Arsenal vs Real Madrid dates and kick-off times confirmed for Champions League quarter-final
by Bruna Reis · football.londonArsenal will play Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the start of next month after sealing a 9-3 aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven.
Mikel Arteta's side drew 2-2 with the Dutch team in the second leg at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. They later discovered their opponents as Real Madrid won 4-2 in a thrilling penalty shootout at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
Atletico had won the game 1-0 on the night thanks to Conor Gallagher's early goal, ending 2-2 on aggregate. But when it came to the penalty shootout, it wasn't without its controversy.
After Kylian Mbappe, Alexander Sorloth and Jude Bellingham scored their spot-kicks, Julian Alvarez stepped up to make it 2-2. The former Manchester City forward squeezed his penalty under the roof to level - but referee Szymon Marciniak halted play shortly after Federico Valverde stepped up to take his penalty.
VAR then informed the Polish official that Alvarez had in fact touched the ball during his penalty twice - meaning it would not count. Former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger would go on to score the decisive spot-kick to set-up a meeting with Arsenal.
The quarter-final first leg will be played at the Emirates on Tuesday, April 8, at 8pm. The second leg at the Bernabeu will take place the following week on Wednesday, April 16, also starting at 8pm.
Ahead of facing the Spanish giants, Arteta said: "Well, the first thing that you have to be at your best when it comes to that. For the two games, for every minute, don't give anything away because they're going to take it.
"And today we've seen for the two goals that we conceded as well. So, that's a big lesson. And again, when I decided in the boxes, when the real talent, the real performance is crucial. And then creating an unbelievable atmosphere when we have the opportunity to play at home. That is crucial."
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