Champions League Round-of-16 play-offs: Italian giants stunned as Bodi/Glimt and Galatasaray dominate
Uefa Champions League
Galatasaray’s Colombian defender Davinson Sanchez heads the ball to score his team’s third goal during their UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg match against Juventus at Rams Park in Istanbul on Tuesday. The Lions routed The Old Lady of Italy 5-2. Photo: AFP
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The first legs of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 playoffs delivered shocks, thrillers, and a worrying theme for Italian football, with Inter Milan, Juventus, and Atalanta all suffering damaging defeats.
Inter’s 3-1 loss away to Bødi/Glimt was the standout upset of the round. In Arctic conditions, the Serie A heavyweights were unsettled by relentless pressing and rapid transitions. Sondre Brunstad Fet opened the scoring for the hosts before striker Pio Esposito equalised for Inter 10 minutes later. However, two second-half goals from Bødi/Glimt left Christian Chivu's side with a mountain to climb.
Last season’s beaten finalists will now require a composed and clinical performance at the San Siro to avoid an early European exit. Having already beaten Manchester City and Atletico Madrid earlier in the campaign, the Norwegian giant-killers will believe another scalp is within reach, however.
Juventus fared even worse than Inter, slumping to a 5-2 defeat against an inspired Galatasaray in Istanbul, while Atalanta also endured a difficult night. Their 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund at least leaves a glimmer of hope ahead of the return leg.
Elsewhere, the tension surrounding Real Madrid and Benfica adds another layer of intrigue. Madrid edged the first encounter 1-0, but allegations of racism directed at Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior have ensured that the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu will be emotionally charged.
France arguably produced the tie of the round, as Paris Saint-Germain edged AS Monaco 3-2 in a pulsating all-Ligue 1 affair. Momentum swung repeatedly in a contest packed with attacking quality, leaving the second leg finely poised and promising further fireworks.
In Belgium, Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid shared six goals in a chaotic 3-3 draw. Diego Simeone’s side showed resilience but were repeatedly exposed, ensuring the return in Spain will be anything but straightforward.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United all but secured England a sixth representative in the last 16, dismantling Qarabag 6-1 ahead of the home return leg.
As the play-offs move towards their decisive week, the pressure rests heaviest on Italy’s shoulders. Inter, Juventus and Atalanta must respond, while Madrid and Benfica will be bracing for a fractious showdown, and several ties remain delicately balanced.