Jan Oblak (foto: Getty Images)
Jan Oblak delivered a top performance against Real Madrid, earning Atlético's highest rating, but admitted feeling powerless after failing to save Rüdiger’s decisive penalty.
Atlético Madrid had Jan Oblak in top form, but even his heroics weren’t enough to prevent a dramatic penalty shootout exit against Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16. The Slovenian goalkeeper received the highest rating among Atlético players, with Sofascore awarding him an impressive 8.1. Only Thibaut Courtois outperformed him on the night, thanks to his crucial saves for Los Blancos.
Oblak: "We played a great game, but luck wasn’t on our side"
Atlético pushed their city rivals to the limit, but after a hard-fought battle, their European dreams came to an end.
"Of course, being eliminated from the Champions League hurts. We played a great game, but unfortunately, we didn’t have luck on our side. It’s painful. The fans were incredible, and we are truly grateful. But we are disappointed," Oblak admitted after the match.
Could he have saved Rüdiger’s penalty?
The goalkeeper came agonizingly close to stopping the decisive penalty taken by Antonio Rüdiger, but in the end, the ball found its way into the net.
"I had a feeling he would shoot that way. If I had dived earlier, I could have easily saved it, but I had to wait. In the end, I wasn’t fast enough, and the ball went in. We just lacked that little bit of luck. That’s football, it wasn’t meant to be," he explained.
Despite the heartbreak, Oblak remains one of the best penalty stoppers in Champions League history. Since making his debut in the competition a decade ago, he has saved four penalties in knockout-stage shootouts. However, this time, it wasn't enough to keep Atlético's European hopes alive.,