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Victor Petkov
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Real beats Atletico in bizarre penalties, secures Arsenal clash
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Vinicius penalty miss didn't prove costly for Real Madrid as they were the better side from the spot after 120 minutes of football

Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals after defeating Atletico Madrid in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Despite a missed penalty in regular time by Vinicius Junior, Los Blancos prevailed in the shootout and will face Arsenal in the next round.

The match started in explosive fashion, with Atletico taking the lead just 28 seconds after kickoff. Rodrigo de Paul’s low cross from the right found Connor Gallagher, who was left unmarked and easily slotted the ball past Thibaut Courtois.

Atletico continued to dominate the first half, with Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann testing Courtois, but the Belgian keeper made a series of impressive saves to keep Real in the game.

Real Madrid’s best chance to equalize came in the 69th minute when Jude Bellingham played Kylian Mbappe through on goal. The Frenchman was fouled in the box by Clement Lenglet, leading referee Szymon Marciniak to award a penalty. However, Vinicius Junior failed to convert, striking the ball straight into Jan Oblak’s hands.

Extra time saw chances for both teams, with Ángel Correa and Brahim Diaz coming close, but neither side could find a winner.

The penalty shootout was equally dramatic. The first three spot-kicks were converted, but Atletico suffered a major setback when Julián Álvarez’s goal was disallowed after replays showed he accidentally struck the ball twice due to a slip. Misses from Lucas Vázquez and Marcos Llorente followed before Antonio Rüdiger stepped up to take the final penalty. Although Oblak got a hand to it, the ball found its way into the net, sealing Real Madrid’s victory.

With this win, Real Madrid advances to the quarter-finals, where they will face Arsenal in what promises to be another thrilling clash.