Champions League Round of 16 Delivers Historic Upsets as Underdogs Advance

The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 concluded with one of the most dramatic nights in recent tournament history, as three major underdogs secured their places in the quarterfinals by eliminating heavily favored opponents across Europe.

The biggest shock came at the Allianz Arena, where FC Porto completed a stunning aggregate victory over Bayern Munich with a 2-1 win in the second leg, advancing 4-2 on aggregate. Brazilian midfielder Pepê scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute, sending the Portuguese side through to their first Champions League quarterfinal since 2019.

"This is why we love football," said Porto manager Conceição after the match. "We believed from the first minute that we could compete with any team in this tournament. Tonight proved that passion and tactics can overcome individual talent."

In another major upset, Brighton & Hove Albion eliminated AC Milan at San Siro with a composed 1-0 victory, winning 3-1 on aggregate in their debut Champions League campaign. Japanese striker Kaoru Mitoma scored the only goal of the night, capping off a remarkable European run for the English Premier League side.

The night's third upset saw Sporting CP knock out Atlético Madrid in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in Lisbon leveled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate. Goalkeeper Antonio Adán saved two penalties in the shootout, including Diego Simeone's final attempt, to send the Portuguese champions through.

Meanwhile, the tournament favorites largely held serve elsewhere. Manchester City cruised past Napoli with a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium, while Real Madrid secured their quarterfinal spot with a professional 2-0 win over RB Leipzig. Barcelona also advanced comfortably, defeating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 at Camp Nou to complete a 6-2 aggregate victory.

The unexpected results have completely reshuffled the betting odds for the Champions League title, with several bookmakers now offering shorter odds on Porto and Brighton than they did on the eliminated giants just 24 hours ago.

The quarterfinal draw will take place this Friday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with the remaining eight teams learning their fate for the next stage of Europe's premier club competition. The quarterfinal matches are scheduled for April 8-9 and April 15-16.