Tuesday's Champions League play-off second legs brought decisive outcomes favoring the favorites. Alexander Sorloth became the hero for Atletico Madrid, scoring three goals in the match against Club Brugge and sealing the Spanish team's advancement. Simultaneously, Newcastle United confirmed its dominance over Qarabag FK, winning 3:2 at home and finishing the two-legged tie with an impressive 9:3 aggregate score. Both teams have joined the ranks of Europe's top sixteen clubs.

Alexander Sorloth's Hat-Trick

The Norwegian striker scored three goals, becoming the key architect of Atletico Madrid's advance to the round of 16.

Newcastle Confirms Its Class

The English team won 3:2 against Qarabag, finishing the play-off tie with a 9:3 aggregate score.

Murphy's Debut for Newcastle

Young player from Galway, Alex Murphy, was in the starting lineup, as noted by Irish media.

The contest at the Estadio Metropolitano provided fans with immense excitement, and its central figure became Alexander Sorloth. The Norwegian striker led Atletico Madrid to a 4:1 victory over Club Brugge, completing a hat-trick. Although the first leg ended in a 3:3 draw, in the return match, the players of Diego Simeone left no doubts for the Belgian team. Johnny Cardoso also played a significant role, scoring a spectacular goal, as did goalkeeper Jan Oblak, whose interventions at key moments prevented a loss of control over the scoreline. From the 2024/2025 season, the Champions League is played in a new league format, which replaced the traditional group stage. Teams finishing 9th to 24th must fight for a place in the round of 16 in an additional play-off round. In another Tuesday match, Newcastle United sealed its advance to the next round by defeating Qarabag FK 3:2. The team of Eddie Howe entered the match with a huge advantage from the first leg, which allowed them great freedom in offensive play. Although the opponents from Azerbaijan managed to score twice at St James' Park, the 9:3 aggregate score clearly indicates a disparity in strength. Newcastle now anxiously awaits the draw, where it could face giants such as FC Barcelona or Chelsea London. 9:3 — Aggregate score of Newcastle's tie against Qarabag For Atletico Madrid, advancing to the knockout phase is not only a sporting success but also a financial one, guaranteeing multi-million revenues from broadcasting and tickets. Coach Simeone emphasized the importance of his players' determination after the match, particularly those coming off the bench. This victory calms the mood around the club, which has recently struggled with inconsistent form in the domestic league. „Cuando veo cómo entran los suplentes, me emociono. Sorloth tiene lo que no tiene ninguno de mis jugadores.” (When I see how the substitutes come on, it moves me. Sorloth has something that none of my other players have.) — Diego Simeone Play-off second leg results: Atletico Madryt 4:1 Club Brugge; Newcastle United 3:2 Karabach Agdam

Mentioned People

  • Alexander Sorloth — Norwegian striker for Atletico Madrid, scorer of three goals in the match against Club Brugge.
  • Diego Simeone — Atletico Madrid manager, who praised the team's performance after the advancement.
  • Eddie Howe — Newcastle United manager, under whose leadership the team advanced to the round of 16.