The Tuesday night slate of the UCL playoffs second legs delivered a mixture of expected dominance and one of the most significant upsets in the modern history of the competition. As the dust settled across Europe, four more teams secured their passage to the Round of 16, while others were left to contemplate what went wrong in ties that seemed, on paper, to be within their grasp. The evening was characterized by clinical finishing in Madrid, a professional stalemate in Leverkusen, a celebratory atmosphere in Newcastle, and a historic night for Norwegian football at the San Siro.
1. Atlético Madrid 4-1 Club Brugge (Agg: 7-4)
The Riyadh Air Metropolitano witnessed a masterclass in center-forward play as Alexander Sørloth single-handedly dismantled Club Brugge to send Atlético Madrid through. After a chaotic 3-3 draw in the first leg in Belgium, Diego Simeone’s side needed to find defensive stability without sacrificing the attacking flair they showed in Bruges. They found exactly that, anchored by a stellar performance from goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who provided a rare assist to ignite the evening. In the 23rd minute, Oblak’s pinpoint long kick found Alexander Sørloth, who held off his defender with ease before slotting a left-footed finish past Simon Mignolet.
Club Brugge remained competitive for large stretches and managed to silence the home crowd briefly when Joel Ordóñez rose highest to head home an equalizer, keeping the aggregate score level at 4-4 going into the interval. However, the second half belonged entirely to the Rojiblancos. American international Johnny Cardoso restored the lead shortly after the break, smashing a right-footed volley into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club. As Brugge pushed forward in search of another equalizer, they were caught twice by the clinical Sørloth. The Norwegian striker completed his brace in the 76th minute and then secured his first-ever European hat-trick in the 87th minute, guiding home a cross from Matteo Ruggeri. The 4-1 victory on the night (7-4 on aggregate) confirmed Atlético’s status as a formidable contender heading into the Round of 16.
2. Inter Milan 1-2 Bodø/Glimt (Agg: 2-5)
In what will surely be remembered as the Arctic Ambush of the 2025/26 season, Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt completed an incredible double over Inter Milan, winning 2-1 at the San Siro to advance 5-2 on aggregate. Despite trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Inter were expected to mount a fierce comeback in front of their home supporters. The first half was a tense affair, with the Italian giants pressing high but meeting a resilient and organized Glimt defense that refused to buckle under the weight of the occasion.
The match turned decisively in the 58th minute following a moment of defensive indecision. Manuel Akanji, who had just returned to the pitch following medical treatment, lost possession on the edge of the box to Ole Didrik Blomberg. While Blomberg’s initial effort was saved by Yann Sommer, former AC Milan forward Jens Petter Hauge was on hand to tuck in the rebound, scoring his sixth goal of the tournament and sending the 3,000 traveling Norwegian fans into a frenzy. Inter gave themselves a lifeline in the 77th minute when Alessandro Bastoni leveled the match on the night, but the hope was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Håkon Evjen silenced the stadium for good, expertly lashing home a pass from Hauge to secure the 2-1 win. For Inter, a finalist just a year ago, this exit marks a devastating failure, while Bodø/Glimt continues a fairy-tale run that has now seen them eliminate Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, and Inter Milan in a single European campaign.
3. Newcastle United 3-2 Qarabağ (Agg: 9-3)
Newcastle United completed their professional dismantling of Qarabağ at St. James’ Park, securing a 3-2 victory to cruise into the next round with a massive 9-3 aggregate scoreline. Following Anthony Gordon’s historic four-goal haul in the first leg, the second leg served more as a celebratory coronation for Eddie Howe’s side. The Magpies controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, ensuring there was no repeat of the defensive lapses that had occasionally plagued them in the league phase.
The breakthrough came through Sandro Tonali, who set the tone for the evening with a well-placed finish that effectively ended any lingering Qarabağ hopes. The Brazilian influence at the club was then felt as Joelinton doubled the lead, demonstrating his typical power and late-arrival timing in the box.
Qarabağ, to their credit, refused to simply roll over and managed to find the net twice during the match to keep the scoreline respectable, but the outcome was never in doubt. Newcastle’s third goal of the night was provided by defender Sven Botman, who rose to meet a corner with a trademark header. While the late dispute between Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier from the first leg had dominated headlines during the week, the team appeared united on the pitch, securing their place among Europe’s elite 16.
4. Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Olympiacos (Agg: 2-0)
The final fixture of the evening was a stark contrast to the goal-fests seen elsewhere, as Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiacos played out a tactical, goalless draw at the BayArena. Holding a 2-0 lead from their historic first-leg win in Greece, Kasper Hjulmand’s men were content to manage the game with disciplined possession and a compact defensive shape. The first half saw few genuine scoring opportunities, as Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich went close with a header that sailed just over the bar, while Olympiacos struggled to create anything of note against a backline protected by the ever-reliable Aleix García.
In the second half, the pace of the game slowed further as Olympiacos made several offensive substitutions, bringing on Lorenzo Scipioni and Clayton in an attempt to spark a miracle. However, Leverkusen remained unruffled, even as Patrik Schick dragged a late counter-attack chance wide. The German side successfully navigated the 90 minutes with a clean sheet, marking a significant tactical victory for Hjulmand, whose side has now reached the last 16 in four consecutive European participations. While lacking the fireworks of the other matches, the 0-0 draw was exactly the result Leverkusen required to ensure their journey continues.
The results from yesterday have finalized half of the playoff bracket, with Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Newcastle United, and Bayer Leverkusen all successfully navigating their way through. They join the top eight seeds who qualified directly, creating a formidable line-up for the Round of 16 draw. The focus now shifts to tonight’s remaining fixtures, including Real Madrid’s attempt to defend their narrow lead against Benfica and PSG’s return leg against Monaco.
