Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has explained why he chose not to let Endrick take the final penalty in their 4-2 shootout victory over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League round of sixteen on Wednesday.
The experienced Italian coach revealed that the original plan was for the Brazilian youngster to take the decisive penalty. However, after noticing Endrick’s facial expression, Ancelotti decided to shift the responsibility to someone more confident—Antonio Rüdiger.
Speaking to the press after the game, Ancelotti shared his reasoning:
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“On the final penalty, there was a doubt about who should take it between Rüdiger and Endrick. We wanted Endrick… But then I saw his face and decided that Rüdiger was the better option (laughs).”
Real Madrid ultimately triumphed 4-2 in the shootout, securing a place in the quarterfinals of the 2024-25 Champions League, where they will face Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone voiced his frustration over the video assistant referee’s decision to disallow Julian Alvarez’s goal during the shootout. The VAR ruling for a double kick played a crucial role in Atlético’s elimination from the competition on Wednesday night.