club brugge vs atlético madrid ends 3-3 as hosts fight back to leave tie delicately poised
Club Brugge staged a dramatic recovery to draw 3-3 with Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, leaving the tie wide open ahead of next week's return in Madrid. The hosts twice came from behind and salvaged a late equaliser through Christos Tzolis, capping a roller-coaster night at the Jan Breydelstadion.
Match report: momentum swings and late drama
Atleti arrived in Belgium looking to seize control early and did just that, taking a two-goal lead before half-time. Julián Álvarez converted a penalty after a defensive mishit in the Brugge box, and Ademola Lookman bundled in a second just before the break to give the visitors what looked like a comfortable cushion.
The second half belonged to Brugge. Raphael Onyedika halved the deficit almost immediately after the restart, prodding home to reignite the home crowd. Nicolò Tresoldi then levelled around the hour mark with a composed finish, getting across his marker to steer the ball beyond Jan Oblak and turn the tie on its head.
Atlético fought back late. Alexander Sørloth came off the bench and forced pressure that led to Joel Ordóñez turning the ball into his own net on 79 minutes, a sucker-punch for the Belgians that looked certain to send Atleti back to Madrid with an advantage. Yet Brugge were not finished: Christos Tzolis lashed in an 89th-minute strike to restore parity and ensure the shootout to decide the tie will shift to the Spanish capital level on aggregate.
Turning points and tactical takeaways
Atlético’s bright opening was undone by a combination of game management and Brugge’s relentless response after the interval. The visitors had sat deeper after taking the lead, allowing Brugge to grow into the game and build momentum. Atlético’s decision to introduce Sørloth swung possession and territory back toward them, and his direct presence caused the defensive scramble that produced the own goal.
For Brugge, resilience and quick transitional play made the difference. Their goals came from high-tempo, direct moments: Onyedika’s instinctive finish, Tresoldi’s intelligent movement to exploit space, and Tzolis’s late poise to cap a sustained spell of pressure. Atleti’s defensive setup showed vulnerability when asked to control the wide channels and handle late surges into the box.
Goalkeeping moments mattered, too. Jan Oblak was busy across long periods and faced a barrage of shots; the match highlighted how small lapses can reshape a knockout tie. Conversely, the hosts’ set pieces and forward runs repeatedly troubled the visitors, suggesting Brugge can take belief into the second leg.
What it means for the return leg
The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24 at 3: 00 PM ET in Madrid, and both sides head into that fixture with reasons to be confident. Atlético will feel they missed an opportunity to carry a clearer advantage home, but they still have a chance to control the tie on their own turf. Brugge leave with a morale-boosting result and a belief that they can upset a heavyweight in two-legged European ties.
The winners of the tie will progress to face a side eliminated from the group stage knockout path in the last 16. With a split aggregate after this entertaining first chapter, Tuesday's rematch promises a high-stakes, tactical battle where fine margins will decide which team advances.
From a competitive perspective, this was the kind of first leg that underlines why two-legged ties remain compelling: momentum swung repeatedly, individual moments altered the balance, and neither side could secure control. Madrid will be expected to respond, but Brugge have shown they are capable of producing moments that can unsettle even the most experienced opponents.
