Author name: Omar Rodríguez

Bayern Munich, Club Brugge, Benfica, and Feyenoord advanced to the Champions League Round of 16. Brugge stunned Atalanta, while Celtic and Benfica delivered thrilling performances. AC Milan was eliminated. The first set of knockout playoff matches in the UEFA Champions League has concluded, revealing the first four teams to secure their spots in the Round of 16. Bayern Munich, Club Brugge, Benfica, and Feyenoord emerged victorious and will now join the top eight teams from the overall group standings. Brugge Stuns Atalanta One of the biggest surprises came with Atalanta’s elimination. The Italian side, known for their competitive performances against Europe’s elite in previous editions, fell short in the playoffs. Club Brugge delivered a shocking 3-1 victory in the second leg, following up on their 2-1 win in the first leg. The Belgian club advanced with a 5-2 aggregate score and will now face either LOSC Lille or Aston Villa in the Round of 16. Celtic Fought Until the End Celtic also impressed, putting up a strong fight against Bayern Munich in Germany. The Scottish side took a surprising lead in the 63rd minute with a goal from Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn. However, Bayern Munich equalized deep into stoppage time, with Alphonso Davies scoring in the 94th minute to secure a 1-1 draw. With a 3-2 aggregate win, Bayern advanced and will meet either Bayer Leverkusen or Atlético Madrid in the next round. Goal Fest in Portugal The most entertaining clash came from Benfica and Monaco, producing a thrilling 3-3 draw. With Benfica holding a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg, the match saw multiple lead changes. The Portuguese side took an early lead, but Monaco equalized before halftime. The French side then went ahead 2-1, only for Benfica to level from the penalty spot. Monaco struck again for a 3-2 advantage, but Benfica found another equalizer in the 84th minute. Thanks to their first-leg win, Benfica progressed on aggregate and will now face either Barcelona or Liverpool in the next round. You may be interested in: Santi Scored, but AC Milan Crashed Out of the Champions League Milan Falls at Home AC Milan failed to overturn their 1-0 first-leg defeat against Feyenoord. Despite an early goal from Santiago Giménez at San Siro, Milan was held to a 1-1 draw. Feyenoord secured a 2-1 aggregate victory and advanced to face either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the Round of 16. Cover photo: X (@SLBenfica)

AC Milan, despite Santiago Giménez’s goal just 34 seconds into the match, was eliminated from the Champions League after a 1-1 draw against Feyenoord. Theo Hernández’s red card made the comeback difficult, and the aggregate score ended 2-1. In the first second-leg match of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, AC Milan failed to overturn their 1-0 deficit against Feyenoord. Despite taking an early lead in the return leg with a goal from Santiago Giménez, the Dutch side equalized to secure a 1-1 draw, advancing to the Round of 16 with a 2-1 aggregate victory. Santi Stands Among the Best “Bebote” wasted no time making an impact at San Siro, scoring just 34 seconds into the match. Off a set-piece play from a corner, Christian Pulisic delivered a precise cross from the edge of the box. The ball reached Malick Thiaw at the far post, who headed it across for the Mexican striker to nod home against his former team. Out of respect, Giménez refrained from celebrating, but the home crowd and his teammates erupted in excitement. A Costly Red Card for the Rossoneri Milan pushed hard for a second goal throughout the first half but couldn’t extend their lead. Early in the second half, at the 53rd minute, Theo Hernández received a through ball from Rafael Leão but went down in the box under minimal contact, attempting to deceive the referee. The official was unimpressed and showed the Frenchman a second yellow card, reducing Milan to 10 men and shifting the momentum. With the numerical advantage, Feyenoord took control. Giménez was substituted in the 71st minute, and just two minutes later, Hugo Bueno delivered a perfect cross from the left wing to Julián Carranza, who headed it past the goalkeeper, leveling the match and securing Feyenoord’s place in the next round. Despite Milan’s desperate attempts to equalize, Feyenoord’s solid defense and Milan’s numerical disadvantage sealed their fate. As a result, Santi’s team was knocked out of the Champions League, while his former club advanced to the next stage. Cover photo: X (@acmilan)

Santiago Giménez once again proved decisive for AC Milan, scoring the winning goal against Hellas Verona in his starting debut at San Siro. After a quiet performance in Milan’s UEFA Champions League loss against his former club, Feyenoord, Santi Giménez bounced back in Serie A, making a statement in his first start at San Siro. In a match where Milan struggled to find the net, the Mexican striker stepped up to secure the victory. Santi Secures the Win for Milan AC Milan dominated the match but couldn’t find the breakthrough until Santi Giménez took matters into his own hands—twice. First, in the 33rd minute, Malick Thiaw delivered a long ball into space. Giménez controlled it brilliantly and slotted a low shot past the keeper. The San Siro erupted, but celebrations were cut short as the linesman raised his flag for offside, ruling out the goal. Undeterred, Giménez and Milan kept pushing, but it wasn’t until the 75th minute that they finally broke through. After a well-orchestrated team play, Álex Jiménez lofted a precise ball to Rafael Leão, who raced into the six-yard box. Facing the advancing keeper, Leão squared the ball for Giménez, who calmly tapped it in, securing Milan’s 1-0 victory. The San Siro erupted again, chanting “Giménez, Giménez!” in celebration. The ovation continued when the Mexican striker was subbed off in the 82nd minute and once more at full-time. With this goal, Santi Giménez is proving his worth at Milan, making an impact in three of his four matches with two goals and one assist. Cover photo: X (@acmilan) 

Arsenal has suffered a major blow this week as Kai Havertz sustained a hamstring injury during the team’s training camp in Dubai. The German forward will require surgery, ruling him out for the rest of the season with the Gunners. The Schedule to Blame Following the unfortunate news, Mikel Arteta described the injury as “a tough blow” and pointed fingers at the congested fixture schedule. The Arsenal manager emphasized that competing in the league, domestic cups, and international tournaments puts immense physical strain on players, making injuries inevitable—“a ticking time bomb.” An Injury Crisis in Arsenal’s Attack Havertz now joins a growing injury list, which already includes Gabriel Jesus (ACL tear), Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli. While Saka and Martinelli are expected to return in March or April, Arsenal now faces a serious crisis in their attacking options. Cover photo: X (@Arsenal)

The first leg of the UEFA Europa League playoffs saw key victories for Ajax, Real Sociedad, Ferencváros, Fenerbahce, FCSB, AZ, and Twente. Porto and Roma played to a draw. The second-leg matches will determine which teams advance to the Round of 16. In the opening round of the Europa League playoffs, Ajax gained an advantage over Union Saint-Gilloise with a 2-0 victory. Real Sociedad won 2-1 against Midtjylland, Ferencváros narrowly defeated Viktoria Plzen by 1-0, and Fenerbahce triumphed 3-0 against Anderlecht, where Chino Huerta started and was one of the most involved players for his team. Unfortunately, this was not enough, and the Belgian side is now on the brink of elimination from this European competition. In other results, FCSB won 2-1 against PAOK, who initially took the lead but saw the game turn after a red card before halftime. AZ also secured a big surprise, defeating Galatasaray 4-1, leaving the Turkish giant in a tough situation. The result was influenced by a red card at the 51st minute, as the score was 2-1 in favor of AZ at that point. Moving on to the most anticipated match, Porto and Roma played to a 1-1 draw. This game also featured a red card for the Italian side at the 72nd minute, but unlike the other two games, Porto couldn’t capitalize on the numerical advantage to secure the win. Finally, Twente defeated Bodo/Glimt 2-1 to take the lead. The second-leg matches of this competition will take place next Thursday, February 21, where we will find out which eight teams will qualify for the Round of 16, where they will face the top eight finishers from the group stage.