Real Madrid secured a ticket to the Champions League quarterfinals. Vazquez: The team showed a strong will to win

In the second leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League round of 16, Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid in a penalty shootout after conceding a goal in the first half that led to a tie on aggregate. Real Madrid defender Vazquez said the team showed a strong desire to win throughout the game.

At the beginning of the game, Gallagher won the ball and shot into the goal, helping Atletico Madrid take the lead 1-0 and the total score became 2-2.

In the following time, the two sides still could not decide the winner, so the game went into a penalty shootout. In the penalty shootout, Mbappe, Bellingham, and Valverde all scored penalties, while Vazquez missed the penalty, and the score became 3-2. However, Rudiger scored the penalty kick, and Real Madrid finally defeated Atletico Madrid 4-2 and successfully advanced to the quarterfinals.

The 33-year-old Vazquez said, "The most important thing about this game is to advance. Overall, we were the better side, and the penalty shootout was full of unknowns, but the team showed a strong will to win until the last minute."

"In a crucial match, we showed our desire. Although we are criticized and even underestimated, we are currently at the top of La Liga, have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and have also advanced to the semi-finals of the Spanish King's Cup."

Vazquez added: "We were all in good form and we fought till the end and we won another game. I missed the penalty but when Rudiger scored it I was relieved."

On the other hand, Real Madrid will travel to challenge Villarreal in the new round of La Liga, and will face Premier League giants Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals.