s 1982 European Cup title is probably something that is not much remembered in the 70-year history of the competition. Arsenal’s only time in the final was his 2006 defeat to Barcelona.
Villa manager Unai Emery now returns to Paris and until 2018 it appears his coaching for two seasons is inadequate for both parties.
Who’s going all the time? 👀#ucl pic.twitter.com/c9dzziceti
– UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 12, 2025
Asensio endured his position on Wednesday as the most prolific alternative in Champions League history. The former Real Madrid player currently scores 12 goals in 51 games from the competitive bench.
Just like last season, Borussia Dortmund is better in the Champions League than the German league.
The 10th Bundesliga team slashed the reel to Canada in the fifth minute with a shot from Jonathan David ahead, earning a 2-1 victory in the second half. Dortmund was levelled on the 54th after Emre Kans’ penalty, with Maximilian Bayer sealing off his victory nine minutes later.
Dortmund was a finalist beat last June, losing 2-0 to Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium. And they joined this Champions League as Germany scored a fifth-place bonus entry in the Bundesliga.
Nicocobac, the club’s third coach in the Champions League this season, will bring Dortmund to face former Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski.
After Benfica and Feyenord were eliminated on Tuesday, the expected exits for Brugge and PSV will now leave only the five wealthiest leagues in Europe.
Outside teams in England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France have not reached the Champions League final since Porto coached him in 2004, when Jose Mourinho won.
UEFA will expand the wealth gap in Europe football by sharing roughly 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in prize money between 36 Champions League teams this season and a 20% higher payment this season. England and Spain are also lining up to the fifth bonus in the Champions League next season, sending tens of millions of prizes there.
Each quarterfinals will win 12.5 million euros ($13.6 million). The semi-final location will pay an additional 15 million euros ($16.3 million).
