Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Atalanta have secured their places in the Champions League quarter-finals, even as Galatasaray also advanced following the conclusion of the play-off round matches on February 25th and 26th, 2026. The results mark a return to the latter stages of the competition for both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports from France 24 and Alaraby.
Real Madrid defeated Benfica 2-1 in Madrid, completing a 3-1 aggregate victory. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Vinícius Júnior scored for Real Madrid, with Rafa Silva netting a goal for Benfica. The Spanish side had previously won the first leg in Lisbon 1-0. Paris Saint-Germain drew 2-2 with Monaco at the Parc des Princes, but progressed thanks to their away goals advantage. Marc Marquinhos scored the opening goal for PSG, as reported by France 24.
Atalanta also advanced to the round of 16, overcoming Borussia Dortmund. Galatasaray secured their spot by defeating Juventus, completing a surprise result in the play-off stage. The qualification of these four teams completes the lineup for the next phase of the tournament, as confirmed by QNA.
The play-off round featured several other high-profile ties, including Atlético Madrid against Club Brugge, Newcastle United versus Karabakh, and Inter Milan facing Bodo/Glimt. Bayer Leverkusen also progressed, defeating Olympiacos. A full schedule of the play-off matches was published by Kooora.com on February 26th, detailing the fixtures and broadcasting information.
The draw for the quarter-finals is yet to be scheduled, but anticipation is building as teams prepare for the next stage of the competition. The tournament continues to draw significant global interest, with fans eagerly awaiting further developments.
