With tears brimming in his eyes, Diego Simeone gazed at the jubilant Atlético Madrid supporters filling the Metropolitano Stadium stands.
Moments earlier, the coach had been pacing anxiously along the sideline, unable to watch the nerve-racking penalty shootout that culminated in Atlético’s victory over Inter Milan, propelling them into the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Jan Oblak’s heroics, with two crucial saves, and Lautaro Martínez’s penalty miss secured Atlético’s triumph in the shootout, with the Spanish side prevailing 3-2 after a late winner in regulation time.
“It was an emotional moment,” Simeone reflected. “I’m thrilled for the players and our supporters. Once again, we find ourselves among the top eight teams in Europe, which speaks volumes about this club.”
Oblak, the stalwart goalkeeper, downplayed his role, emphasizing the element of luck in penalty shootouts: “It’s about making the right choice and executing it. Fortunately, I was able to make the saves. The victory and our progression to the quarterfinals are what truly matters.”
In the penalty drama, Memphis Depay, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Ángel Correa found the net for Atlético, while Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi converted their penalties. However, Saul Ñíguez’s effort was thwarted by Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Atlético’s comeback stemmed from Depay’s 87th-minute goal, which secured a 2-1 victory in regulation time and overturned their 1-0 deficit from the first leg. Inter coach Simone Inzaghi conceded, “We should have done better in the second half. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes.”
Despite Inter’s early lead through Federico Dimarco’s goal, Atlético quickly responded with Antoine Griezmann’s equalizer two minutes later, marking his return from injury.
The pulsating encounter showcased Atlético’s resilience and attacking prowess, with both sides creating numerous chances. Ultimately, Depay’s late strike sealed Atlético’s progression to the Champions League quarterfinals.
The draw for the quarterfinals will feature Atlético, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Barcelona. For Atlético, the Champions League represents their sole opportunity for silverware this season, with disappointments in the Copa del Rey and a significant gap behind the leaders in La Liga.
