On February 18 and 19, 2025, the second-leg matches of the Champions League playoff round delivered an intense spectacle, full of surprises and confirmations. Real Madrid dominated Manchester City with a stunning performance from Kylian Mbappé, who scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory (6-3 on aggregate). Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven pulled off an upset by eliminating Juventus, thanks to an impressive team effort that stunned the Italian favorites.
Other teams also shined, such as Bayern Munich, who secured qualification after a 1-1 draw against Celtic, benefiting from their first-leg advantage (3-2 on aggregate). Borussia Dortmund played it safe, preserving their 3-0 lead from the first leg against Sporting Lisbon, settling for a goalless draw to advance. Feyenoord caused another surprise by knocking out AC Milan with a 1-1 draw, which was enough after their 1-0 first-leg win.
This playoff round saw the early elimination of several Italian clubs, including Juventus, AC Milan, Bologna, and Atalanta, leaving their fans disappointed. On the other hand, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich confirmed their status as favorites, while underdogs like PSV and Feyenoord proved that anything is possible in the Champions League. The Round of 16 now promises thrilling matchups ahead!
