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Real Madrid defeated fierce rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties to advance to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League.
Antonio Rudiger emerged as the hero for Real Madrid, scoring the decisive penalty kick in a 4-2 shootout victory over Atletico Madrid. The win came after a tense derby match ended 2-2 on aggregate, with the teams tied 1-1 after extra time.
Atletico Madrid took the lead within 30 seconds of the match, as Conor Gallagher capitalized on a deflected cross by Rodrigo De Paul. Real Madrid had a chance to take the lead in the 70th minute, but Vinicius Junior missed a penalty kick, blasting it high over the Atletico goal.
The match remained intense, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. However, Real Madrid ultimately prevailed in the penalty shootout, with Rudiger scoring the winning kick.
The shootout had drama, especially after VAR disallowed Julian Alvarez' spot kick for taking two touches; a hugely controversial call.
Real Madrid's win sets up a quarterfinal matchup against Arsenal, who also advanced on Wednesday along with Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund
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