FC Porto Players Burst Into Celebrations Midflight After Atletico Madrid's Dramatic UCL Exit

• Porto players erupted into wild celebration in a plane after learning they had qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League
• They join their domestic counterparts Benfica in the knockout stages of Europe’s elite football competition
• Their game on Tuesday ended in a 4-0 win over Club Brugge, but they still needed Atletico Madrid to drop points

FC Porto players resorted to an all-out celebration mid-flight, after learning they had qualified for the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, October 26.

The Portuguese giants were comfortable 4-0 winners over Club Brugge in the early kick-off in Group B, but still needed the other result to go their way to ensure progression.

Their win piled more pressure on group rivals Atletico Madrid, who knew they had to win against Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen to have any hopes of going through, as Porto sat with nine points in the group.

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Drama at Civitas Metropolitano

As reported by Daily Mail, Atletico’s game against Leverkusen was the epitome of drama, as the Colchoneros came twice from behind after the German side twice went ahead through Moussa Diaby and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Yannick Carrasco and Rodrigo de Paul both found the net to restore parity, and the home side got a chance to take a win after the referee called back a penalty after the final whistle.

Carrasco stepped up to take it but it was expertly saved, while the follow-up from Saul Niguez was a whisker too high.

A video shared by Relevo on Twitter has since emerged, showing Porto players breaking into celebration after the drama that unfolded at the Wanda Metropolitano.

In the video, the players can be seen following proceedings from a device and at full time, they all jump with joy after Carrasco’s missed penalty.

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The result means Atletico cannot qualify for the last 16, as they now sit four points behind Sergio Conceicao's side with just one game to go.

Barca fans cry for Messi’s return

Elsewhere, Sports Brief reported on Barcelona fans' discontent after the club crashed out of the Champions League.

Defeat to Bayern Munich sealed the Catalan giants’ fate, and fans noted an interesting pattern in the club since Messi left in 2021.

Since the departure of the Argentine, Barcelona have failed to go past the group stage in Europe’s elite competition.