Atlético - Real Madrid, Second Leg Round of 16 Champions Summary

Just Like It Happened in Milan That Year 2016. Real Madrid Eliminated Atlético de Madrid in the Champions League. The white team lost at the Metropolitano, but they came out on top in the penalty shootout.

Connor Gallagher opened the scoring 30 seconds into a disappointing first half for Real Madrid. The whites requested a penalty not called for a handball by Giuliano Simeone, and Vinícius missed another in the second half. Rüdiger sealed the deal in the shootout after misses by Julián and Llorente.

Carlo Ancelotti decided to go all out for a key match in the season. The Italian opted for the presence of Luka Modric in the midfield to join Tchouaméni and Bellingham. Additionally, Kylian Mbappé started despite the discomfort he experienced in the hours leading up to the match.

An Early Goal, a Controversial Penalty, and an Insufficient Madrid

The battle at the Metropolitano couldn't have started worse for the Madrid team. At 30 seconds, Atlético de Madrid managed to equalize the tie thanks to a goal by Gallagher in an action where Asencio couldn't clear. Starting from scratch after a goal that did a lot of damage.

Long faces on the Real Madrid players, who didn't expect to concede so soon in a setting that didn't stop pressing. The white team tried to recover with ball possession, but without showing much clarity in the early minutes. Meanwhile, Atlético decided to close up and wait at the back to do damage on counterattacks.

The first controversy of the match didn't take long to arrive. At 19 minutes, an action by Vinícius ended in a cross from the Brazilian that clearly hit Giuliano's hand away from his body. The referee, Szymon Marciniak, despite the protests from the Real Madrid players, ignored it.

Comfortable on the field, Atlético tested Thibaut Courtois with a great shot from Julián Álvarez to which the Belgian replied excellently. The response from Real Madrid was a weak shot from Rodrygo Goes that ended up in Jan Oblak's hands. Without aggression, the white team dedicated itself to pressing its rival very timidly.

Real Madrid continued to suffer a lot defensively. Again, Julián Álvarez tried to break down the wall of a very alert Thibaut Courtois to clear the Argentine's powerful shot. The script of the match was perfect for a Simeone who couldn't ask for more from his team in a very negative first act for the reigning champion of Europe.

Vinícius and His Moment to Forget in the Champions

The second half started similarly to the first: a powerful shot from Julián Álvarez that Thibaut Courtois managed to repel. The Argentine striker, who doesn't need any time to load his leg, was Atlético's biggest threat in the match. Meanwhile, Luka Modric, the boss in the engine room, couldn't bring calm and order to his team.

Real Madrid was very divided after the break. The four strikers didn't reach most of the assists, which caused greater dangers in Atlético's attacks. The feeling was of a team without ideas and that didn't change anything after passing through the tunnel to the locker rooms.

The only positive for Madrid in an hour of play was the confirmation that Asencio continues to amaze everyone with his level. The central defender from La Fábrica cut a key play, showcasing his unbelievable speed. A great action to wake up a team in which Mbappé, Vinícius, and Bellingham remained asleep.

Nothing was working for Real Madrid, and Vinícius was clear proof of that. The spectacular play by Mbappé, who forced an astonishing penalty with a run that no one could stop, arrived. However, the Brazilian, with the opportunity to silence the entire Metropolitano, sent the ball far from the three posts.

Little by little, Real Madrid gained more weight in the attack against a very fatigued Atlético that barely made any changes. Carlo Ancelotti did move the bench, bringing on Camavinga, Brahim, and Lucas Vázquez. Fran García also had to enter the field due to Ferland Mendy's hamstring injury.

Almost at the end, Ángel Correa, who didn't see Julián Álvarez, missed in an attack that could have sealed the deal for Real Madrid. With a lot of accumulated fatigue in both teams, the match ended up going to extra time. The Madrid team ended up improving their version in the last minutes, but they didn't finish their dangerous plays.

Fatigue and Rüdiger Decide the Tie

Not even two minutes had to wait to see the first chance of extra time. It was at the feet of Correa, who perfectly controlled a ball that fell from the sky of Madrid. The Argentine, who was looking for a teammate's shot, found Rüdiger's decisive intervention at the last second.

Real Madrid sought to respond with counterattack actions, but it wasn't the night for the men up front. However, the team noticed the entry of a Brahim who revolutionized the match. From his pass inside the area came Valverde's cross-shot that found no recipient.

The match was absolutely broken with a Real Madrid with more options to do damage. Neither team wanted penalties on a night where tension reigned from start to finish. With six minutes left, Ancelotti decided to bench Vinícius to bring in the freshness of Endrick.

As it happened in Milan that 2016, everything had to be decided in the penalty shootout. Mbappé and Bellingham scored the first two, and Julián, who hit the ball with both feet, scored his shot, although the goal didn't count. Lucas also missed, sending his shot into Oblak's hands.

However, Marcos Llorente, who sent his shot to the crossbar, left the pass in the boots of a Rüdiger who didn't miss. Once again, Real Madrid knocks Atlético out of the Champions League in penalties. Once again, Real Madrid proves they remain the owner of the capital and Europe.