UEFA Champions League play-offs: Full schedule for the round of 16 second legs

The UEFA Champions League enters a pivotal stage this week with the second legs of the play-offs for a place in the round of 16, played under the new format introduced last season.

With the expanded 36-team format, the top eight teams in the overall standings have already secured direct qualification for the round of 16. Clubs ranked from 9th to 24th are battling it out in two-legged play-offs for the remaining eight spots.

Following last week’s first-leg encounters, this week’s return matches will officially determine who advances to the next round.

All eyes are on the blockbuster clash between Real Madrid and Benfica. This high-stakes matchup is drawing particular attention, especially after tensions flared in the first leg and the controversy surrounding Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni.

Second leg schedule (GMT)

• Tuesday, 24 February 2026:

  Atlético Madrid – Club Brugge (17:45)

  Bayer Leverkusen – Olympiacos (20:00)

  Inter Milan – Bodø/Glimt (20:00)

  Newcastle United – Qarabağ FK (20:00)

• Wednesday, 25 February 2026:

  Borussia Dortmund – Atalanta (17:45)

  Real Madrid – Benfica (20:00)

  Galatasaray – Juventus (20:00)

  Paris Saint-Germain – AS Monaco (20:00)

Champions League: UEFA under scrutiny ahead of Real Madrid vs Benfica

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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