Tuesday’s Champions League knockout phase play-off second legs delivered dramatic moments as Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle United secured their places in the round of 16. It proved to be Norway’s night as Alexander Sørloth’s stunning hat-trick and Bodø/Glimt’s historic upset of Inter Milan stole the headlines in the UCL 2025-26 edition.
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Atlético Madrid 4-1 Club Brugge (Aggregate: 7-4)
Atlético Madrid advanced with a commanding victory thanks to Alexander Sørloth’s magnificent hat-trick. The Norwegian forward opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, racing onto Jan Oblak’s long ball, holding off Brandon Mechele, and firing home.
Club Brugge responded 13 minutes later when Joel Ordoñez headed in from close range after Mechele flicked on Christos Tzolis’ corner. The visitors almost took the lead when Hugo Vetlesen tested Oblak, but Johnny Cardoso restored Atlético’s advantage after the restart.
Sørloth sealed the win with two more goals, calmly finishing a 76th-minute breakaway before steering in Matteo Ruggeri’s whipped cross to claim his hat-trick. Diego Simeone’s side will face either Tottenham or Liverpool in the round of 16.
Player of the Match: Alexander Sørloth (Atlético Madrid)
Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Olympiacos (Aggregate: 2-0)
Leverkusen sealed progression at the BayArena after recording their fifth clean sheet in their last seven Champions League matches. Olympiacos persistently threatened during the first half in pursuit of a comeback, but Leverkusen went closest when Jonas Hofmann’s shot was turned behind by Kostas Tzolakis.
Goalkeeper Janis Blaswich tipped away Gelson Martins’ strike after the restart, and substitute Ernest Poku fired against the crossbar for the hosts. The result ends Leverkusen’s run of six unsuccessful knockout ties in the competition, advancing them to face either Arsenal or Bayern München.
Player of the Match: Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
Inter Milan 1-2 Bodø/Glimt (Aggregate: 2-5)
In the night’s biggest shock, Bodø/Glimt booked their first-ever Champions League round of 16 spot with another eye-catching result against the three-time European champions. Former AC Milan attacker Jens Petter Hauge was again on target for the Norwegian outfit.
The visitors absorbed incessant Nerazzurri pressure for much of the opening hour before Hauge’s close-range finish and Håkon Evjen’s classy strike gave them a four-goal cushion. Inter intensified late on, with Manuel Akanji sweeping Federico Dimarco’s cutback onto the upright before Alessandro Bastoni prodded in to cut the deficit, but there was no denying Kjetil Knutsen’s side their famous victory.
Player of the Match: Jens Petter Hauge (Bodø/Glimt)
Newcastle 3-2 Qarabağ (Aggregate: 9-3)
Newcastle progressed through one of the highest-scoring ties in Champions League history, winning 9-3 on aggregate. Already holding a 6-1 first-leg lead, the Magpies quickly stretched their advantage with goals from Sandro Tonali and Joelinton inside the opening six minutes.
The second half brought more action as Camilo Duran and Sven Botman exchanged goals 100 seconds apart, before Elvin Jafarguliyev turned in the rebound after Aaron Ramsdale saved Marko Janković’s penalty. Both sides kept pushing, but there was no advance on the 12 total goals across the tie. Newcastle will face either Chelsea or Barcelona next.
Player of the Match: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
Tuesday’s Results Summary
| Match | Score | Aggregate | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlético Madrid vs Club Brugge | 4-1 | 7-4 | Atlético advance |
| Bayer Leverkusen vs Olympiacos | 0-0 | 2-0 | Leverkusen advance |
| Inter Milan vs Bodø/Glimt | 1-2 | 2-5 | Bodø/Glimt advance |
| Newcastle vs Qarabağ | 3-2 | 9-3 | Newcastle advance |
Players of the Match
| Match | Player | Team | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlético vs Club Brugge | Alexander Sørloth | Atlético Madrid | Hat-trick |
| Leverkusen vs Olympiacos | Alejandro Grimaldo | Bayer Leverkusen | Defensive solidity |
| Inter vs Bodø/Glimt | Jens Petter Hauge | Bodø/Glimt | Match-winning goal |
| Newcastle vs Qarabağ | Sandro Tonali | Newcastle | Early opener |
Confirmed Round of 16 Qualifiers
Direct Qualifiers (League Phase Top Eight):
- Arsenal
- Barcelona
- Bayern München
- Chelsea
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Sporting CP
- Tottenham
Knockout Phase Play-off Winners:
- Atlético Madrid
- Bodø/Glimt
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Newcastle United
Still To Be Decided (Wednesday’s Matches):
- Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund (Dortmund lead 2-0)
- Juventus vs Galatasaray (Galatasaray lead 5-2)
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Monaco (PSG lead 3-2)
- Real Madrid vs Benfica (Real Madrid lead 1-0)
Wednesday’s Decisive Matches
Four Champions League giants face crucial second legs on Wednesday as the remaining round of 16 places are determined. Real Madrid, PSG, and Borussia Dortmund hold first-leg advantages and are favorites to progress, while Galatasaray need to protect their stunning 5-2 lead over Juventus.
The Juventus-Galatasaray tie promises particular drama. The Turkish side’s five-goal first-leg performance represented the first time they had scored that many in a Champions League match and marked the first occasion a Turkish team had put five past Italian opposition in UEFA competition. Juventus, seeking to overturn their deficit, must produce one of the great European comebacks to avoid extending their run of knockout phase failures.
Real Madrid’s narrow 1-0 advantage over Benfica means the tie remains delicately poised. Carlo Ancelotti’s side will be wary of complacency against Portuguese opponents who have proven capable of toppling European giants in recent seasons.
PSG’s 3-2 first-leg win over Monaco sets up an intriguing all-French encounter. As defending champions, PSG will be determined to avoid an embarrassing exit to their Ligue 1 rivals, while Monaco will believe their away goal and quality can produce an upset at the Parc des Princes.
Borussia Dortmund’s 2-0 first-leg victory over Atalanta leaves them best-placed of Wednesday’s teams to secure progression. The German side will be confident of managing the tie at home, though Atalanta’s attacking prowess means Dortmund cannot afford complacency.
Read More: Bodø/Glimt Rewrite Norwegian Football History in Champions League Run
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which teams qualified for the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday? A: Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle United all secured their places.
Q: Who scored a hat-trick in the Champions League? A: Alexander Sørloth scored three goals for Atlético Madrid in their 4-1 win over Club Brugge.
Q: When is the UCL 2025-26 round of 16 draw? A: The draw takes place on Friday, February 27, 2026, in Nyon, Switzerland.
Q: What was the biggest upset on Tuesday? A: Bodø/Glimt defeating Inter Milan 2-1 (5-2 aggregate) to reach their first Champions League round of 16.
Q: How many teams have qualified for the round of 16 so far? A: Twelve teams have qualified, with four more places to be decided on Wednesday.
