Bodø/Glimt, Leverkusen and Newcastle all claimed impressive first-leg wins in their ties in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Anthony Gordon scored four first-half goals as Newcastle thrashed Qarabağ 6-1, Bodø/Glimt recorded their third consecutive memorable Champions League victory by defeating Inter 3-1 at home, and Patrik Schick’s brace in four second-half minutes gave Leverkusen a 2-0 away win over Olympiacos. There was also a six-goal thriller in Belgium as Club Brugge came back twice to draw 3-3 with Atlético Madrid.
Table of Contents
Wednesday’s Knockout Phase Play-Off First Legs Summary
Four matches took place on Wednesday evening in the Champions League knockout phase play-off first legs. Newcastle produced the most emphatic result with a 6-1 demolition of Qarabağ in Azerbaijan, Leverkusen avenged their league phase defeat to Olympiacos with a 2-0 away win in Piraeus, Bodø/Glimt continued their remarkable home form with a 3-1 victory over Inter, and Club Brugge preserved their unbeaten home record against Atlético Madrid by fighting back to draw 3-3. All second legs will be played on February 24-25, 2026.
Wednesday’s Results Summary
| Match | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Qarabağ vs Newcastle | 1-6 | Azerbaijan |
| Olympiacos vs Leverkusen | 0-2 | Piraeus |
| Bodø/Glimt vs Inter | 3-1 | Norway |
| Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid | 3-3 | Belgium |
Qarabağ 1-6 Newcastle — Gordon’s Four-Goal First Half
Gordon’s Historic Opening 45 Minutes
Anthony Gordon’s four-goal first-half haul set up an emphatic victory for the English visitors. The 24-year-old opened the scoring after just three minutes, with Malick Thiaw’s header swiftly extending the lead.
A quickfire double just after the half-hour secured Gordon the match ball. The winger converted a penalty before soon dinking in a third. There was still time before the interval for the Magpies’ No10 to grab another, slotting his second spot kick of the night to the other side.
Match Summary
| Phase | Score | Key Events |
|---|---|---|
| 3 minutes | 0-1 | Gordon opened scoring |
| Early | 0-2 | Thiaw header |
| Just after 30 min | 0-3 | Gordon converted penalty |
| Just after 30 min | 0-4 | Gordon dinked in third |
| Before half-time | 0-5 | Gordon slotted second penalty to other side |
| Second half | 1-5 | Elvin Jafarguliyev fierce strike |
| Second half | 1-6 | Jacob Murphy deflected effort (substitute) |
Player of the Match: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Key Performances
| Player | Team | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Gordon | Newcastle | Four goals in first half (3 min opener, penalty, dinked third, second penalty); match ball; 24 years old |
| Malick Thiaw | Newcastle | Header for 2-0 |
| Elvin Jafarguliyev | Qarabağ | Fierce strike pulled one back |
| Jacob Murphy | Newcastle | Substitute; restored five-goal advantage with deflected effort |
Olympiacos 0-2 Leverkusen — Schick’s Four-Minute Double
Leverkusen Avenge League Phase Defeat
Patrik Schick scored twice in four second-half minutes as Leverkusen avenged their 2-0 defeat in Piraeus during the league phase.
First Half — Exceptional Saves
Olympiacos’ Kostas Tzolakis made two exceptional first-half saves, repelling Schick’s shot and tipping Ibrahim Maza’s volley over. Opposite number Janis Blaswich also pushed Gelson Martins’ curling effort behind before the break.
Schick’s Second-Half Double
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| On the hour (60 min) | Schick broke deadlock by completing counterattack with composed finish |
| Four minutes later | Schick headed in Alejandro Grimaldo’s corner for his second |
Player of the Match: Patrik Schick (Leverkusen)
Match Summary
| Phase | Key Events |
|---|---|
| First half | Tzolakis two exceptional saves (Schick’s shot, Maza’s volley tipped over) |
| First half | Blaswich pushed Martins’ curling effort behind |
| 60 min | Schick composed finish completed counterattack (1-0) |
| ~64 min | Schick headed Grimaldo’s corner (2-0) |
| Result | Die Werkself strongly placed in tie |
League phase context: Leverkusen lost 2-0 in Piraeus during the league phase
Bodø/Glimt 3-1 Inter — Third Consecutive Memorable Victory
Bodø/Glimt’s Remarkable Home Form Continues
Bodø/Glimt scored two goals in four second-half minutes as they claimed a third memorable Champions League victory in a row, following their league phase triumphs against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid.
Match Timeline
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 20 minutes | Sondre Brunstad Fet slotted clinical opener from Kasper Høgh’s clever back-heel |
| First half | Pio Esposito powered in on the turn for Inter (1-1) |
| Just past 60 min | Jens Petter Hauge fired unstoppable effort from Høgh’s pass (2-1) |
| Four minutes later | Kasper Høgh sealed win with strike from close range (3-1) |
Player of the Match: Kasper Høgh (Bodø/Glimt)
Key Performances
| Player | Team | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Kasper Høgh | Bodø/Glimt | Clever back-heel for opener; pass for Hauge goal; close-range strike sealed win |
| Sondre Brunstad Fet | Bodø/Glimt | Clinical 20th-minute opener |
| Jens Petter Hauge | Bodø/Glimt | Unstoppable 61st-minute effort |
| Pio Esposito | Inter | Powered in on the turn for equalizer |
Historic context: Third consecutive memorable Champions League victory following league phase wins over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid
Club Brugge 3-3 Atlético Madrid — Six-Goal Thriller in Belgium
Brugge Preserve Unbeaten Home Record
Christos Tzolis struck a minute from time as Club Brugge twice came back to preserve their unbeaten record in five home meetings with Atlético Madrid.
Match Timeline
| Phase | Score | Key Events |
|---|---|---|
| First half | 0-1 | Julián Alvarez penalty |
| First half | 0-2 | Ademola Lookman tap-in |
| Second half | 1-2 | Raphael Onyedika pulled one back after Jan Oblak saved from Nicolo Tresoldi |
| Second half | 2-2 | Tresoldi got on end of Mamadou Diakhon’s cross to level |
| Late | 2-3 | Joel Ordoñez own goal |
| 89 minutes | 3-3 | Christos Tzolis late intervention |
Player of the Match: Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)
Match Summary
Atlético Madrid were in a healthy position at the break with Alvarez’s penalty and Lookman’s tap-in giving them a 2-0 lead. But the hosts responded brilliantly in the second half. Onyedika pulled one back after Oblak’s save, then Tresoldi leveled from Diakhon’s cross. Ordoñez’s own goal looked to have given Atlético the win, but Tzolis’ late strike a minute from time leaves the tie in the balance.
Historic context: Club Brugge unbeaten in five home meetings with Atlético Madrid
Tuesday’s First-Leg Results (February 17, 2026)
| Match | Score | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Galatasaray vs Juventus | 5-2 | — |
| Monaco vs Paris | 2-3 | — |
| Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta | 2-0 | — |
| Benfica vs Real Madrid | 0-1 | — |
Second-Leg Fixtures
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
| Match | Kick-off (CET) |
|---|---|
| Atlético Madrid vs Club Brugge | 18:45 |
| Leverkusen vs Olympiacos | 21:00 |
| Inter vs Bodø/Glimt | 21:00 |
| Newcastle vs Qarabağ | 21:00 |
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
| Match | Kick-off (CET) |
|---|---|
| Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund | 18:45 |
| Juventus vs Galatasaray | 21:00 |
| Paris vs Monaco | 21:00 |
| Real Madrid vs Benfica | 21:00 |
Outstanding First-Leg Performances
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Goals | Four (all in first half) |
| Timing | 3 min (opener), just after 30 min (penalty), just after 30 min (dinked third), before half-time (second penalty) |
| Age | 24 years old |
| Impact | Set up emphatic 6-1 victory; secured match ball with quickfire double |
| Award | Player of the Match |
Patrik Schick (Leverkusen)
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Goals | Two (both in four second-half minutes) |
| Timing | On the hour (60 min) — composed finish completed counterattack; four minutes later — headed Grimaldo’s corner |
| First-half action | Shot repelled by Tzolakis exceptional save |
| Context | Avenged Leverkusen’s 2-0 league phase defeat in Piraeus |
| Impact | Die Werkself strongly placed in tie |
| Award | Player of the Match |
Kasper Høgh (Bodø/Glimt)
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Assists | Clever back-heel played in Fet for opener; pass for Hauge’s unstoppable effort |
| Goal | Close-range strike sealed 3-1 win |
| Context | Third consecutive memorable Champions League victory (after Man City, Atlético Madrid) |
| Award | Player of the Match |
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FAQs
What were the Champions League knockout phase play-off first-leg results on Wednesday?
Newcastle beat Qarabağ 6-1, Leverkusen won 2-0 at Olympiacos, Bodø/Glimt defeated Inter 3-1, and Club Brugge drew 3-3 with Atlético Madrid.
How many goals did Anthony Gordon score for Newcastle?
Gordon scored four goals — all in the first half — including two penalties, opening the scoring after three minutes and completing his haul before the break.
What is Bodø/Glimt’s recent Champions League home record?
Bodø/Glimt have won three consecutive memorable Champions League matches, including league phase victories over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid, and now Inter 3-1.
How did Patrik Schick perform for Leverkusen?
Schick scored twice in four second-half minutes — a composed finish on the hour and a header from Grimaldo’s corner — to give Leverkusen a 2-0 away win.
When are the second legs of the knockout phase play-offs?
The second legs will be played on Tuesday, February 24 and Wednesday, February 25, 2026, with all matches kicking off at 21:00 CET except two at 18:45.
