Milan [Italy], February 25 (ANI): A thrilling UEFA Champions League Round of 16 picture is taking shape as Bodø/Glimt, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle United all secured their spots in the knockout stages. The competition continues to deliver dramatic moments as teams battle for European glory.
Bodø/Glimt produced a stunning upset, holding off a late charge from Inter Milan to secure a historic 2-1 win in Italy and a 5-2 aggregate triumph. Jens Petter Hauge opened the scoring, continuing his impressive form in the tournament, while Hakon Evjen added a second to deliver the Norwegian side a commanding lead. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter Milan, but Bodø/Glimt held firm to reach the last 16 for the first time.
Atletico Madrid likewise advanced convincingly, defeating Club Brugge 4-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano for a 7-4 aggregate victory. Alexander Sørloth was the star of the show, netting a hat-trick after opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. Joel Ordonez briefly leveled for Club Brugge, but Johnny Cardoso restored Atletico’s advantage, and Sørloth added two more goals to seal the win. This result sets up an intriguing clash against either Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool in the next round.
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen will face a tough test after qualifying, while Newcastle United also progressed to the knockout stages. The January 21, 2025, match between Atlético Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen ended with a 2-1 victory for Atlético, with goals from Julián Álvarez (52′, 90′) and Pablo Barrios (25′). Piero Hincapié scored the lone goal for Leverkusen (45’+1′, 76′). ESPN has the full match report.
You can relive the highlights of the Atlético Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen match on YouTube. The win for Atlético Madrid keeps them in contention for a deep run in the Champions League.
Here’s a seem at the current standings in the league phase:
Group Standings
Atlético Madrid: 5-0-2, 15 PTS
Bayer Leverkusen: 4-1-2, 13 PTS
Arsenal: 8-0-0, +19, 24
Bayern Munich: 8-7-0-1, +14, 21
Liverpool: 8-6-0-2, +12, 18
Tottenham Hotspur: 8-5-2-1, +10, 17
Barcelona: 8-5-1-2, +8, 16
Chelsea: 8-5-1-2, +7, 16
Sporting CP: 8-5-1-2, +6, 16
Manchester City: 8-5-1-2, +6, 16
Real Madrid: 8-5-0-3, +9, 15
Internazionale: 8-5-0-3, +8, 15
Paris Saint-Germain: 8-4-2-2, +10, 14
Newcastle United: 8-4-2-2, +10, 14
Juventus: 8-3-4-1, +4, 13
Atlético Madrid: 8-4-1-3, +2, 13
Atalanta: 8-4-1-3, 0, 13
Bayer Leverkusen: 8-3-3-2, -1, 12
Borussia Dortmund: 8-3-2-3, +2, 11
Olympiacos: 8-3-2-3, -4, 11
Club Brugge: 8-3-1-4, -2, 10
Galatasaray: 8-3-1-4, -2, 10
AS Monaco: 8-2-4-2, -6, 10
FK Qarabag: 8-3-1-4, -8, 10
Bodo/Glimt: 8-2-3-3, -19, 9
Benfica: 8-3-0-5, -2, 9
Marseille: 8-3-0-5, -3, 9
Pafos: 8-2-3-3, -3, 9
Union St….
