Real Madrid’s Champions League magic faltered Wednesday on a frantic, grueling night across town, but somehow survived a first-minute sucker-punch, a missed Vinicius Jr. penalty and a wild shootout.
It was tested by Atlético Madrid, by Diego Simeone’s valiant warriors. It was pushed to the brink over 120 brutal minutes. It wavered when Vinicius Junior skied a 70th-minute spot-kick and the Metropolitano roared.
But Real Madrid, the eternal Champions League champions, found a way, and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they’ll face Arsenal.
They found some luck, as they always seem to do, in a penalty shootout, after regulation had ended 1-0 to Atlético, 2-2 on aggregate. In the second round of kicks from the spot, Atleti’s Julián Alvarez slipped, and still scored … but replays apparently showed that his plant foot had barely clipped the ball as he rocketed it into the roof of the net.
His conversion was, therefore, disallowed by video assistant referees, based on a rule that prevents penalty takers from taking multiple touches.
The decision elicited confusion and anticlimax. More importantly, it gave Real Madrid an edge.
Jan Oblak, Atleti’s stoic keeper, made a clutch fourth-round save to erase that edge. But Real’s magic had its way. Atleti’s Marcos Llorente followed by spanking his shot off the crossbar. In the fifth round, Antonio Rüdiger scored — narrowly, off the palms of Oblak and into the side netting.
And Los Blancos pranced around the field, still alive, still the kings of Europe until further notice.
They are alive despite falling asleep in the first 30 seconds, when Atleti pounced on a second ball, and Conor Gallagher scored to negate Real’s first-leg advantage.
They are alive despite stalling for most of the 120 minutes, despite struggling to find space between Atleti’s compact lines.
They are alive despite goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois not saving a single penalty in the shootout, and despite Vini being subbed off so that he didn’t have to take a second one.
But nonetheless, they are alive.
Their continued Champions League exploits, and ultimate invincibility despite apparent vulnerability, have little coherent explanation. They confound analysts. They make rational people doubt probabilities and empirical truths.
“We didn’t have luck,” Oblak told CBS Sports after the heartbreaking loss. “I think that’s the best explanation.”
And Real Madrid, with plenty of it, remain on course to win a mind-bending 16th European title.
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