'Thank God Real Madrid won'

Real Madrid somehow found a way, once again, in the Champions League as they beat city rivals Atletico Madrid 4-2 on penalties to reach the quarterfinals following an enthralling last-16 tie that ended with an aggregate scoreline of 2-2 after extra time on Wednesday.

It was a VAR-checked penalty call that ultimately saw Real through at the Metropolitano stadium. Atletico were fuming after forward Julian Alvarez had his shootout penalty ruled out by the referee. He slipped and his left foot slightly touched the ball before he kicked it with his right foot, making it two touches and invalidating a strike that would have levelled the shootout at 2-2.

Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved a spot-kick by Lucas Vazquez but Marcos Llorente stroked his effort in off the post, leaving it for Ruediger to seal victory for defending champions Real who are bidding for a record-extending 16th European Cup win.

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, who converted during the shootout, could not help but thank the Almighty after coming out as winners in the much-heated contest. 

"We played an average match at home, and here... we came out as if it was already won and in the first move they scored a goal against us, and that messed us up a lot," Valverde told Movistar.

"We went to penalties, by the end we were very tired, it was very noticeable and thank God we won."

After defeats by Madrid in the 2014 and 2016 finals, the latter on penalties, and elimination on every other occasion the teams have met in the competition, Atletico were desperate to change the narrative, but came up fractionally short.

"It hurts, I think we played a great match, but unfortunately we lacked a bit of luck," Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak told Movistar.

"The truth is that one feels pain, it hurts a lot."