The UEFA Champions League playoffs saw two teams secure their places in the league phase of the newly formatted competition. Switzerland’s Young Boys, after a 3-2 victory in the first leg, defeated Galatasaray 1-0 in the second leg to secure a 4-2 aggregate win. The decisive goal came from Young Boys forward Alan Virginius in the 87th minute.
Meanwhile, Czech champion Sparta Prague secured a 4-0 aggregate win over Sweden’s Malmo with a 2-0 victory in the second leg. Lukas Haraslin opened the scoring for Sparta in the 80th minute from the penalty spot and then set up Albion Rrahmani for the second goal three minutes later. This marks the first time Sparta has qualified for the Champions League since 2005.
RB Salzburg also progressed to the league phase, despite a 1-1 draw at home against Dynamo Kyiv. Salzburg had won the first leg 2-0, giving them a comfortable lead going into the return leg.
The new Champions League format features a 36-team league phase, replacing the traditional group stage. Teams will play eight matches, four at home and four away, against different opponents. The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the last 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will compete in a playoff round.
The Champions League league phase draw will take place on Thursday, with the first matchday scheduled for September 17-19.
