BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - FEBRUARY 18: Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's fifth goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Qarabag FK and Newcastle United FC at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Newcastle were the big winners in the first leg games of the Champions League play-offs(Image: Christian Kaspar-Bartke - UEFA, UEFA via Getty Images)
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The teams who have qualified for the Round of 16 phase of the Champions League are one step closer to discovering their next opponents following the first games of the play-offs.
Sixteen teams competed across Tuesday and Wednesday night for a spot in the next round of the tournament including Newcastle, the only Premier League side who failed to automatically qualify for the last 16. Eddie Howe's men will surely advance, though, after racking up the biggest win of the matchweek against Qarabag.
The Magpies thrashed their opponents 6-1 to chalk up an unassailable lead ahead of next week's return leg on Tyneside. They already know their reward for getting through will be a clash with either Barcelona or Chelsea.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are the other Premier League clubs who finished in the top eight of the league phase and already through.
And while it may be too soon to start nailing down any concrete plans ahead of next week's second leg ties, some have a better idea of what lies ahead.
Arsenal, for example, know they will play one of Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Olympiacos or Bayer Leverkusen. After the first leg ties, Dortmund and Leverkusen are in pole position to advance after winning their respective games 2-0.
Vinicius Junior scored Real Madrid's winner against Benfica(Image: Getty Images)
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Liverpool and Spurs will play the victors of the Galatasaray vs Juventus and Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid clashes. The Turkish giants thrashed Juventus 5-2 ahead of next week's decisive fixture in Turin, while Brugge and Atletic are all square after a 3-3 thriller.
Manchester City could face Real Madrid in the next round after they beat Benfica 1-0 away in a game which was overshadowed by the alleged racist abuse Vinicius Junior was subjected to. Bodo/Glimt and Inter Milan are their other potential opponents, with Bodo taking a 3-1 aggregate lead to the Italian capital.
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