Argus News - PSG, Real Madrid Through to Last 16; Juventus, Dortmund Crash Out

New Delhi, Feb 26: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Galatasaray, and Atalanta all booked their places in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after dramatic play-off second legs filled with late goals, red cards, and high drama.

At the Parc des Princes, PSG overcame a spirited AS Monaco side to secure a 5-4 aggregate victory despite being held to a 2-2 draw on the night.

Monaco struck first through Maghnes Akliouche just before half-time, but Mamadou Coulibaly’s dismissal shifted momentum. Marquinhos leveled with a header from Désiré Doué’s cross, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia pounced on a rebound to put PSG ahead. Jordan Teze’s late strike made for a tense finish, but Luis Enrique’s men held firm to advance.

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Meanwhile, Real Madrid edged past Benfica 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, sealing a 3-1 aggregate win. Rafa Silva briefly gave Benfica hope with a close-range finish, but Aurelien Tchouameni equalized moments later.

Vinicius Jr. delivered the decisive blow in the 80th minute, racing clear to slot past Anatoliy Trubin. Madrid, missing injured Kylian Mbappe, endured nervy moments, including Raul Asencio’s injury scare, but ultimately progressed to face either Manchester City or Sporting CP in the next round.

In Istanbul, Galatasaray survived a rollercoaster clash with Juventus, advancing 7-5 on aggregate after extra time. Despite Lloyd Kelly’s red card, Juventus mounted a stunning comeback, with Federico Gatti and Weston McKennie leveling the tie at 5-5. Jeremie Boga missed a golden chance to put Juve ahead, and Galatasaray punished them in extra time as Victor Osimhen and Barıs Alper Yılmaz struck to seal qualification.

Atalanta, on the other hand, produced one of the most thrilling nights in Bergamo, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit to eliminate Borussia Dortmund 4-3 on aggregate. Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Zappacosta put Atalanta ahead before Mario Pašalić added a third.

Dortmund responded through Karim Adeyemi’s sublime strike, but the tie was settled deep into stoppage time when Lazar Samardzic converted a penalty after a chaotic incident that saw three red cards. Atalanta’s resilience ensured their place in the last 16.