On the first matchday of the UEFA Champions League playoffs for the 2025/26 season, many surprising events took place. The most striking moment was the performance of Munich's "Bavaria" in Bergamo, where the German club achieved a crushing victory over "Atalanta," finishing the match with a score of 6:1. Michael Olise scored twice, and goals were also netted by Josip Stanisic, Serge Gnabry, Nicolas Jackson, and Jamal Musiala. The Italian team could only respond with a single goal from Mario Pasalic, leaving them with extremely low chances of success in the return leg.
Meanwhile, in Madrid, an exciting match took place where "Atletico" confidently defeated "Tottenham" at home with a score of 5:2. Diego Simeone's side showcased impressive attacking play, thanks to a brace from Julian Alvarez and goals from Marcos Llorente, Antoine Griezmann, and Robin Le Norman. The Londoners managed to score two goals — from Pedro Porro and Dominic Solanke — but it was not enough against the powerful onslaught of the "mattress makers."
Meanwhile, in England, "Newcastle United" was on the verge of a sensational victory over "Barcelona." The team led the score thanks to a goal from Harvey Barnes and maintained the advantage until the final minutes of the match. However, in stoppage time, the Catalans managed to level the score: young Lamine Yamal confidently converted a penalty, setting the final score at 1:1. The most unexpected outcome was the match in Istanbul, where "Galatasaray" won against "Liverpool" with a narrow score of 1:0, thanks to a precise shot from Mario Lemina assisted by Victor Osimhen. The return matches of the Champions League Round of 16, which will determine all the quarter-finalists, will take place next week.
