We went through every possible emotion tonight. Only Real Madrid CF enjoyed a relatively calm evening, while the defending champions nearly scared themselves and Juventus FC came within inches of a historic comeback.
A comfortable Real put Benfica away
The image of the night is Vinícius Júnior dancing. Set up by Federico Valverde, Vinícius buried Benfica’s hopes with Real’s second goal in a 2–1 win, then celebrated with a few dance steps to the delight of his supporters and soccer fans everywhere.
Because yes, Vinícius brought joy to Madrid fans, being the only Real player who consistently looked dangerous and up to the level required for a Champions League night that had started poorly. Just like in the first leg, SL Benfica played their chances boldly, and Rafa Silva revived memories of the 2019 clash against AFC Ajax.
But through a moment of pure class, Aurélien Tchouaméni equalized, and despite constant pressure from the Lisbon side, it was Real who ultimately secured qualification.
The holders scare themselves
In just eight minutes, AS Monaco lost any real chance of pulling off an incredible upset at the Parc des Princes. Leading on the scoreboard and executing their game plan perfectly, Monaco saw everything collapse when Mamadou Coulibaly picked up two yellow cards in the 55th and 58th minutes.
From there, Paris Saint-Germain erased the deficit and went ahead through Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Even so, PSG never truly controlled the match. Sterile possession and defensive fragility kept the threat alive until it nearly became reality. Jordan Teze equalized, and on a final free kick, Wout Faes nearly delivered the miracle for Monaco.
The defending champion advances — but doubts remain.
A comeback almost completed for Juve
Another story of “what might have been” in Turin. Heroic and fiercely competitive, Juventus nearly produced the impossible. Trailing by three goals after a 5–2 defeat to Galatasaray SK, the Bianconeri made the most of their chances. From the penalty spot, Manuel Locatelli brought Juve within two goals of forcing extra time.
The match then turned wild with the harsh sending-off of Lloyd Kelly for Juventus. Down to ten men, the Bianconeri refused to surrender. Federico Gatti and U.S. international Weston McKennie pushed Juve toward an extraordinary comeback.
5–5 on aggregate, extra time in an unforgettable match that could have descended into complete madness had Edon Zhegrova been more clinical with his chance to score a fourth.
The Kosovar will regret that miss, because the Turks found the net — and it could only be him: Victor Osimhen.
Barış Alper Yılmaz then sealed qualification for the Turkish side, who themselves had been pushed to the brink.
Magical night in Bergamo
A fantastic Atalanta BC side overturned a two-goal deficit. Trailing 0–2 on aggregate, Atalanta dismantled an extremely weak Borussia Dortmund.
Too long saved by misleading results, Dortmund finally paid for their mistakes: blind faith placed in players not at the required level, difficulty creating chances, and extraordinary defensive fragility. Leading 3–0 at the hour mark, Atalanta were briefly unsettled by Borussia’s substitutes. As extra time loomed, yet another mistake sealed Dortmund’s fate.
Gregor Kobel, usually so reliable, misplayed a clearance. On the ensuing cross, Algerian defender Ramy Bensebaini delivered a reckless high kick to the face, conceding a penalty to Atalanta.
Lazar Samardžić kept his composure and sent the Gewiss Stadium into raptures.