UCL 2025-26 Playoffs: Galatasaray, Real Madrid, Paris and Dortmund Win Play-Off First Legs
Galatasaray were the biggest winners of the opening night of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, but Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund…
Galatasaray were the biggest winners of the opening night of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, but Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund also took charge of their respective ties with first-leg victories. Galatasaray came from 2-1 down at half-time to score four in the second period and defeat ten-man Juventus 5-2, Real Madrid secured a narrow 1-0 away win at Benfica through Vinícius Júnior’s stunning curling strike, Paris recovered from falling 2-0 behind after 18 minutes to win 3-2 in Monaco with substitute Désiré Doué scoring twice, and Borussia Dortmund claimed their 100th European Cup win by beating Atalanta 2-0.
Tuesday’s Knockout Phase Play-Off First Legs Summary
Four matches took place on Tuesday evening in the Champions League knockout phase play-off first legs. Galatasaray produced the most emphatic result with a 5-2 comeback victory over Juventus after trailing 2-1 at the break, Real Madrid took a narrow advantage with a 1-0 away win at Benfica, Paris completed a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 away at Monaco, and Borussia Dortmund secured a comfortable 2-0 home win against Atalanta. All second legs will be played on February 24-25, 2026.
Tuesday’s Results Summary
Match
Score
Venue
Galatasaray vs Juventus
5-2
Istanbul
Benfica vs Real Madrid
0-1
Lisbon
Monaco vs Paris
2-3
Monaco
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
2-0
Dortmund
Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus — Four Second-Half Goals Sink Ten-Man Juve
First Half — Koopmeiners Double Turns It Around
Gabriel Sara curled the hosts into the lead after 15 minutes but a Teun Koopmeiners double turned things around. The Juventus midfielder tucked in a rebound before rifling in first time to give Juve a 2-1 half-time lead.
Second Half — Lang Brace and Sánchez Header Seal Rampant Victory
Time
Event
Shortly after break
Noa Lang equalised from close range (2-2)
On the hour (60 min)
Davinson Sánchez headed in (3-2)
After Cabal red card
Lang lofted in his second (4-2)
Late
Sacha Boey drilled in a fifth (5-2)
Player of the Match: Gabriel Sara (Galatasaray)
Match Summary
Phase
Key Events
15 minutes
Sara curled hosts into lead (1-0)
First half
Koopmeiners tucked in rebound (1-1)
First half
Koopmeiners rifled in first time (1-2)
Half-time
Juventus 2-1 up
Shortly after break
Lang close-range equaliser (2-2)
60 minutes
Sánchez header (3-2)
Second half
Cabal sent off (two yellow cards)
After red card
Lang lofted second (4-2)
Late
Boey drilled fifth (5-2)
Key Performances
Player
Team
Contribution
Gabriel Sara
Galatasaray
Curled hosts into lead after 15 min; Player of the Match
Noa Lang
Galatasaray
Two goals (close-range equaliser shortly after break; lofted second after Cabal red card)
Davinson Sánchez
Galatasaray
Headed in on the hour for 3-2
Sacha Boey
Galatasaray
Drilled in fifth late
Teun Koopmeiners
Juventus
Double turned things around first half (tucked in rebound, rifled in first time)
Juan Cabal
Juventus
Sent off for two yellow cards
Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid — Vinícius Stunning Strike Seals Narrow Win
Vinícius Júnior’s Moment of Magic
Madrid will take a narrow lead back to the Spanish capital thanks to Vinícius Júnior’s stunning strike shortly after half-time. The Brazilian international cut in from the left wing before unleashing a curling right-footed shot into the far corner, leaving Anatoliy Trubin with no chance.
Match Summary
Phase
Key Events
First half
Benfica started brightly
Late first half
Intense Madrid pressure; Trubin at best to thwart Mbappé and Güler in particular
Shortly after half-time
Vinícius cut in from left wing; curling right-footed shot into far corner (0-1)
First half
Aursnes’ deflected effort produced smart one-handed stop from Courtois
Player of the Match: Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid)
Key Performances
Player
Team
Performance
Vinícius Júnior
Real Madrid
Stunning curling strike from left wing into far corner shortly after half-time
Anatoliy Trubin
Benfica
At best late first half to thwart Mbappé and Güler; Matchday 8 goalscoring hero; no chance on Vinícius goal
Aurélien Tchouaméni
Real Madrid
Player of the Match
Thibaut Courtois
Real Madrid
Smart one-handed stop from Aursnes’ deflected effort
Kylian Mbappé
Real Madrid
Thwarted by Trubin in late first half
Arda Güler
Real Madrid
Thwarted by Trubin in late first half
Fredrik Aursnes
Benfica
Deflected effort saved by Courtois
Monaco 2-3 Paris — Doué’s Double Completes Stunning Comeback
Monaco’s Fast Start — 2-0 After 18 Minutes
Folarin Balogun headed the first-minute opener from Aleksandr Golovin’s cross and also doubled the hosts’ advantage with a composed run and finish to give Monaco a 2-0 lead after just 18 minutes.
Paris Fightback — Substitute Doué Strikes Twice
Time
Event
29 minutes
Doué fired in reply (1-2)
4 minutes before HT
Hakimi drilled in equaliser (2-2)
3 min into 2nd half
Golovin dismissed for Les Rouges et Blancs
67 minutes
Doué completed slick move with winner (2-3)
Player of the Match: Désiré Doué (Paris)
Match Summary
Phase
Key Events
1 minute
Balogun headed opener from Golovin’s cross (1-0)
After 18 min
Balogun composed run and finish doubled advantage (2-0)
Between goals
Köhn saved Vitinha’s penalty
29 minutes
Doué fired in (early replacement for Dembélé) (1-2)
4 min before HT
Hakimi drilled equaliser (2-2)
3 min into 2nd half
Golovin dismissal (red card)
67 minutes
Doué slick move winner (2-3)
Key Performances
Player
Team
Contribution
Désiré Doué
Paris
Two goals (29 min reply, 67 min slick move winner); on as early replacement for Dembélé; Player of the Match
Folarin Balogun
Monaco
Two goals (first-minute header from Golovin’s cross, composed run and finish after 18 min)
Achraf Hakimi
Paris
Drilled equaliser 4 minutes before half-time
Philipp Köhn
Monaco
Saved Vitinha’s penalty
Aleksandr Golovin
Monaco
Cross for Balogun’s opener; dismissed 3 minutes into second half
Ousmane Dembélé
Paris
Replaced early by Doué
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atalanta — 100th European Cup Win
Dortmund’s Perfect Start
Dortmund claimed their 100th European Cup win to take control of their tie against Atalanta. The hosts got off to a brilliant start as Julian Ryerson followed up his four weekend assists with another, crossing for Serhou Guirassy to head in.
Comfortable First-Half Lead
Although Atalanta probed well through Nicola Zalewski in particular, there was to be no reward and instead they fell further behind before the break as Maximilian Beier tapped in Guirassy’s low cross. The visitors could not mount a second-half comeback, leaving them with much to do in Bergamo next week.
Player of the Match: Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund)
Match Summary
Phase
Key Events
Brilliant start
Ryerson crossed for Guirassy header (1-0)
First half
Atalanta probed well through Zalewski; no reward
Before break
Beier tapped in Guirassy’s low cross (2-0)
Second half
Atalanta could not mount comeback
Context
Dortmund’s 100th European Cup win
Key Performances
Player
Team
Performance
Serhou Guirassy
Dortmund
Header from Ryerson cross; low cross for Beier tap-in; Player of the Match
Julian Ryerson
Dortmund
Followed up four weekend assists with another; crossed for Guirassy header
Maximilian Beier
Dortmund
Tapped in Guirassy’s low cross before break
Nicola Zalewski
Atalanta
Probed well in particular; no reward
Outstanding First-Leg Performances
Désiré Doué (Paris)
Category
Detail
Goals
Two (29 min reply from 2-0 down; 67 min slick move winner)
Context
On as early replacement for Ousmane Dembélé
Impact
Completed stunning comeback from 2-0 behind after 18 minutes
Award
Player of the Match
Noa Lang (Galatasaray)
Category
Detail
Goals
Two (close-range equaliser shortly after break; lofted second after Cabal red card)
Context
Part of four-goal second-half surge to complete comeback from 2-1 down
Impact
Helped seal 5-2 rampant victory over ten-man Juventus
Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
Category
Detail
Goal
Stunning strike shortly after half-time
Technique
Cut in from left wing; unleashing curling right-footed shot into far corner
Impact
Sealed narrow 1-0 away win; left Trubin with no chance
Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund)
Category
Detail
Goal
Header from Ryerson cross for brilliant start
Assist
Low cross for Beier tap-in before break
Context
Part of Dortmund’s 100th European Cup win
Award
Player of the Match
Champions League Knockout Phase Play-Offs Context
First-Leg Advantages
Tuesday’s results showed clear first-leg advantages for all four home teams and one away victory:
Galatasaray: 3-goal cushion (5-2 home win)
Paris: 1-goal away advantage (3-2 in Monaco)
Dortmund: 2-goal cushion (2-0 home win)
Real Madrid: Narrow away goal advantage (1-0 at Benfica)
What were the Champions League knockout phase play-off first-leg results on Tuesday?
Galatasaray beat Juventus 5-2, Real Madrid won 1-0 at Benfica, Paris defeated Monaco 3-2, and Dortmund beat Atalanta 2-0.
How did Galatasaray come back to beat Juventus?
Galatasaray trailed 2-1 at half-time but scored four second-half goals (Lang twice, Sánchez header, Boey) after Juventus’ Cabal was sent off for two yellow cards.
Who scored for Real Madrid in their 1-0 win at Benfica?
Vinícius Júnior scored a stunning curling strike shortly after half-time, cutting in from the left wing before unleashing a right-footed shot into the far corner.
How did Paris recover from 2-0 down against Monaco?
Substitute Désiré Doué scored twice (29 min and 67 min), while Achraf Hakimi drilled in the equaliser four minutes before half-time after Monaco’s Golovin was dismissed.
What milestone did Borussia Dortmund reach with their 2-0 win?
Dortmund claimed their 100th European Cup win with goals from Serhou Guirassy (header) and Maximilian Beier (tap-in from Guirassy’s cross).
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