Four second-leg fixtures of the Champions League qualifying playoffs took place. Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle eliminated Club Brugge, Inter Milan, Olympiacos, and Qarabağ, securing their places in the Round of 16.
Notably, Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt made a sensational debut in the Champions League by reaching the Round of 16. They could face either 7th-placed Manchester City or 8th-placed Sporting CP in the next round.
Defending finalist Inter Milan suffered a shock double defeat to Bodø/Glimt and failed to reach the knockout stage. This marks the first time since the 1992-93 season that Inter was eliminated by a team outside the Big Five leagues. With Inter out, Serie A risks losing all its teams in the competition. Napoli was already eliminated in the league stage, while Juventus and Atalanta face tough comebacks after first-leg losses of 2-5 to Galatasaray and 0-2 to Borussia Dortmund.
The 12 confirmed Round of 16 teams are: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, Bodø/Glimt, Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle. With Newcastle advancing, all six Premier League representatives have reached the last 16.
The final four spots will be decided on the early morning of February 27, featuring matches with Real Madrid, Juventus, PSG, and Dortmund.
First-leg scores recap:
- Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus
- Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid
- Monaco 2-3 PSG
- Dortmund 2-0 Atalanta
