The Champions League play-off second legs concluded this week, delivering plenty of drama as the final spots for the knockout stages were decided. Paris Saint-Germain survived a late scare at the Parc des Princes to secure their progress, while some European heavyweights were made to sweat.
The First Legs:


Tuesday 24th February – Results
- Newcastle United 3-2 FK Qarabag (9-3 on aggregate): The Magpies cruised through after a dominant first-leg display.
- Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Olympiakos (2-0 on aggregate): A professional, if quiet, performance saw the Germans through.
- Inter Milan 1-2 FK Bodø/Glimt (2-5 on aggregate): The shock of the round. The Norwegian underdogs stunned the San Siro to dump the Italian giants out.
- Atlético Madrid 4-4 Club Brugge (7-1 on aggregate): A chaotic high-scoring draw, but Atleti’s massive first-leg lead was never in doubt.
Qualified: Newcastle, Leverkusen, FK Bodø/Glimt, Atlético Madrid.
Wednesday 25th February – Results
- Atalanta 4-1 Borussia Dortmund (4-3 on aggregate): A stunning comeback in Bergamo. Atalanta overturned their first-leg deficit to send BVB packing.
- PSG 2-2 Monaco (5-4 on aggregate): A tense all-Ligue 1 affair. PSG did just enough to hold off a spirited Monaco fightback.
- Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica (3-1 on aggregate): The kings of Europe showed their experience to navigate a tricky tie.
- Juventus 3-2 Galatasaray (AET) (6-8 on aggregate): An absolute goal-fest. Despite Juve winning on the night after extra time, the Turkish side’s incredible first-leg haul carries them through.
Qualified: Atalanta, PSG, Real Madrid, Galatasaray.
The Road to the Final: The Last 16 Line-up
The eight play-off winners join the teams who had already booked their place via the league phase. Here is the full list of clubs in the hat for Friday’s draw:
Pot / Status
Straight through
Play-off Winners
Clubs
Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Arsenal*
Newcastle, Leverkusen, FK Bodø/Glimt, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, PSG, Real Madrid, Galatasaray
*> Note: Based on standard 2025/26 seeding, the top 8 from the league phase are automatically through.
