In this round of the Champions League, Real Madrid defeated city rival Atletico Madrid on penalties, successfully advancing to the last eight. After the match, Real Madrid midfielder Joan Armeni was interviewed by the media, sharing his feelings about the game and some key moments.
Feelings about advancing to the tournament
“Honestly, there was a sigh of relief. Although the penalty shootout wasn’t the ideal way for us to win the game, the most important thing is to stay in the Champions League. As long as we can advance, we are happy.”
Review of Atletico Madrid and outlook on future opponents
“Atletico are a very difficult team to play against, they know us very well and we know them well. So this game may not look that exciting, but in the end the result is what counts. As for our next opponents, although we won’t meet another team like Atletico in theory, every game will be tough.”
Difficulties and Challenges of the Match
“Atletico’s defense is like an iron bucket, leaving us almost no room to attack. Every time we play them it’s a tough battle, but we end up winning and that’s the key thing.”
Reaction to facing Atletico’s early goal
“Honestly, getting scored on in the opening half is one of the worst situations. But as an experienced team, we know how to deal with such situations. Anything can happen until the very end of the game. Although it was a bit frustrating to be scored on, we didn’t give up and kept trying to create chances. Although Vinicius conceded the penalty, it was just a blip in the game.”
How it felt to see Rüdiger score the winning penalty
“That moment was really important! If we get knocked out in the 1/8 finals, it will be too early. We have to go far in the Champions League, which has always been our goal.”
Talks about Alvarez’s blown penalty kick
“Someone from the club took a tablet to show us the replay after the game and said he touched the ball twice when he kicked it. To be honest, I’ve never heard of that before, but this time it worked in our favor (laughs).”
Note: Alvarez’s penalty kick was disallowed for a second touch in the penalty shootout.
Missing the next game due to a yellow card
“It’s true that it’s a bit of a shame because I think it was the only foul I committed all game. But that’s okay, I’m sure my teammates will step up and finish the job and we’ll move on.”
The victory not only allowed Real Madrid to advance to the last eight of the Champions League, but also demonstrated the team’s resilience and psychological quality at critical moments. Real Madrid will face Arsenal in the next quarter-final, expecting them to continue their outstanding performance!
