Real Madrid knock rivals Atletico out of Champions League after VAR controversy

Real Madrid set up a Champions League quarter-final clash with Arsenal after they sealed a controversial 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over rivals Atletico Madrid to continue the defence of their European crown.

Julian Alvarez had fired his penalty, Atletico’s second, into the roof of the net but then saw it disallowed by VAR after slipping during his run-up and touching the ball twice.

Former Real player Marcos Llorente slammed his spot-kick against the crossbar before Antonio Rudiger stepped up and squeezed the decisive spot-kick past Jan Oblak despite the goalkeeper going the right way and getting a hand to it.

Conor Gallagher had fired Atletico in front on the night just 27 seconds into the match and it stayed 1-0 for another 119 minutes to send it to penalties, with the tie 2-2 on aggregate.

Marco Asensio continued his scintillating run of form with a brace off the bench to help seal Aston Villa’s place in the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win on the night over 10-man Club Brugge and 6-1 victory on aggregate.

Villa progressed through to the last eight for the first time since their 1982 European Cup victory, where Unai Emery will return to old club PSG for the first time.

Club Brugge’s task of closing a two-goal deficit was made even harder when Kyriani Sabbe was sent off for bringing Marcus Rashford down while he was through on goal and Villa made the made the man advantage count in the second half.

Asensio replaced Ollie Watkins at the break and took only five minutes to break the deadlock when he hooked into the roof of the net from close range.

Ian Maatsen scored his first goal for the club before Asensio netted his seventh since joining in January to set up a clash with his parent club.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice scored as Arsenal booked their place in the quarter-finals following a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven to win 9-3 on aggregate.

A 7-1 first-leg result had all-but sent the Gunners through but Zinchenko added another after just six minutes at the Emirates Stadium.

Ivan Perisic fired in an 18th-minute equaliser to give the travelling supporters something to cheer before Rice nodded the Gunners back in front before the break.

Couhaib Driouech drew his side back level with 20 minutes remaining to earn a draw on the night but the Gunners went through to the last eight in successive seasons for the first time since 2010.

Borussia Dortmund came from behind with a 2-1 victory over Lille.

Following a 1-1 draw in Germany, Jonathan David wasted no time in putting the French hosts in front when his effort forced Gregor Kobel into a mistake which gave them a half-time lead.

Dortmund turned the game on its head in the second period courtesy of Emre Can’s penalty and Maximilian Beier’s rocket which gave them a 3-2 aggregate victory and will meet Barcelona in the last eight.