What to look out for in the Champions League play-off second legs | OneFootball

The first leg of the Champions League play-off round threw up plenty of surprises with several of Europe’s elite clubs at risk of elimination before the round of 16. 

With UEFA having scrapped the previous group stage format in favour of a league stage, and adding in more games, clubs who finished outside the top eight have had to participate in a two-legged play-off in order to reach the round of 16. 

Those taking part include the competition’s most successful ever side in Real Madrid, Serie A leaders Inter Milan, former finalists Atletico Madrid, and the current champions PSG. 

All would have been expected to sail through to the next round, but it certainly has not gone to plan for some. Here’s how things look going into the second-leg clashes. 

Can Inter turn it around against Bodo?

By far the most surprising result of the round saw Italian league leaders Inter beaten in Norway by overachieving Bodo/Glimt. 

Perhaps it should not be all that surprising given Bodo’s recent record. The Norwegian side beat Manchester City at home in the league stage round and picked up a memorable away win at Atletico Madrid too. 

They hold a 3-1 lead going into the game at San Siro, thanks to goals from Kasper Waarts Hogh, Jens Petter Hauge and Sondre Brunstad Fet. 

The only negative for Kjetil Knutsen’s side was conceding to a Francesco Esposito strike, giving Inter hopes of a comeback, but it certainly will not be easy. 

PSG’s comeback puts them in command

Reigning Champions League winners PSG drew fellow French opposition Monaco in the play-off round. Luis Enrique’s side were phenomenal on their way to the trophy last season, demolishing Inter in the final. 10bet – now offering a brand new Casino welcome bonus – still has them among the favourites to win the competition. 

But it certainly did not all go to plan for the French giants in the first leg. They found themselves 2-0 down in Monaco before coming back to win 3-2 thanks to a double from Desire Doue and an Achraf Hakimi goal. 

They should have enough in the return leg in Paris to go through, but it is certainly narrower than most expected. 

Real’s narrow win overshadowed by racism allegations

Not many people are discussing the state of Real Madrid and Benfica’s hopes of qualifying for the round of 16 because of what happened in the first leg, when Vinicius Junior alleged he had been racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, which the Argentinian has denied. 

The game itself became secondary after those unsavoury scenes in Portugal. There will be plenty of noise around the second leg for other reasons than the football going into the game, but on the pitch, there is still plenty to play for and Real’s ambitions of advancing are far from guaranteed. 

Club Brugge impress against Atletico

Atletico Madrid might not be the fearsome side they once were but they certainly would have been expected to go through against Club Brugge. 

Their hopes hang in the balance, however, following a thrilling 3-3 draw in Belgium and Diego Simeone’s side know they are in for a fiercely contested battle to advance.