Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid players stand during the penalty shootout during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on March 12, 2025.Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid players stand during the penalty shootout during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on March 12, 2025.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid players stand during the penalty shootout during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on March 12, 2025. | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal will meet Real Madrid in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League
Arsenal will play Real Madrid in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League after some major controversy on Wednesday night. For the Gunners, a 2-2 draw secured a comfortable 9-3 aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven but things were much tighter for Madrid as they defeated rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties.
The contest finished 2-2 on aggregate between the Spanish clubs as former Chelsea player Conor Gallagher scored the only goal of the game as Atletico won the second leg 1-0 after Real had won 2-1 in the first leg.
However, controversy reigned at the Metropolitano Stadium as Atletico had a penalty disallowed in the shootout, with Real advancing from Antonio Rüdiger’s winning spotkick.
Penalty controversy
Former Manchester City player Julian Alvarez took Atletico’s second penalty and smashed his effort into the roof of the net. However, Real were then delayed in taking their next penalty as VAR reviewed Alvarez’s spot-kick. They ruled that the striker’s penalty had a double touch and ruled the goal out to give Real the edge. Both sides missed a further penalty each, with that enough for the holders to go through.
The controversy sets up a quarter final with Arsenal. The Gunners will face Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa in the semi-final if they can emerge victorious against Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Speaking on TNT Sports, former Liverpool and Real Madrid winger Steve McManaman said: “Sometimes the best team doesn't win. Sometimes you need a huge chunk of luck to go through. Real Madrid have had luck in spades tonight. Julian Alvarez slipping, an irregular kick disallowed. Antonio Rudiger sneaking in the last kick. Just wow. They got away with it. You can see why Atletico Madrid feel like the underdogs. They have given their all and they are out.”
Draw for Arsenal as tie wrapped up
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice scored as Arsenal drew 2-2 with PSV on a night that had little riding on it following the Gunners’ demolition of the Dutch club in the first leg. Looking ahead to the last eight, Arteta said while the Madrid derby was still going on: “Well, last year we played Bayern and with the history of those clubs and how consistent in the last 20, 25 years being there and we were right in there in the former game. We had them under the ropes, they escaped. And when we were there, we were a bit short to get that final stage. Hopefully, we'll learn. We are better than them. And we can make it happen.”
On the draw with PSV he said: “Unfortunately, we haven't managed to win the game, but we decided to make a lot of rotation as well. You could say in the second half that we were tired, we were late to be much more dominant in the opposition half and were more consistent, especially when we didn't have the ball. But overall, very happy, because we are after the second consecutive season in the Champions League quarter-finals. We're going to travel to Madrid, but unfortunately we don't know who our opponents are.”
In other news, an ex-Arsenal man has been hailed as 'great signing' by Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder as he finds his feet again after Crystal Palace exile.