The Last Three UEFA Champions League Two-legged Ties to Be Determined Via a Penalty Shootout

The Gunners hadn't reached the last eight of the competition since way back in 2010, but they looked on course for the quarterfinals when Leandro Trossard gave them the lead on the night just prior to halftime. However, the second goal never came. The Portuguese side had already locked up a 1-0 victory in the first leg, so the tie was level at one goal apiece on aggregate. Neither side could make the breakthrough, forcing the contest all the way to the shootout for the first time since the away goals rule was scrapped.
Once there, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all kept their nerve, allowing shot-stopper David Raya to become the hero with two penalty saves.
With Mikel Arteta's men now safely through to the quarterfinals, the bookies are already speculating as to just how far they could go. Oddschecker, which compares odds and bonus bets, such as Bet365's bet $5 get $150, have made Arsenal the third favorites for glory behind reigning champions Manchester City and record 14-time champions Real Madrid. After picking up the first shootout victory in an eternity, it would take a brave punter to back against them.
But what were the last three two-legged knockout ties that were determined by a penalty shootout? Let's take a look.
When Atletico Madrid faced off against PSV Eindhovenhe in the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League, the match turned out to be one of its most nervy round of 16 encounters ever. After reaching the final two years prior, the Spanish side headed into the tournament as an outsider for victory. After both legs finished goalless, the tie was to be decided by penalties.
The shootout was a lengthy affair, extending beyond the usual five penalties per side due to the remarkable accuracy both teams showed from the spot. Ultimately, it was Los Rojiblancos who held their nerve, emerging victorious 8-7 after PSV's Luciano Narsingh sent his shot crashing against the crossbar.
Atleti would progress to the final once again after defeating both Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the quarters and the semis. In the San Siro showpiece, however, the penalty shootout wasn't their friend. They ultimately lost to cross-city rivals Real Madrid for the second time in three seasons. This time, it was Juanfran who was the unlucky man, hitting the post and allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to sweep home and hand Los Blancos the trophy.
Remarkably, the year before also featured another memorable penalty shootout involving Atletico. This time, their opponents were German side Bayer Leverkusen. The first leg in Germany ended with a 1-0 win for the hosts thanks to Hakan Çalhanoğlu's strike. But Mario Suarez leveled things up in the Vicente Calderon, taking the tie to penalties.
The standout player in the shootout was the Spanish side's goalkeeper, Jan Oblak. He made a crucial save from the aforementioned Çalhanoğlu, before giant striker Stefan Kiessling missed the final penalty for the visitors, sending his spot-kick over the bar.
But, just like the year before and the year that followed, Atletico would once again be eliminated by Real Madrid for the second of three straight years. They triumphed in the quarterfinals thanks to a last-gasp winner from Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez to punch their ticket to a fifth straight semifinal.
The second of those five semifinal berths came back in 2012 when Real Madrid faced off against Bayern Munich in one of the most dramatic final-four clashes of all time. After a 2-1 victory for the Bavarians in the first leg in Munich, Real responded with a 2-1 win of their own in the Bernabeu, bringing the aggregate score to 3-3 and leading to a penalty shootout, a spot in the Allianz Arena-hosted Final on the line.
Jose Mourinho was the man leading Los Blancos into battle, but he couldn't have predicted what was about to come. Misses from his three most trusted penalty-takers, namely Ronaldo, Kaka, and Sergio Ramos left his team on the brink of defeat. Iker Casillas did his best to repair the damage, making saves against future Real midfielder Toni Kroos and then Philipp Lahm. However, the third miss from Ramos was one too many, allowing Bastian Schweinsteiger to slide home and send his side into the final.