Real Madrid Are Unstoppable: Champions League Fortune Smiles on Carlo Ancelotti Again as Kylian Mbappe Escapes European Humiliation and Atletico Madrid Suffer Another Derby Loss.
Once again, Los Blancos showcased their European dominance by defeating their city rivals to secure a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Naturally, Real Madrid’s last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid hinged on a controversial VAR decision. Julian Alvarez did make slight contact with the ball twice while converting Atleti’s second penalty—a harsh conclusion to 210 minutes of tense, often dull football.
Atletico had the upper hand in the second leg on Wednesday, winning 1-0 to draw the tie level at 2-2. Yet, after two full matches, extra time, and a disputed penalty shootout, it was inevitable that Real would prevail—it’s simply what they do. It’s unfortunate that the tie ended in such a messy fashion, with Diego Simeone’s fiery press conference, social media taunts, and Madrid fans voicing their outrage on X.
The match initially promised to be a classic. Just 27 seconds in, Atleti struck with a brilliantly executed goal—a slick Antoine Griezmann pass setting up Conor Gallagher to finish after some disorganized Madrid defending. From that moment, Atletico tightened their defense, giving Madrid little room to maneuver. Despite Vinicius Jr’s relentless attempts to break through, he was consistently met by a wall of red and white. While Atleti’s counterattacks were quick and aggressive, their lack of a clinical finisher left them without a decisive edge.
Vinicius had a golden opportunity to change the story after Kylian Mbappe broke through on goal, cut to his left, and was brought down by Clement Lenglet in the box. However, Vinicius blasted the resulting penalty high into the Madrid night sky—perfectly reflecting his frustrating evening.
Atletico had chances to punish their rivals but failed to capitalize. Madrid’s defense held firm, keeping Atleti away from dangerous areas and forcing Julian Alvarez—outstanding for 120 minutes before his shootout disaster—into awkward shooting positions.
Once the match reached penalties, the outcome felt almost inevitable. Alvarez’s controversial double contact and Marcos Llorente’s strike against the crossbar canceled out Lucas Vazquez’s weak attempt. In the end, Antonio Rudiger, as he did against Manchester City last season, delivered the decisive blow.
And so, Real Madrid march on—the indestructible kings of Europe—relying on a mix of fortune and unshakable belief to propel themselves further into the Champions League.
Victor: Carlo Ancelotti
Well, the manager deserves some credit, right? There’s ongoing debate about how much influence Carlo Ancelotti actually has on this Real Madrid team. It’s well-known by now that he doesn’t personally run training sessions—that’s his son’s responsibility—nor is he a tactical mastermind constantly innovating. Instead, Ancelotti leads through presence and calm authority, fostering confidence in a highly talented squad and managing the egos and conflicting ambitions that could easily fracture the locker room.
Once again, this approach paid off. Ancelotti made some key decisions on Wednesday. Substituting a fatigued Luka Modric and an ineffective Aurelien Tchouameni just after the hour mark injected fresh energy into the midfield. Pulling Vinicius Jr. before the penalty shootout, while risky, was a logical move. More importantly, he kept his team composed in a hostile atmosphere, preventing a collapse.
Recent speculation about Ancelotti’s job security if Madrid finishes the season without silverware seems absurd. The team has been disrupted by Kylian Mbappe’s €150 million arrival and plagued by injuries in crucial positions. Many managers would struggle under such conditions, and at times, Ancelotti has kept Los Blancos together by the slimmest of margins. But none of that matters—Madrid are still firmly in the hunt for a treble.
Defeated: Julian Alvarez
How can you feel anything but sympathy for Julian Alvarez? His penalty mishap will be replayed endlessly in the coming weeks—but VAR got the decision right. The Argentine accidentally touched the ball twice while converting what would have been a flawless penalty. It wasn’t deliberate—he slipped on the turf—but it’s a moment that will forever be remembered for the wrong reasons.
Alvarez’s night was full of “almosts.” He did everything right, executing 99.9 percent of his game perfectly but falling just short of delivering the decisive blow. He stretched the defense by running the channels, pressed intelligently, and forced Thibaut Courtois into three brilliant saves. It’s become increasingly clear that he was underutilized as Erling Haaland’s backup at Manchester City.
Unfortunately, despite his impressive performances, his first season in Spain will likely be defined by this cruel stroke of bad luck.
LOSER: Vinicius Jr
“I will come back 10x stronger if I have to.” Those were Vinicius Jr.’s words after narrowly losing the 2024 Ballon d’Or to Rodri. The Brazilian suggested that being overlooked would only fuel his determination to improve.
Since that statement, however, his performances have been inconsistent. While he has delivered brilliant goals and thrilling moments, maintaining that high level regularly has been a challenge. A major factor is, of course, the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, but beyond that, Vinicius has sometimes lacked sharpness when it matters most.
These are the kinds of nights when all that inconsistency is supposed to be forgotten—Champions League matches where the best players shine. Yet, against Atletico Madrid, Vinicius failed to deliver. Diego Simeone once again executed a familiar game plan to neutralize him: crowd him, deny him space, foul him when necessary, and mock his frustrations.
The pressure seemed to affect Vinicius. When his big moment came—a crucial second-half penalty that could have decided the tie—he missed. While he doesn’t need to be the hero every time, these are the occasions where stars make their mark and build their legacy. By that measure, Wednesday was a significant disappointment for him.
WINNER: Kylian Mbappe
Well, Kylian, you wanted a Champions League trophy—now you’re one step closer to claiming it.
Mbappe left Paris Saint-Germain because playing for Real Madrid had been his dream since childhood. His entire career has been shaped by the goal of becoming a Galactico, with individual awards and shining on the biggest stages seemingly his top priorities.
Imagine the humiliation if he had crashed out of the Champions League just a day after his former club finally proved themselves as serious contenders for the title. Spanish newspapers would have been flooded with talk of an “Mbappe curse,” suggesting that PSG had been held back by their star striker while Madrid had acquired a brilliant player who might never reach the pinnacle of European football.
Thankfully for the French captain, that scenario didn’t unfold. He remains on track to win his first Champions League trophy, and with Mohamed Salah now out of the competition, the Ballon d’Or is also back within his reach. This debut season at Madrid could still become the fairytale campaign he’s always dreamed of.
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LOSER: Diego Simeone
Late on Wednesday night, Diego Simeone was conducting informal polls during his press conference. After the match, he asked how many journalists had noticed Julian Alvarez’s double touch during the penalty shootout. Not a single hand was raised. It was an unfair question, of course—who would openly challenge a frustrated coach, especially when even the fans in the stadium couldn’t understand why Alvarez’s penalty was ruled out?
By now, Simeone must be tired of facing Real Madrid. While Atleti have had some recent success against their city rivals in La Liga, they continue to fall short when trophies or elimination are at stake. Under Simeone, Atleti have never won a Champions League knockout tie against Madrid, with this latest defeat marking their fifth consecutive failure.
At this point, it almost feels like Simeone is cursed. It’s hard to fault his decisions on the night. Antoine Griezmann was substituted before extra-time because he had nothing left to give, and bringing on Alexander Sorloth as a target man under pressure made sense. His defensive setup was logical too—having Rodrigo De Paul and Conor Gallagher drift wide to track Madrid’s wingers ensured constant pressure. In the end, though, this loss can simply be attributed to sheer bad luck.
LOSER: Arsenal
Arsenal fans were likely hoping to face Atletico Madrid instead. The Gunners are struggling with injuries, lacking creativity, missing their best player, and—yet again—playing without a true striker. While they are capable of winning big matches, overcoming Real Madrid in the Champions League feels like a stretch.
Mikel Arteta’s team hasn’t made life easy for themselves lately, although there’s optimism that Bukayo Saka could return for the quarter-finals. His comeback would be a huge lift for Martin Odegaard, who has looked uncertain in the final third without his usual attacking partner. Still, this makeshift Arsenal side faces the daunting task of defeating one of Europe’s most formidable clubs.
Arteta thrives on these kinds of high-stakes battles and will aim to make the tie gritty and tense. This won’t be another Bayern Munich-style humiliation like in Arsene Wenger’s final years. But realistically, does anyone truly believe Arsenal have a chance? Without a near-miracle, another trophy-less season seems all but inevitable.
