Real Madrid simply overcame Atalanta 3-1 at house of their Champions League last-16 second leg on Wednesday to walk into the quarterfinals 4-1 on mixture. Karim Benzema scored a sixth aim in 5 video games to place the 13-times European champions in cost after 34 minutes following a poor kick out by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello which was intercepted by Luka Modric.
Captain Sergio Ramos put Real additional relaxed when he transformed a penalty on the hour, though the Italian aspect managed to get one aim again due to a free kick from Luis Muriel within the 83rd. But any hope that they had of making a restoration was shortly dashed a minute later by a low strike from Real substitute Marco Asensio.
Real, who have been knocked out within the final 16 by Manchester City final time period and Ajax Amsterdam the season earlier than, reached the final eight for the primary time since 2018. Zinedine Zidane’s aspect would be the solely Spanish crew left in Europe’s elite membership competitors except metropolis rivals Atletico Madrid overturn a 1-0 deficit at Chelsea on Wednesday.
“The most important thing was to get through as we hadn`t done that the last two years,” stated Modric.
“We have to take each game as it comes and see how far we get but tonight we showed that there’s a lot of hunger still in this team and I hope we can go very far.”
The draw for the remainder of the competitors is on Friday. Atalanta had pulled off away wins over European giants Liverpool and Ajax within the group stage and practically acquired off to an excellent begin when Robin Gosens met a Muriel cross within the third minute however was thwarted by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Serie A aspect continued to harass Real with their excessive urgent however the hosts slowly managed to cross their manner out of bother due to the skilled heads of midfield duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
Real discovered the breakthrough on the evening due to some excessive urgent of their very own which noticed Modric stick out a leg to dam Sportiello`s poor kick after which sq. the ball to Benzema, who calmly stroked it into the online.
“This was a very demanding game,” added Modric. “Atalanta are a very physical team and press you all over the pitch without stopping. I think we played well from the start and we`re very happy to make it to the quarter-finals.”
Real’s Brazilian ahead Vinicius Jr ought to have added to their lead after an excellent transfer involving left again Ferland Mendy however after doing the arduous half to coast previous Atalanta’s defence he missed the goal from shut vary.
He made amends by bursting into the world and drawing a foul within the field by Rafael Toloi, permitting Ramos to blast the spot kick past the outstretched Sportiello and successfully finish the tie as a contest, scoring his a hundred and first aim for the membership.
“We came out onto the pitch with the ambition to win the game, to dominate the ball and control the play and we did that and had chances to score even more goals,” stated Ramos. “There’s still a long way to go this season but this is the right path.”
