Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid has commended his team’s mindset after they managed to scrape past city rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties to secure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Though Carlo Ancelotti’s side struggled for form and fell to a 1-0 defeat after extra time, resulting in a 2-2 aggregate score, the holders once again found a way to progress, keeping their hopes alive for a record-breaking 16th title.
Bellingham, the England international, converted one of Real’s four successful penalties during the shootout, setting the stage for a quarter-final encounter with Premier League’s Arsenal.
“Sometimes it comes down to those moments of calm and control. It’s not always the spectacular quality we’re known for,” the 21-year-old explained to TNT.
“We adopt a different mentality in these high-stakes matches, understanding that there’s a specific approach to securing victories.”
“We excel in those situations. We have a strong grasp of the dynamics within the game, and tonight was another example of that.“
Real Madrid had showcased their attacking prowess in their playoff against Manchester City, triumphing with a 6-3 aggregate score to advance to the knockout stage.
However, against Atletico, in the hostile environment of their rivals’ home ground, they were stunned in the opening minute when Conor Gallagher struck for the hosts, equalising the tie on aggregate.
Despite the early setback, Ancelotti’s men stood firm, as the match trickled through normal time and extra time, with Atletico unable to capitalise on their aggressive start.
They were granted a stroke of fortune when Julian Alvarez’s penalty was disallowed after he slipped and inadvertently made contact with the ball twice.
Following a miss from Atletico’s Marcos Llorente and a saved penalty by their goalkeeper Jan Oblak against Lucas Vazquez, Antonio Ruediger made no mistake with his decisive penalty, sending Real’s players and supporters into celebration.
“I’m truly delighted. Winning this match is incredibly significant for us,” Bellingham remarked. “It’s massive for our team, and passing this stage is crucial. It means a great deal to the fans, especially considering who we were facing.“
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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