Champions League wrap: Atletico and Dortmund earn final two spots in European Cup quarter-finals
- Macdara Ferris
- Wed, Mar 13 2024
The final two available positions in Friday’s Champions League quarter-final draw were filled on Wednesday night by Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
Atletico eliminated last year’s runners up Inter Milan on penalties winning on spotkicks 3-2 after the second leg in Madrid finished 2-1 after extra-time and 2-2 on aggregate.
Frederico Dimarco had put the Italian side 1-0 up on the night on 33 minutes before Antoine Griezmann equalised two minutes later. It looked like the Azzuri were going through 2-1 on aggregate only for substitute Memphis Depay to score a goal on 87 minutes to take the game into extra-time.
Like David Raya was the shootout hero for Arsenal last night, Jan Oblak brought the heroics for Atletico as he, just like Raya did in the Emirates, saved two spotkicks. When Lautaro Martinez missed his effort, Diego Simeone’s team progressed to the quarter-final.
Koke, Atletico captain, speaking to Movistar+ said: "The introduction of Memphis [Depay] changed the game and then we have one of the best goalkeepers – if not the best – in the world, and he has demonstrated that today."
Elsewhere, Jadon Sancho put Dortmund 2-1 up on aggregate early on against PSV in Germany with the win wrapped up by a late Marco Reus goal earning their first quarter-final place since 2021.
Already in the quarter-finals are the winners from last week’s ties Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City, along with last night’s winners Arsenal and Barcelona.
The quarter-final and semi-final draws take place on Friday 15 March with the last eight ties taking place on 9/10 and 16/17 April.
Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl …
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