#champions-league-play-off

#champions-league-play-off

Atalanta came from behind to beat the Scudetto holders, with Lazar Samardzic's 81st-minute winner extending their unbeaten run in the top-flight to nine matches (W7 D2). Sam Beukema's header had given Napoli the lead in the 18th minute, only for Mario Pasalic's 50th Serie A strike to haul Atalanta level just after the hour mark. Samardzic combined with fellow substitute Lorenzo Bernasconi for the winning goal, sealing a first home win over Napoli in the Italian top-flight since February 2021 (4-2).

Fenerbahce were unable to capitalise on Florentino's second-half red card as they played out a goalless draw with Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League play-off. Florentino was dismissed in the 71st minute for an accumulation of two yellow cards in the space of 138 seconds, but Benfica held firm in his absence in Istanbul. It leaves the tie finely poised heading into the second leg, which takes place next Wednesday in Lisbon.

Having asserted themselves from the off, Celtic were well-contained by Kairat, who saw Edmilson's goal-bound header cleared by Kieran Tierney at the back post. Celtic then thought they had fallen behind in the 11th minute after Alyaksandr Martynovich had the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside. The Scottish champions struggled to break a resilient Kairat down, with the Bhoys dealt a blow after the half-hour mark when Alistair Johnston was stretchered off with an injury.