Goals: Real Madrid - Hernandez 88'
Recap: Ninety minutes of intense football saw Real Madrid defeat Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Wednesday.
Chances were few and far between in the first half. A tame 45 minutes produced a single moment of clarity for the hosts. Unfortunately for Cristiano Ronaldo, a stout Jan Oblak was there to deny a golden opportunity, much like he did in the first leg against Gareth Bale. The breakthrough would come in the dying minutes of the match. Thanks to beautiful build up from Ronaldo and James Rodriguez, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored his first Champions League goal since 2012, sealing the 1-0 victory.
Key Moment: Atletico Madrid finally paid dearly for their rough tactics. Already on a card, a mindless challenge from Arda Turan saw the Turkish international sent off. Down to 10 men, Atleti finally opened up for Los Blancos to find their goal.
Man of the Match: It's the life of a striker, miss your chances, make your runs, but the moment the ball strikes the back of the net, you are a legend. Sergio Ramos proved to be the most effective player on the pitch, but Hernandez finished the defining moment.
Lesson Learned: Real Madrid have faced their stiffest test of the tournament. Admittedly, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus are all formidable opposition, but the Champions League is all about styles and matchups. No other team remaining in the competition negate Real Madrid's style better than Atletico Madrid. Even Barcelona, for all their attacking talent, were dominated in October's 3-1 defeat and in the first half of March's 2-1 victory. Real Madrid have every opportunity of defending their crown.
Up Next: Both clubs return to league action, with Atletico Madrid hosting Elche on Apr. 25 and Real Madrid visiting Celta Vigo on Apr. 26.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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