Real Madrid have Atletico's number in shootouts, having won against Atletico every time the derby has gone to penalties.
But defeat in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday will be particularly disappointing for Diego Simeone's side.
Atletico midfielder Conor Gallagher's strike after 27 seconds had levelled the tie 2-2 on aggregate, but neither side could score a decisive goal in normal or extra time, forcing penalties to decide the result between the rivals for the sixth time in knockout games.
There, Real Madrid won 4-2 in dramatic and controversial fashion. Defender Antonio Rudiger scored the decisive penalty after scoring past Jan Oblak, but the hosts had Julian Alvarez's earlier effort denied in somewhat bizarre circumstances.
After successfully scoring the first three penalties, former Manchester City forward Alvarez created a chance to make the score 2-2. The Argentine international slipped while taking the shot, but still managed to beat Thibaut Courtois. Atletico fans were celebrating, but seconds before Fede Valverde scored Real's next penalty, Polish referee Szymon Marciniak signaled that Alvarez's spot-kick was ruled out due to interference from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). A review of the incident showed that the forward touched the ball twice at once due to slipping while shooting. The scoreboard at the field showed 2-2 after Alvarez's attempt, which undoubtedly caused confusion in the stands, but at that point Real were actually leading 3-1. Although Atletico goalkeeper Oblak gave Atletico hope by saving Lucas Vazquez's spot-kick, Marcos Llorente hit the bar for the hosts and German Rudiger gave Real the win in a tense final.
What do the rules say?
Penalties are mentioned in Article 14.1 of the IFAB (International Football Association Board) code of play.
The rules say: "The kicker must not play the ball again until the ball has touched another player."
This is the same law that prevents people from scoring a rebound if their own penalty hits the post.
If the same happens from a penalty during regular play, the opposition will be awarded an indirect free-kick.
What was the reaction to this?
Atletico coach Simeone expressed doubts over the decision, but hoped the officials had made the right decision.
"The referee said that when Julian reached the penalty spot he touched the ball with his standing foot, but the ball didn't move," he said.
"I've never seen a penalty where they called VAR, but they must have seen that he touched the ball. I would like to believe that they saw that he touched the ball.
"Did you see him touch the ball twice? Please whoever was present in the stadium and saw him touch the ball twice, the ball moving, please come forward and raise your hand. I didn't see anyone raise their hand, so that's all I have to say... next question."
But Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was satisfied the right decision had been made.
"They figured it out. "When we thought it was doubtful, they had already detected it on VAR," he said.
"I saw it, I think he touched it with his left foot, it was a second touch."
Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois admitted it was unfortunate for Atletico but the rules meant it was correctly disallowed.
He told Uefa.com: "I thought something strange was going on so we told the referee straight away and then it was confirmed there was a double touch and it didn't count, so obviously it gives us the edge.
"[Alvarez] slipped and he touched the ball twice and it's a missed penalty. You can't touch the ball twice. It's unfortunate but that's the rule." Former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given said on BBC Match of the Day: "Sometimes you see it happen where the ball is kicked with the other foot and then goes in a completely different direction.
"Here the ball doesn't actually change direction but [Alvarez] kicks the ball with his [right] foot. The rules of the game are clear."
Has it happened before?
Yes - twice in the Premier League.
In 2017, Leicester's Riyad Mahrez joined them after he had a penalty disallowed for a similar offence during a 2-1 loss to Manchester City.
The Algerian winger slipped while taking the penalty and the ball struck his standing foot before going into the net.
"The shot was strange but the rule is clear. Two touches, just like in golf," said City manager Pep Guardiola at the time. "It's not normal." And in January 2023, Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic did the same, accidentally hitting the ball onto his standing foot as he slipped while hitting it. The Cottagers lost the game 1-0 to his former club Newcastle. But later that year, a penalty was awarded in similar circumstances in the Scottish Premiership.
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