UCL: Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge — 3-3 Thriller Sets Up Rematch

Atletico Madrid's 2-0 lead evaporates as Club Brugge fight back for 3-3 draw in Belgium

Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge played out a pulsating 3-3 draw in the Champions League knockout play-off first leg, setting up an intense rematch in Madrid.

Diego Simeone's tactical switch paid off momentarily, but Sørloth's...

Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge delivered a six-goal thriller, drawing 3-3 in a wild Champions League knockout play-off first leg. Diego Simeone's side had reason to be nervous in Belgium, given Brugge's strong European home form and their own struggles against the Blauw-Zwart.

However, they took just seven minutes to the end that latter run, after Joaquin Seys was penalised for handball inside the box following a VAR review.

From the subsequent penalty, Julián Alvarez confidently beat a motionless Simon Mignolet.

Nevertheless, the hosts’ response was encouraging, and Atleti were indebted to Jan Oblak for pushing away Nicolò Tresoldi’s speculative strike from distance amidst a sustained spell of pressure.

Oblak was then called into another fine save to keep out Raphael Onyedika’s long-range effort, but the LaLiga side doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time. Antoine Griezmann flicked on Marcos Llorente's corner, and Ademola Lookman turned the ball home from point-blank range.

The 2-0 scoreline was a harsh reflection on Brugge’s first-half endeavours, but they halved the deficit seven minutes after the restart thanks to Onyedika.

He was alert to a loose ball inside the box after Oblak made a superb stop to keep out Tresoldi’s initial header, applying a poacher’s finish to prod the ball over the line. 

A remarkable turnaround was then complete just past the hour mark when Tresoldi's outstretched leg poked Mamadou Diakhon’s cross past Oblak.

Diego Simeone's tactical switch paid off momentarily, but Sørloth's header hit the bar, leaving Atleti still chasing the win.

A dramatic night in Bruges 🎢#UCL pic.twitter.com/chqKNChnL1

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 18, 2026

The Norwegian was proving to be a handful for the Brugge defence and played a key role in Atleti regaining their lead. Joel Ordóñez panicked with the frontman in close proximity, and inadvertently diverted Llorente’s cross into his own net.

But just when Ivan Leko’s men looked to be heading towards an undeserved defeat, Christos Tzolis' brilliant angled finish ensured the aggregate score remained level before next Tuesday’s second leg in Madrid.

Club Brugge's unbeaten run against Spanish teams now stands at six games (2 wins, 4 draws), while Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid will be thinking about what could've been, given their recent struggles on the road (1 win, 3 draws, 1 loss in last 5 games).