Fenerbahce,Benfica,Celtic Draw; Bodo/Glimt Win Champions League Play-offs

The UEFA Champions League playoff first legs saw Fenerbahce and Benfica play to a tense 0-0 draw in Istanbul, with Benfica's Florentino Luís receiving a red card that left his team with ten men for the final 20 minutes, though Fenerbahce failed to capitalize on the advantage. A disallowed late goal by Fenerbahce's Youssef En-Nesyri for offside maintained the stalemate, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the decisive second leg in Lisbon. Meanwhile, Celtic's hopes of advancing are precarious after a goalless draw at home against Kairat Almaty, who have impressed by navigating multiple qualifying rounds and aim for their first Champions League group stage appearance. Both matches highlighted strong defensive performances and limited clear scoring opportunities, setting up challenging second legs for the teams involved. Additionally, Bodø/Glimt took a significant step towards their maiden Champions League group stage appearance with a commanding 5-0 win over Sturm Graz. The upcoming return matches will be crucial in determining which clubs advance to the coveted Champions League group stage.