Champions League Playoffs Review: Records, red cards, and a whole lot of noise
The Champions League knockout play-offs arrived with that familiar promise: two legs, zero margin for coasting, and just enough chaos to make even the most polished teams look slightly wobbly. The first legs delivered in bulk. Newcastle turned a trip to Azerbaijan into a record-breaking goal parade. PSG flipped a two-goal deficit in Monaco because a 20-year-old decided the script needed editing. Juventus walked into Istanbul, took a lead, then got swallowed by a second-half storm. In Bruges, Atlético tried to land a classic away win, only for the game to refuse to end quietly.
And in Lisbon, the football was overshadowed by an ugly flashpoint involving Vinícius Júnior, with the match stopped after alleged racist abuse was reported. The tie continues, but the night left a wider mark than the scoreline.
This Champions League round is not finished, but the first legs have already handed us a pile of storylines that will follow these ties into the return games.
Champions League Playoffs throwing up some serious action
Anthony Gordon turns Newcastle’s longest trip into a record chase
Newcastle’s trip to Qarabağ was already unusual before the first whistle. It was their longest Champions League away journey by distance, and they arrived missing a chunk of first-team players. None of that mattered for long, because Anthony Gordon spent the first half treating the match like a personal highlights reel.
Newcastle won 6-1 in Baku, and Gordon scored four times in the first half. The headline for club historians is this: he has now overtaken Alan Shearer to become Newcastle’s top Champions League scorer, and he did it in the loudest possible way, with his Champions League tally now in double figures (10).
The wider point for Newcastle is bigger than one wild night. In their earlier European spell, they were often a club visiting the Champions League. This season they look like a club that wants to live there. With a four-goal first half and six away goals, the second leg at St James’ Park now looks like a formality on paper. Football has a way of punishing complacency, but it is hard to ignore what Newcastle showed here: the pace, the ruthlessness, and a winger who suddenly owns a piece of club history.
Anthony Gordon’s AMAZING 4 goal performance was also reflected by our Total Impact Rating. Newcastle’s star was CLEARLY above all the rest 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JSQnFsdPIu
— 365Scores (@365Scores) February 19, 2026
Horrendous scenes in Lisbon, as Vinícius allegation halts the match
Real Madrid’s 1-0 win at Benfica should have been a classic European away performance: absorb pressure, find a decisive moment, take the advantage home. Instead, the night will be remembered for the match being delayed after Vinícius Júnior reported alleged racist abuse, prompting the referee to stop play and activate the anti-racism protocol.
The disruption had an obvious impact. The stadium went from high-volume football noise to something colder and tense. Madrid looked ready to walk off at one point, and the match never fully recovered its rhythm. Benfica’s bench reacted furiously to the stoppage, and the emotional temperature remained high even after play resumed.
Madrid still leave Lisbon with the most important asset, a 1-0 first-leg lead. But the tie now carries a weight that has nothing to do with tactics. UEFA will review the incident, and the spotlight will remain on how football responds when players say enough.
Juventus in Turkey: a first-half lead, then a second-half collapse
Juventus actually did the hard part in Istanbul: they settled, responded to going behind, and went into half-time 2-1 up. Then the stadium turned into a problem.
Galatasaray equalised early in the second half, and the game started accelerating away from Juventus. A deflected set-piece put the hosts ahead, and when Juventus went down to ten men, the match tipped fully into chaos. Galatasaray sensed vulnerability and poured forward.
The final score, 5-2, reflected a half in which Juventus lost structure and control. Every clearance came back quickly, every defensive decision felt rushed, and the home side fed off the noise. Away ties in Turkey have always demanded emotional management as much as tactical discipline. Juventus failed both tests once momentum shifted.
For the second leg in Turin, Juventus need something close to a perfect night. Galatasaray, meanwhile, carry a three-goal cushion and the memory of how quickly they turned pressure into dominance.
PSG get the upper hand because Désiré Doué refused to let the game be normal
PSG’s comeback win at Monaco was the most stylish kind of panic: the sort where everything goes wrong early, then a young player strolls on and starts simplifying the chaos.
Monaco scored twice inside 20 minutes and looked comfortable. PSG also lost Ousmane Dembélé to injury before the half-hour. Enter Désiré Doué, off the bench, and suddenly the tie tilted.
Doué scored almost immediately to halve the deficit, then drove the move that led to PSG’s equaliser just before half-time. Early in the second half, Monaco were reduced to ten men, and PSG turned the pressure into a lead when Doué smashed in the winner from the edge of the area.
Final score: Monaco 2, PSG 3.
Bodø/Glimt keep the fairytale going, and Inter are the latest to slip on the ice
Bodø/Glimt’s European run has stopped being a cute storyline and started being a consistent threat. Their 3-1 win over Inter in Norway was not a fluke that happened to land. It was an organised performance built around speed, bravery, and the confidence that comes from a team that knows exactly what it is.
They opened the scoring through Sondre Brunstad Fet, then after Inter equalised, Bodø struck twice late on through Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Høgh to take control of the tie. The home side attacked with conviction, stretching Inter’s defensive spacing and forcing hurried recoveries.
Inter will back themselves at San Siro, but they now have a real problem: Bodø have already shown they can punish big sides for small mistakes, and they arrive in the second leg with a two-goal cushion and zero fear.
Thriller in Bruges: Atlético tried to shut it down, Brugge kept kicking the door
Atlético Madrid arrived in Bruges with the classic away plan: get in front, control the temperature, and take the air out of the stadium. For a while it worked. They led 2-0 and looked set to carry a clean advantage home.
Then Brugge changed the tone.
The hosts scored twice in quick succession to level the match, forcing Atlético into a game they did not want: open, transitional, and emotional. Atlético briefly restored their lead via an own goal under pressure, but the match refused to end on cue. A late equaliser from Brugge, confirmed after a VAR check, completed the 3-3 draw and sent the stadium into delirium.
The second leg in Madrid is now perfectly balanced. Atlético will believe their structure travels well, but Brugge have proof they can disrupt it and sustain pressure across ninety minutes.
All the first-leg results
Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus
Monaco 2-3 PSG
Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atalanta
Qarabağ FK 1-6 Newcastle United
Olympiacos 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen
Bodø/Glimt 3-1 Inter
Club Brugge 3-3 Atlético Madrid
FAQs
What are the Champions League knockout play-offs?
They are two-legged ties that decide who reaches the last 16. The first legs set the shape of the tie, but the return games usually decide the outcome.
Who had the biggest individual performance of the Champions League round?
Anthony Gordon’s four-goal performance away at Qarabağ stands out for both the scoreline and the club record it secured.
Anthony Gordon is only the 2nd English footballer in Champions League history to score in double-digits, after Harry Kane last season. Kane finished with 11 goals, Goedon currently has 10. Can he overtake the Theee Lions’ captain? pic.twitter.com/ogFWSCD2sl
— 365Scores (@365Scores) February 19, 2026
What happened in Lisbon with Vinícius Júnior in the Champions League Playoffs?
The match was stopped after Vinícius reported alleged racist abuse, triggering the anti-racism protocol. The incident is under review.
How big is Juventus’ Champions League problem after Istanbul?
Very big. A three-goal deficit requires a near-perfect second leg and strict defensive discipline.
Why is PSG’s Champions League win in Monaco such a big deal?
They came back from 2-0 down away from home, lost a key attacker to injury, and still won through decisive contributions from Désiré Doué.
Can Inter still turn it around against Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League Playoffs?
Yes, but they need a sharper performance in Italy. Bodø have shown they can punish errors and manage big moments.
Which Champions League tie feels most open?
Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid, because 3-3 leaves both sides with realistic paths to progression.
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyHelfgott1 on Twitter (X)
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