A thrilling night of European football delivered shocks, dominant performances and historic milestones as clubs battled for places in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
Bodø/Glimt Make History Against Inter Milan
Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt produced one of the most remarkable upsets in recent European memory, defeating Inter Milan 5–2 on aggregate to book their place in the Round of 16 for the first time in 26 years.
The decisive second leg at the iconic San Siro ended in a 2–1 victory for the visitors, sealing a famous triumph on Italian soil. Despite relentless pressure from Inter – including 16 corners – the Nerazzurri were punished for their wastefulness by a clinical Norwegian side.
Winger Jens Petter Hauge proved instrumental, scoring the opener and assisting Håkon Evjen for the decisive second goal. A late strike from Alessandro Bastoni offered little consolation for the home crowd as Inter’s European campaign came to a crushing end.
Remarkably, Bodø/Glimt achieved the feat despite being in their domestic off-season due to the Norwegian winter, making the accomplishment even more extraordinary.
Newcastle United Overpower Qarabağ
At St James’ Park, Newcastle United completed a dominant aggregate victory, defeating Qarabağ FK 9-3 over two legs.
After a commanding 6-1 first-leg win, the Magpies secured a 3- 2 triumph in a frenetic return fixture. Sandro Tonali and Joelinton struck within the opening six minutes to set the tone.
Qarabağ mounted a spirited comeback through goals from Camilo Duran and Elvin Cafarquliyev, but a powerful header from Sven Botman restored control for the hosts. Despite a missed penalty from Marko Janković, Newcastle held firm to seal their passage into the next round.
Bayer Leverkusen Advance After Stalemate With Olympiacos
At the BayArena, Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiacos played out a scrappy 0–0 draw in the second leg of their playoff tie.
Leverkusen progressed comfortably on aggregate thanks to their 2–0 first-leg advantage. Álex Grimaldo squandered the home side’s best opportunity, firing wide from close range, while Gelson Martins offered sporadic attacking threat for the visitors.
A late booking for Lorenzo Pirola summed up a tense and physical contest in which defensive discipline triumphed over attacking flair.
Atlético Madrid Cruise Past Club Brugge
In Spain, Atlético Madrid delivered a commanding 4–1 victory at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano to complete a 7–4 aggregate win over Club Brugge after a dramatic 3–3 first leg.
Alexander Sørloth was the standout performer, scoring a clinical hat-trick. Joel Ordóñez had earlier cancelled out the opener before Atlético seized control in the second half.
Midfielder Johnny Cardoso restored the hosts’ lead early after the restart with a powerful long-range effort. Manager Diego Simeone’s tactical adjustments proved decisive, particularly the introduction of Ademola Lookman, who provided an assist shortly after coming on.
Despite attempts from Christos Tzolis and Hugo Vetlesen, Club Brugge lacked the cutting edge of their hosts.