Atletico Madrid, Newcastle United, Bayer Leverkusen, and Bodo/Glimt have become the first teams to secure their spots in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 following Tuesday night’s knockout play-off second legs.
The quartet navigated a mixture of dominant victories and stunning upsets to advance in Europe’s elite club competition.
Atletico Madrid continued their strong form in the tournament with a commanding 4-1 victory over Club Brugge at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Alexander Sorloth was the star of the night, netting a remarkable hat-trick to steer the LaLiga giants to a 6-3 aggregate triumph, ensuring their place in the last 16.
Newcastle United also made light work of their knockout tie, following up a thrilling first-leg win in Baku with a 3-2 home victory over Qarabag.
The result gave the Premier League side a convincing 9-3 aggregate scoreline, confirming their return to the Champions League knockout stages with authority.
In one of the most shocking results of the night, Inter Milan were eliminated by Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. Despite the San Siro advantage, Inter fell 2-1 at home, completing a 5-2 aggregate upset that sent Bodo/Glimt into the Round of 16 for the first time in their history.
Bayer Leverkusen secured the final first-four qualification spot with a steady performance against Olympiakos.
The German side claimed a 2-0 aggregate win, showing resilience and tactical discipline to ensure their progression to the next stage of the competition.
As the knockout stages take shape, the Round of 16 promises thrilling ties with big names already confirmed.
While Atletico Madrid, Newcastle, Bayer Leverkusen, and Bodo/Glimt have booked their places, the remaining slots will be fiercely contested in the coming play-off second legs, setting the stage for high-stakes European football in the weeks ahead.
