Uefa Champions League

England is strongly positioned to earn an additional berth through UEFA's coefficient ranking system.

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus were among the biggest casualties. And then there was Bodø/Glimt, who did not just qualify, but announced themselves.

Real Madrid is hoping Kylian Mbappe will be back in "a matter of days" after he missed its 2-1 victory over Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League playoffs. The result sent Madrid to the round of 16 with a 3-1 aggregate result. Mbappe was not included in the squad for the game at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium because of a left knee injury he has been nursing for some time. "He had to leave training and had been feeling some discomfort," Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said. "We spoke with the doctors and with him, and we agreed that the best thing was for him to stop for a while. Now we'll have to wait. Hopefully, it's just a matter of days." The France star, who scored nine goals in his last eight matches for Madrid, was replaced in attack by Gonzalo Garcia. The other forwards in the starting lineup were Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior, who scored the team's second goal in the 80th minute. Madrid's forwards on the bench included included Franco Mastantuono and Brahim ...

Defender Achraf Hakimi was included in Paris Saint-Germain's starting lineup in the Champions League playoff return leg against Monaco on Tuesday, a day after being ordered to stand trial in a rape case. A date for the trial has not been set. Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin said she will appeal the judge's decision. The 27-year-old Morocco international has denied any wrongdoing and said on X that he "calmly awaits" a trial. "Today, an accusation of rape is enough to justify a trial, even though I contest it and everything shows that it is false," he posted on X on Tuesday. "This is as unjust for the innocent as it is for genuine victims." PSG coach Luis Enrique was asked ahead of the Monaco match about Hakimi's case. "This is in the hands of the justice system," Luis Enrique said. PSG leads 3-2 from the first leg.

After being loudly booed, Vinicius Junior danced again. This time in front of Real Madrid supporters while leading his team to the round of 16 of the Champions League, a week after accusing a Benfica opponent of racially insulting him. Vinicius scored an 80th-minute goal to give Madrid a 2-1 victory and a 3-1 aggregate win over Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the second leg of the Champions League playoffs on Wednesday. Vinicius celebrated by dancing by the corner flag just like in the first leg - then in front of Benfica fans - which ignited a confrontation with Benfica players and the accusation that Gianluca Prestianni called him "monkey." "That's our Vinicius," said Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who scored Madrid's first goal in the 16th, a couple of minutes after Benfica had taken the lead through Rafa Silva. Prestianni, who has denied racially insulting Vinicius and has been defended by Benfica, was provisionally suspended one match by UEFA and did not p

Mamadou Coulibaly's red card cost his side dearly as Monaco drew 2-2 at defending champion Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League play-off on Wednesday and went out 5-4 on aggregate. Monaco was leading 1-0 and the aggregate score was level at 3-3 when the 21-year-old midfielder was shown a second yellow card in the 59th minute following a foul on tricky winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. PSG captain Marquinhos equalized from the ensuing free kick and then six minutes later Kvaratskhelia put PSG 2-1 up and in command. Jordan Teze's stoppage-time equalizer came too late for Monaco. "Yes, I think it was (a turning point) as was the (red) card in the first match," Monaco coach Sebastien Pocognoli said. "For me the (sending off) was not deserved. The two yellow cards happen quickly within five minutes. The second one was harsh." PSG won the tournament for the first time last year, but prior to that had been eliminated from the last 16 five times in eight years. Unti

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli felt like crying after seeing his team's remarkable Champions League fightback fall just short against Galatasaray on Wednesday. Trailing 5-2 after the first leg, Juventus went 3-0 up in the return match - despite playing almost the entire second half with 10 men following Lloyd Kelly's sending-off - to take the game to extra time. Galatasaray scored twice in extra time to lose 3-2 on the night but win 7-5 on aggregate. Juventus fans applauded their team after the match despite getting eliminated. "It almost makes me want to cry for how much we believed," Locatelli said. "I think we gave our heart - and more." "These are the kinds of matches," he added, "that stay with you." Juventus defender Federico Gatti, who scored the team's second goal, felt the qualification was thrown away last week. "It's frustrating because we reached extra time a bit drained," he said. "We had really put the game back on track, but I'll say it again - we let it slip i

UEFA has rejected Benfica's last-minute appeal against the provisional suspension of Gianluca Prestianni, meaning he remains ruled out of the Champions League playoff second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday. Prestianni was provisionally suspended on Monday for one match following accusations he racially abused Vinicius Junior in the first leg last week. The game was halted for nearly 10 minutes after the Madrid forward scored and then celebrated by the Benfica corner flag, upsetting local fans and players. After being confronted by Prestianni, Vinicius accused the Argentine player of calling him "monkey." Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while talking to Vinicius, has denied racially insulting the Brazil star, who is Black. UEFA said Wednesday, hours before the game was scheduled to begin, that its appeal body dismissed Benfica's application against the suspension and that it confirmed the decision of its control, ethics and disciplinary body from Monday. Durin

With the winning goal and another corner-flag dance, Vinicius Junior fittingly had the final say in an emotionally charged rematch with Benfica to guide Real Madrid into the round of 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday. Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain also advanced out of the playoffs - but only after narrowly getting past Monaco - while Atalanta pulled off a remarkable comeback against Borussia Dortmund with a dramatic last-second goal to maintain Italian involvement in the competition. Juventus fell short of completing its own stunning second-leg recovery, though, eliminated by Galatasaray after extra time. Vinicius jeered by Benfica fans =================== Playing a week after being the target of alleged racial abuse in the first leg against Benfica, Vinicius wrapped up Madrid's 2-1 win over the Portuguese team - and a 3-1 victory on aggregate - with his team's second goal in the 80th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The Brazil star slotted a low finish int

Two red cards, a VAR overturn and a decisive converted penalty with the last kick of the game. All of that happened in the final seconds of a Champions League thriller between Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday- and it ultimately ensured there will still be Italian representation in Europe's top club competition. Atalanta advanced to the round of 16 by capping an unlikely turnaround when Lazar Samardzic curled a penalty into the top corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time to clinch a 4-1 win on the night and a 4-3 victory on aggregate. Dortmund, the runner-up in 2024, had arrived with a 2-0 lead from the first leg. "Everyone had written us off," said Davide Zappacosta, one of Atalanta's scorers, "but ... we always believe and we never give up." Still, Atalanta needed a helping hand. Extra time was looming when a mistake by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel allowed Atalanta to launch one last attack, after the allotted three minutes of stoppage time had been played.

With the first leg seeing Madrid lose 4-2 to Benfica away from home, the 2nd leg presents another thrilling tie at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real look to produce another comeback.

Titleholder Arsenal and Real Madrid easily won their home games to reach the women's Champions League quarterfinals. Alessia Russo on Wednesday scored twice as Arsenal beat Belgian side OH Leuven 3-1 for a 7-1 aggregate win to set up a quarterfinal with English rival Chelsea. Earlier, Madrid set up a Clasico against three-time champion Barcelona by beating Paris FC 2-0 for a 5-2 aggregate victory. Striker Naomie Feller opened the scoring for Madrid and defender Melween N'Dongala put through her own net. Russo becomes top scorer ================ Russo's brace took her onto a tournament-leading seven goals as Arsenal followed up its 4-0 away win from the first leg. The England forward fired Arsenal ahead in the 23rd minute with a turn and first-time shot, and her second goal in the 90th was similar as she again used her strength to swivel and plant a low shot into the corner. Hungary midfielder Sara Pusztai equalized for the visitors in the 29th with a close-range finish at a ...

Tiny Bod/Glimt produced another Champions League shock by stunning last year's beaten finalist Inter Milan 3-1 in the playoffs. The Norwegian underdog followed up back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid by securing a two-goal advantage going into next week's second leg in Milan on Wednesday. Anthony Gordon scored four goals in the first half as Newcastle routed Qarabag 6-1. Atletico drew 3-3 away to Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen has a 2-0 lead after its first leg at Olympiacos. Bod/Glimt's latest upset ================ Bod/Glimt is fast becoming the unlikely story of this season's Champions League, producing one upset after another. After booking its place in the playoffs with wins against City and Atletico, it strengthened its chances of advancing to the round of 16 with victory against Italian league leader Inter. Sondre Fet put the home team ahead after collecting Kasper Hogh's backheel in the 20th minute. Francesco Pio Esposito equalized before the

Jose Mourinho believes Real Madrid is "wounded" after the shock loss to Benfica and doesn't think it will take a miracle to stun the Spanish giant again in the Champions League. Benfica defeated Madrid 4-2 in the final round of the league phase to grab the last spot in the playoffs, and in the process dropped the 15-time champion out of the eight automatic qualification places for the round of 16. Coach Mourinho's Benfica and his former team meet again in Lisbon on Tuesday in the first leg of the knockout stage. "They are wounded," Mourinho said on Monday. "And a wounded king is dangerous. We will play the first leg with our heads, with ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League." Mourinho acknowledged that Madrid remained heavily favored and it would take a near-perfect show for Benfica to advance. "I don't think it takes a miracle for Benfica to eliminate Real Madrid. I think we need to be at our highest level. I don't even say high, I mea

Teams playing the playoffs will fight for a spot in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 scheduled to played later this year.

Liverpool's draw with Leeds United was overshadowed almost entirely by Mohamed Salah's explosive post-match comments, in which he revealed that his relationship with manager Arne Slot is broken.

The German giants have dropped points just once this season, against Union Berlin before the November international break, while Arsenal's campaign has been close to flawless as well.

The defending champions have enjoyed an impressive European campaign so far, remaining unbeaten in the group stage.

Both Kane and Mbappe are this season;s topscorer so far with 5 goals each in the Champions League and will be looking to help their teams progress through to the final this year.

Since their 1-0 victory over Juventus in July, Real Madrid, under Carlo Ancelotti, have been in excellent form, securing 10 wins from their last 12 matches.