Wednesday, February 18th
23:03 CET - What a couple of nights of Champions League action. From Galatasaray's 5-2 win over Juventus to Bodo/Glimt's heroics tonight, we have seen it all.
Shall we do it again next week?
23:00 CET - And it's all over in Greece, where it's been smooth sailing for Bayer Leverkusen, who have Patrick Schick to thank for their 2-0 first-leg win.
The Czech striker netted twice in three minutes during the second half to give his side a commanding lead ahead of Tuesday's return tie against Olympiacos.
22:56 CET - Well, who had a six-goal thriller in Brugge tonight? Atleti had a two-goal lead heading into half-time, but Club Brugge battled hard in the second half to take the tie back to Madrid next Tuesday, all square at 3-3.
22:52 CET - Meanwhile, it's all over in Norway, where Bodo/Glimt's fairytale run is not stopping as they have dismantled Inter on a cold night in the Arctic Circle, winning the first leg 3-1 and giving themselves a great buffer heading to the San Siro next week.
22:51 CET - Club Brugge have parity once again! It's been a thriller tonight in Belgium, and it's looks like the tie heads back to Madrid next week all square as Christos Tzolis has netted for the hosts to make it 3-3 late on against Atletico Madrid!
22:44 CET - They may still be trailing 3-1 to Bodo/Glimt, but there is some cheer for Inter, as AC Milan have dropped points in the Serie A title race as they drew 1-1 at home to Como tonight.
Rafael Leao rescued a point for the hosts with a 64th-minute strike, but it's still a disappointing night for the Milan side.
22:39 CET - Atletico Madrid fans, welcome back. After throwing away a two-goal lead, Diego Simeone's men are back in front with an own goal from Joel Ordonez giving them a 3-2 lead. Still 12 minutes to play in Belgium, so time for Club Brugge to find another leveller.
22:33 CET - After a quiet start, Bayer Leverkusen are firing now! It's Patrik Schick again, he has his second of the night at Olympiacos to put his side two up with 30 minutes to play.
22:28 CET - Let's take a breath and update you on the solitary Premier League game tonight. Arsenal were 2-0 up thanks to a rare Piero Hincapie goal, but Wolves have struck back since to halve the arrears - Hugo Bueno with their effort.
22:26 CET - Goals galore in the Champions League. Bayer Leverkusen have taken the lead at Olympiacos, and it's the ever-reliable Patrik Schick who has popped up with the game's opener.
22:22 CET - We have lift-off in Bodo! Just three minutes after making it 2-1, Kasper Hogh taps into an open goal to put his side well on top against Inter!
Meanwhile, Club Brugge are putting up a great fight against Atletico Madrid. They were 2-0 down at the break, but a goal from Nicolo Tresoldi now sees the Belgians level just after the hour mark.
22:18 CET - Bodo/Glimt back in front! In-form striker Jens Hauge, who netted in the win over Manchester City, has another, putting his side 2-1 up against Inter with a rifled effort that Yann Sommer was powerless to stop.
22:14 CET - Club Brugge are back in the contest. The Belgian side have started the second half well, and have their reward with Raphael Onyedika netting for the hosts to make it 2-1 against Atletico Madrid.
22:11 CET - Back underway across Europe, as we await more goals. In Norway, Inter have hit the post from a scuffed Lautaro Martinez effort.
21:56 CET - A belated half-time whistle in Greece after eight minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half, as Olympiacos and Bayer Leverkusen go down the tunnel goalless.
The hosts thought they had the lead through Mehdi Taremi at the end of the first 45 minutes, only for VAR to intervene and rule it out for offside.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid are two goals to the good at Club Brugge to put them in control of the tie, whilst it's very much alive north of the Arctic Circle as Bodo/Glimt and Inter go into the interval at 1-1.
21:49 CET - On the stroke of half-time, Atletico Madrid have doubled their lead against Club Brugge, with Ademola Lookman netting his third goal in five games for the LaLiga side.
21:36 CET - We are focusing on the Champions League tonight, but there is a big game in Serie A this evening as AC Milan look to catch their city rivals at the top of the table.
That task has hit a roadblock this evening, however, as Como are leading 1-0 at the San Siro thanks to a goal from their talisman, Nico Paz.
21:30 CET - It's been coming, and Inter have their equaliser. A ball from the right eventually falls at the feet of Francesco Pio Esposito, who makes no mistake with the close-range finish to make it 1-1 at Bodo/Glimt.
21:26 CET - It was nearly level in Bodo, as a shot falls to wing-back Matteo Darmian, but he can only hit the post from close range - it's the closest Inter have come in the opening quarter of the game.
21:21 CET - Bodo/Glimt hit the front against Inter! A lovely flowing move down the middle of the pitch is finished off with composure by Sondre Fet to send the stadium into raptures. Problems, already, for last season's finalists.
21:09 CET - First blood to Atletico Madrid! They are in front against Club Brugge thanks to a penalty from Julian Alvarez.
He has been prolific in the competition, and now has scored 12 goals in 18 UEFA Champions League games for Atletico Madrid, and is now already their second top scorer in the competition (only behind Antoine Griezmann - 39 goals in 91 games).
21:06 CET - A quiet start in the Champions League, but not for Arsenal in the Premier League, as Bukayo Saka - having just signed a new contract - has given his side the lead in the sixth minute against Wolves after good work from Declan Rice.
21:00 CET - Here we go then, we are underway from the Arctic Circle to the outskirts of Athens - what do we have in store tonight?
20:41 CET - It's all over in Azerbaijan, where Newcastle have all but secured their spot in the next round with a 6-1 victory.
One match down, three to go.
20:25 CET - Over in Belgium in just over 30 minutes, Club Brugge will play host to Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone has made it abundantly clear that the Champions League is his priority, playing a second-string side in LaLiga at the weekend, so he has a lot resting on tonight.
20:18 CET - It's been a much-improved second-half performance from Qarabag, but Newcastle have scored again nonetheless, with Jacob Murphy cutting inside from the right and curling in a lovely effort from outside the box, with the help of a slight deflection.
20:03 CET - Qarabag have pulled one bag through Elvin Cafarquliyev to make it 5-1.
19:54 CET - With the clash in Baku already done and dusted, we can begin to turn our attention to the rest of tonight's games.
In Norway, Inter will surely face a tougher test than Newcastle have, with freezing temperatures awaiting them along with a Bodo/Glimt side that have beaten Atletico Madrid and Manchester City in their last two matches.
Here's how the sides line up:
19:40 CET - What a half that was from Newcastle. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about is that the Premier League side easily could have scored more than five goals, with them creating 10 big chances.
19:32 CET - It's five for Newcastle and four for Gordon! Just before the break, the English forward has scored his second penalty of the night to pile the misery on Qarabag.
No player has ever scored more than five goals in a Champions League clash, but Gordon is well in with a chance of doing so now.
19:18 CET - We're witnessing a real battering in Baku, with Gordon converting a penalty to make it 3-0 and then completing his hat-trick almost straight from kick-off!
It's fair to say that this tie is already over after just 34 minutes.
18:57 CT - 2-0! Malick Thiaw has doubled the Magpies' lead before the 10-minute mark, heading in to put his side firmly in the driving seat.
18:48 CET - What a start for Newcastle! The Champions League anthem has barely stopped playing and they're ahead already!
Anthony Gordon has given them the lead after just three minutes, getting in behind and firing in after a great run and through ball from Dan Burn.
18:04 CET - The lineups are in for the game between Qarabag and Newcastle, and the big news is that German striker Nick Woltemade looks set to play as a number 10 with Anthony Gordon up top.
17:56 CET - Hello and welcome back to Flashscore's coverage of this week's Champions League action!
The final first legs of the tournament's playoffs will take place tonight, with some of Europe's clubs all negotiating tough trips.
At 21:00 CET, last year's finalists Inter will travel to the Arctic Circle to take on Bodo/Glimt, while Atletico Madrid will go up against Belgian giants Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen will take on Olympiacos in Athens.
First up though, Azerbaijani side Qarabag will play host to Newcastle, with the clash kicking off in just under an hour.
Tuesday, February 17th
23:17 CET - That brings an end to tonight's first-leg action in the Champions League playoffs, but be sure to return for more first-leg match-ups tomorrow from 18:45 CET.
Catch up on all the results and see tomorrow's matches here!
23:12 CET - Finally, Borussia Dortmund got the job done in the first half as the German giants held on to defeat Atalanta 2-0 in their home leg. The job isn't done yet - they still have to go to Bergamo and cop with a challenging home crowd.
23:03 CET - It is all over in Lisbon, and a fiery night with more than its fair share of controversy and incidents has come to an end.
It is Real who return to Madrid with the 1-0 advtange but the headlines will rightly go to a disturbing incident in which the match winner claimed to be racially abused by a Benfica player.
When these teams played just a few weeks ago, it was a night in which the football did all the talking in a chaotic and dramatic match for all the right reasons. Sadly, tonight's incident between the same teams leaves sadness in the air after an incident that goes way beyond the world of football.
22:55 CET - PSG are in pole position against Monaco after taking a 3-2 lead back to Paris ahead of next week's second leg. The holders came from two goals down to turn the match around after an inspired performance by Desire Doue off the bench.
22:45 CET - The least surprising drama of the evening comes from Lisbon as Jose Mourinho has received a second yellow and is sent to the stands - not for the first time in his career!
22:40 CET - It is Benfica who are now the side pushing for a way back into this tie, but Vinicius Junior's goal at the moment remains a decisive one for the visitors who will be more than happy to take a 1-0 lead back to Madrid.
22:30 CET - Super-sub Desire Doue has done it again! After coming on early on with PSG 2-0 down, Doue has turned the match on its head in Monaco.
The French international has now scored his second of the night after a brilliant low-driven strike into the bottom corner after receiving the ball on the edge of the box.
What a talent.
22:15 CET - Real Madrid's goal has been overshadowed by a shocking incident in which Vini Jr. claims to have been racially abused by young Argentine forward Gianluca Prestianni.
After a 10-minute delay, the match has now resumed and it looks like the incident will be reported to the relevant authorities, and Prestianni will face potential punishment at a later date.
A deeply disturbing incident that has taken away from what should have been a magical moment for a world-class player.
What a shame. A surprise? Sadly, not.
22:10 CET - WHAT A GOAL BY VINICIUS JUNIOR! After all those great first half chances from close range, it is a worldie by Vinicius Junior who curls a strike into the top corner brilliantly. Stunning strike from a special player under the UCL lights.
22:08 CET - What started as a dream night for Monaco is turning into a nightmare after VAR ruled Aleksandr Golovin should be sent off. That is a long time to play with 10 men!
22:05 CET - Ready for another 45 minutes of drama in these thrilling Champions League playoffs? It is time!
21:58 CET - Minutes before the break in Germany, Maximilian Beier has fired Dortmund into a 2-0 lead over Atalanta. BVB are in a commanding position now, but there is plenty of the tie to go!
21:49 CET - Well, it’s safe to say, our attention has been stuck on Monaco, where the Champions League holders, PSG, and their hosts are locked at 2-2 at the break, in what has been a thrilling contest.
Over in Lisbon, there’s less to report: It’s goalless at half-time between Benfica and Real Madrid. The hosts edged the early stages, but Real grew into the game and dominated the end of the half.
Dortmund lead 1-0 Atalanta in the other match, which is 15 minutes behind the others.
21:42 CET - The champions are back. It's now 2-2 in Monaco, with Achraf Hakimi firing in their second, putting them back on terms. Some game, and some comeback!
21:29 CET - I take that back... Desire Doue has scored almost immediately after coming on! That is either just incredible timing or unbelievable management. Either way, they'll take it - it's 2-1 to Monaco now.
21:28 CET - And now, Ousmane Dembele is off for PSG, replaced by Desire Doue... Is he injured? He looks to be hobbling just slightly, but still, this is not going to plan for the visitors at all...
21:23 CET - It's all happening down in Monaco, PSG have now missed a penalty taken by Vitinha. Some save from Philipp Kohn, too. Will Luis Enrique's side rue that miss?
21:19 CET - Folarin Balogun has done it again! Monaco are 2-0 up against the reigning champions, PSG. What an incredible start in the Principality.
21:17 CET - Dortmund have scored very early, too! Serhou Guirassy has put the hosts 1-0 up against Atalanta after just two minutes. Dream start.
21:13 CET - The players are now coming out in Germany for the match between Dortmund and Atalanta, which was delayed due to some traffic issues. That will start imminently.
21:02 CET - Oh my, we have a goal in Monaco already! Folarin Balogun has put the hosts into a 1-0 lead over PSG, and it was an astonishingly easy goal, too. Pressure on the Parisians, they have been stung early.
21:01 CET - We are underway in Lisbon and in Monaco, but, in case you missed it, Dortmund's match with Atalanta is slightly delayed.
20:50 CET - We are just 10 minutes away from kick-off in three big games in the Champions League playoffs.
An interesting fact to bring you is that Kylian Mbappe is just one assist away from 25 in this competition.
Could tonight be the night Real's Galactico does it?
20:38 CET - What an incredible win by five-star Galatasaray! The Turkish champions were behind at one stage (a point in the match that feels like a lifetime ago), but they turned on the style in an utterly brilliant second half display.
Yes, it is fair to say Juventus imploded but Galatasaray took full advantage to produce a spectacular performance and ruthless 5-2 victory to give themselves a great chance of making the last-16.
A memorable night in Istanbul.
20:33 CET - IT IS 5! I can't quite believe I am typing this, but the home side now lead Juventus 5-2 in what is turning into an incredible attacking display from the hosts! It was intelligent hold-up play by Osimhen to send Sacha Boey through on goal, and it was a bullet strike from Sacha Boey into the top corner. Beautiful strike.
20:25 CET - We are getting close to Galatasaray wrapping this up now!
The Turkish champions now lead Juventus 4-2 after an incredible closing down by centre forward Victor Osimhen prevented Juventus from playing it out from the back and Noa Lang had the simple job tap-in from a yard out!
Juventus are also down to 10-men after Cabral's half-time substitution went badly wrong and resulted in him seeing a second yellow in a dismal 20 minutes for the young full-back.
20:10 CET - Ready for some team news from tonight's late games?
The big news from the headline match in Lisbon between Benfica and Real Madrid is that Alvaro Arbeola starts Trent Alexander-Arnold after the full-back started against Real Sociedad in LaLiga last weekend on his return from injury.
In the all-French clash between Monaco and PSG, meanwhile, Luis Enrique has made the big call to start Bradley Barcola whilst leaving teenage sensation Desrie Doue on the bench after a difficult patch for the French international.
20:05 CET - The drama continues in Istanbul! Galatasaray have come from behind to take a 3-2 lead after a brilliant set-piece goal! The home side had a free-kick out on the right side in a perfect position to whip in a teasing cross and that is exactly what Gabriel Sara did.
The brilliant Brazilian's whipped delivery was deftly flicked on and into the back of the net by Davinson Sanchez.
19:55 CET - WHAT A START TO THE SECOND HALF! Noa Lang has scored his first goal for Galatasaray, tapping home to make it 2-2. What a game it has been.
19:51 CET - The second half is underway, and hopefully these 45 minutes are a lot like the first!
19:35 CET - It is half time in Istanbul, and what a 45 minutes it has been. Both teams have gone for it, and the game has been played in fast-forward. However, Juve have capitalised on some errors from Galatasaray, who have been consistently caught on the counterattack, and lead 2-1.
19:18 CET - What an absolute stunner from Teun Koopmeiners! The Dutchman has pinged in an incredible strike for his second of the game to give Juventus the lead, and Galatasaray have work to do now.
19:02 CET - Would you believe it... Juventus have equalised just a minute later, with Teun Koopmeiners tapping into an empty net. What a start!
19:01 CET - Galatasaray have taken the lead, and it is Gabriel Sara who has capitalised on some sloppy Juventus defending to slot home brilliantly! Advantage to the Turkish side.
18:57 CET - It has been a good start for both teams, with the contest being played at some intensity so far. However, no real clear-cut chances yet.
18:45 CET - Right then, we are underway in Istanbul! This could be a cracker!
17:40 CET - The lineups are in for today's early match between Galatasaray and Juventus in Istanbul, which kicks off at 18:45 CET.
With Jonathan David, Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik all injured, Luciano Spalletti has set Juve up with no recognised striker today, but plenty of skill with Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao on the flanks.
For Gala, Victor Osimhen starts up top with Noa Lang off the left, but Mario Lemina is suspended, which is a blow to the hosts. Star winger Leroy Sane starts on the bench, as he's not fully fit.
Follow the match with LIVE commentary here.
16:40 CET - Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the Champions League playoffs. There are eight matches to look forward to over the next two evenings in the first legs of a two-legged playoff to decide the final eight teams in the Champions League Round of 16.
Getting the playoffs underway this evening is Galatasaray against Juventus from Istanbul in the first leg of a fascinating tie.
Juventus are the favourites after enjoying a higher finish in the league phase and ending the campaign with three points more than Galatasaray. However, it is the Turkish champions who are the side in form and with talisman striker Victor Osimhen fit and enjoying a purple patch, the hosts have every chance of giving themselves some hope heading to Turin.
Follow it LIVE from 18:45 CET with Flashscore.
Later this evening, Jose Mourinho's Benfica host Alvaro Abreloa's Real Madrid in part two of master vs apprentice in the headline tie from three matches underway at 21:00 CET.
Read our full preview of that clash here.
Elsewhere at 21:00 CET, Monaco host PSG in an all-Ligue 1 affair and Dortmund face Atalanta in a clash impossible to call.