Newcastle United and Bayer 04 Leverkusen have both booked their spots in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 after decisive wins in their respective play-off ties.
Newcastle overcame Qarabağ FK 3-2 at St James’ Park in the second leg. Goals from Sandro Tonali (4'), Guilherme Cassio de Lira (6'), and Sven Botman (52') secured the win, while Camilo Duran (50') and Alvin Seferkliyev (57') scored for Qarabağ.
With a 6-1 first-leg victory, Newcastle progressed with a 9-3 aggregate triumph, confirming their return to Europe’s last 16.
Bayer Leverkusen secured their qualification with a 0-0 draw at home against Olympiacos FC at the BayArena. Having won 2-0 in the first leg, Leverkusen’s aggregate success was never in doubt.
Coach Casper Højlmand relied on striker Patrik Schick to maintain the edge, while Olympiacos manager José Luis Mendilibar fielded Moroccan forward Ayoub El Kaabi in an attempt to snatch a surprise result, but was unable to alter the outcome.
Both clubs now join the growing list of teams confirmed for the knockout stages, setting the stage for thrilling clashes in Europe’s elite competition.
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