Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Inter (agg: 2-2 aet, 3-2 pens): Atleti edge thriller in dramatic shoot-out

Atlético de Madrid are through to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after battling back from 2-0 down on aggregate against Inter to defeat last season's runners-up in a penalty shoot-out.

Match in brief: Atlético's stirring comeback

Atlético de Madrid celebrate after winning the penalty shoot-outAFP via Getty Images

After a breathless start to the game in which both sides spurned chances, the visitors struck first just after the half-hour mark as a fine team move culminated in Nicolò Barella squaring for Federico Dimarco to power past Jan Oblak and make it 2-0 to Inter on aggregate.

That blow could have demoralised Atlético, but instead they responded in the perfect manner, with Antoine Griezmann turning and firing in from close range for his sixth goal of this Champions League campaign to give the hosts renewed hope in the tie.

The match continued to ebb and flow in the second half, and Inter forward Marcus Thuram had a golden opportunity to finish the contest when he was put through one-on-one in the 76th minute, but he could only blaze his effort over the bar to let Atlético off the hook.

Substitute Memphis Depay made Inter pay for that miss with just three minutes left, striking into the far corner of the net just moments after hitting the post to send the fans inside the Estadio Metropolitano wild.

Atleti could even have sealed progress in the dying moments of normal time to complete a remarkable comeback, but Rodrigo Riquelme blasted an effort over after being found by Griezmann to ensure another half-hour of play.

Both sides continued to go for a winner in extra time, with Inter's Lautaro Martínez missing the best opportunity after nodding narrowly wide from a corner. In the end, however, there was nothing to choose between them as the tie went to penalties.

Atlético goalkeeper Oblak emerged as the hero, making two fine saves from Alexis Sánchez and Davy Klaassen before Martínez put his effort over to seal the home team's advance at the expense of last season's finalists.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Jan Oblak (Atlético de Madrid)

"He saved his team with some good stops following Inter transitions and was key in the penalty shoot-out."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Alexandra Jonson, Atlético de Madrid reporter

A night to remember at the Metropolitano as Diego Simeone's men completed a historic comeback to win on penalties. Beating Atlético here is proving to be an impossible task in the Champions League knockout phase, so much so that not even last season's finalists Inter could pull it off. From the start, Atleti came out with the attitude that they were going to turn this tie around, and it's that determination and eager which took them through. "One does not achieve triumph without facing difficulties" read a banner before the game and, in typical Atleti fashion, so it proved.

Paolo Menicucci, Inter reporter

After 13 consecutive victories, Inter failed to win for the first time in 2024, and this is a particularly painful defeat for Diego Simeone's team as they exit the competition on penalties. The momentum of the game changed several times, but Inter will have plenty of regrets, mostly for conceding a quick equaliser after taking the lead through Dimarco, and for not killing off the tie when they had a great chance on the counter via Thuram. Atlético, however, fully deserved to qualify after a great performance.

Reaction 

This was a painful defeat for InterGetty Images

Diego Simeone, Atlético de Madrid coach: "Our people, our fans, are decisive in our stadium. The whole world could see that, and it made our players grow today against an incredible opponent. Koke gave his all out there, and Griezmann went on until he couldn't run any more. Memphis came on and showed up when we really needed him. This is what we needed. Being among the eight might sound easy, but it isn't."

Koke, Atlético midfielder: "The introduction of Memphis changed the game and then we have one of the best goalkeepers – if not the best – in the world, and he has demonstrated that today."

Jan Oblak, Atlético de Madrid goalkeeper: "I always say that penalty shoot-outs, in the end, they are a bit about luck because you have to pick the right side. You have to save the ball and I think if the player hits it perfectly, it's impossible to save. Luckily, today I could save them, but what is important is the victory and that we are through to the quarters."

Simone Inzaghi, Inter coach: "Obviously, we are disappointed for all the Inter family. We must be proud of what we did in this Champions League. In the second half, we should have done better. In extra time, we had more energy, but unfortunately we made too many mistakes."

Yann Sommer, Inter goalkeeper: "It's tough, really tough. We had some good chances to score more goals, but we didn't take them. At this level, it's like this. Both sides had chances. Small details made the difference."

Key stats

• Atlético have lost only two of their last 29 UEFA club competition home games (W18 D9) and are unbeaten in their last 17 Champions League knockout round matches in their own stadium (W10 D7) since a 3-2 defeat against Ajax in the 1996/97 quarter-finals.
• Atlético have won eight of their last ten UEFA competition matches at home against Italian teams (D1 L1).
• The Spanish side became the first team in the Champions League era to feature in four penalty shoot-outs and the first to win three.
• This was only Inter's second defeat in their last 15 Champions League matches (W8 D5).
• Tonight's result ended Inter's five-game unbeaten run in UEFA competition matches against Spanish teams (W2 D3).
• This was just the fifth time in 47 UEFA competition ties in which Inter lost the tie after recording a first-leg victory at home.
• Inter were unable to record a club-record 14th consecutive win in all competitions.

Fantasy star performers

Federico Dimarco: 8 points
Antoine Griezmann: 8 points
Jan Oblak: 6 points

Line-ups

Atlético de Madrid: Oblak; Molina (Barrios 79), Hermoso, Savić, Witsel, Lino (Riquelme 71); Marcos Llorente (Azpilicueta 98), Koke, De Paul (Correa 71); Morata (Depay 79), Griezmann (Saúl Ñíguez 106)

Inter: Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni (Acerbi 73); Dumfries (Darmian 73), Barella (Frattesi 84), Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Mkhitaryan (Klaassen 111), Dimarco (Bisseck 84); Thuram (Alexis Sánchez 102), Martínez