The UEFA Champions League playoff round concluded for 8 teams on Tuesday night, delivering a mix of seismic shockwaves and routine progression. The story of the night undoubtedly belongs to the tiny Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt, who produced one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history by knocking out last season's finalists, Inter Milan. Elsewhere, Alexander Sorloth's hat-trick powered Atletico Madrid past Club Brugge, while Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen finished the job with second-leg victories to confirm their places in the last 16.
Norwegian Fairytale at the San Siro
Bodo/Glimt wrote a new chapter in their remarkable Champions League debut campaign, holding firm to defeat Inter Milan 2-1 at the San Siro and progress with a commanding 5-2 aggregate victory. The result sent shockwaves through the football world, as the three-time European Cup winners and current Serie A leaders were dumped out by a team in their off-season.
Having already beaten Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the league phase, the Norwegians showed no fear. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Inter threw everything at the visitors from the start. As expected, the home side dominated possession, racking up an astonishing 32 attempts on goal compared to Bodo/Glimt's seven. Still, the resolute defending and the reflexes of goalkeeper Nikita Haikin repeatedly denied them.
Just as Inter's pressure grew, Bodo/Glimt delivered the killer blow. In the 58th minute, Jens Petter Hauge, who had two difficult years at AC Milan earlier in his career, haunted the San Siro once more. After Manuel Akanji lost the ball, Ole Didrik Blomberg's shot was saved, but Hauge was on hand to volley home the rebound. Any remaining hope for the hosts was extinguished in the 72nd minute when Hauge turned provider, setting up Hakon Evjen to fire an excellent finish past Yann Sommer and make it 2-0 on the night. Alessandro Bastoni scrambled home a consolation for Inter four minutes later, but it was too little too late for Cristian Chivu's side, who exited the competition they had graced as finalists just nine months prior.
"We know there's a lot of competitiveness in the Champions League. If teams get to this stage, it means they have something," a dejected Chivu said afterwards. "And they have proved that. They showed it against Dortmund, against Madrid, against City, against us twice". Bodo/Glimt now advance to the last 16, where they will face either Manchester City or Sporting CP.
Sorloth Hat-Trick Fires Atletico Past Brugge
In the Spanish capital, Alexander Sorloth announced himself on the biggest stage with a magnificent hat-trick to steer Atletico Madrid to a 4-1 second-leg victory over Club Brugge, sealing a 7-4 aggregate win. The Norwegian striker was the hero on a night that saw Atletico's quality shine through in the second half.
After a competitive first half that ended 1-1, Atletico seized control immediately after the break. Johnny Cardoso restored the home side's lead two minutes into the second half with a strike from the edge of the box. From there, it was the Sorloth show. He grabbed his second of the night in the 76th minute with a simple side-footed finish after a clever one-two between substitutes Ademola Lookman and Antoine Griezmann. The Norwegian international then completed his treble in the 87th minute, converting a cross from Matteo Ruggeri at the back post to put the seal on a dominant second-half performance.
Diego Simeone's side advances to the round of 16, where they are set to face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the next round.
Newcastle Complete Formalities, Leverkusen Grind Through
Meanwhile, at St. James' Park, Newcastle United confirmed their place in the last 16 for the first time after a 3-2 win over Qarabag, completing a resounding 9-3 aggregate victory. With the heavy lifting done in a 6-1 first-leg win in Baku, Eddie Howe's side showed control and composure. Sandro Tonali and Joelinton both found the net inside the first six minutes to kill any lingering doubt. Although Qarabag responded twice, Sven Botman's header ensured the Magpies never lost their grip on the tie. The result guarantees the Premier League six representatives in the next round, with the draw set for Friday.
In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen did just enough to see off Olympiacos, playing out a dour 0-0 draw at the BayArena to progress 2-0 on aggregate. The German double winners were below their best, leading to harsh criticism from TV pundits and their own players. "The game was overall terrible," said former Germany World Cup winner Christoph Kramer, now a pundit. Captain Robert Andrich echoed the sentiment, admitting the performance was a "walk in the park" that the opposition failed to punish. Despite the flat display, Leverkusen advances to face a much sterner test in the next round: either Premier League leaders Arsenal or German champions Bayern Munich.
Tuesday's Champions League Playoff Results (Second Leg)
Team 1
Result
Team 2
Aggregate
Bodo/Glimt
2-1
Inter Milan
5-2
Atletico Madrid
4-1
Club Brugge
7-4
Newcastle United
3-2
Qarabag
9-3
Bayer Leverkusen
0-0
Olympiacos
2-0
