Fans of Real Madrid have on Monday taken to social media in their droves, to make clear once more their grievances with the standard of officiating in La Liga.

This comes owing to developments in Barcelona’s meeting with Rayo Vallecano.
The Blaugrana are of course currently locked in action, having welcomed Rayo to Catalunya’s capital for the final fixture of the La Liga gameweek.

On the stroke of the interval, Rayo Vallecano saw what looked set to be an equaliser ruled out by VAR.
This comes after Randy Nteka was adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position, in blocking the path of Iñigo Martínez.

The visitors were left dumbfounded by the call, albeit with many others having since made clear their feelings that the correct call was made.
This was not all, though.
Rayo Vallecano also saw a pair of penalty shouts go unanswered, for pushing and pulling inside the Barcelona penalty area.
This comes despite the Blaugrana themselves having taken the lead from the spot after a similar action at the other end.
And one set of fans who have been left nothing short of fuming with such developments are those of a Real Madrid persuasion.

After Los Blancos were left seething with the officiating in their weekend draw with Osasuna, they have again flooded to social media, to take aim at both those in charge at Montjuïc this evening, and La Liga as a whole.

Big-name players from Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham are among the Premier League stars who won’t be available until the 2025-26 season.
The sheer amount of games played by top-flight clubs these days has increased the amount of long-term injuries suffered by footballers.

We’ve trawled through the injury lists of every Premier League club and picked out nine stars who will be missing until next year.

Amad Diallo

Diallo is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with ankle ligament damage picked up in training.

The Manchester United forward, who has quickly become one of Ruben Amorim’s most important players, has scored six goals in his past 14 games.
“Extremely disappointed to be writing this message in such a crucial time of the season,” Diallo said in his Instagram post.
“Unfortunately, I will be out for some time with an injury. I will come back stronger than ever!! Time to support the boys from the outside.
“Still loads to play for.”

Kai Havertz

Havertz will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s Dubai training camp this month.
The Premier League club say the 25-year-old will require surgery and is expected to continue his rehabilitation into pre-season for the 2025-26 campaign.

Havertz’s absence will leave the north Londoners without a recognised striker for the remainder of this season.
Luckily, Mikel Merino has already stepped into the breach with two goals against Leicester…

Lisandro Martinez

Martinez sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Crystal Palace earlier this month and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
But one positive for Manchester United came with the news that the defender’s knee surgery was successful.
“Today, after going through several stormy days where I allowed myself to feel and accept my sadness, helplessness, insecurities, fears, and a deep emotional imbalance, I am reconnecting with my essence and my values, which help me see things from a kinder and more positive perspective,” he wrote on Instagram.
“The surgery went perfectly. Now it’s time to give it my all, with heart and soul, in the rehabilitation process.”

Rodri

Rodri has been absent since September with an ACL injury, during which Manchester City have lost their sheen of invincibility and will finish in the top four at best.

Pep Guardiola said the midfielder was ‘irreplaceable’ during last season’s title run-in, in which City pipped Arsenal to win their fourth consecutive league title.
“Unfortunately we got the worst (news) but these things happen,” Guardiola said. “We will be there to support him in his recovery step-by-step.

“What he gives us, we don’t have a similar player.
“But the others can all together replace what Rodri has given since his arrival to us. We will have to do it as a team and find a way to play a lot of matches without an important player for us.”
Nico Gonzalez has been signed from Porto and looked impressive against Newcastle, but the past five months have proven Rodri’s importance to this City team.

Gabriel Jesus

Jesus was taken off on a stretcher during Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round defeat by Manchester United in January and hasn’t appeared since.
The Brazilian striker has made 27 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring seven goals.

“Gabriel Jesus has received extensive assessments, scans and specialist reviews which have confirmed an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee,” Arsenal said in a statement.
“Gabby will undergo surgery in the coming days and will soon begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme.”

Radu Dragusin

Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in a £25million deal in January 2024 and played regularly before an ACL injury ended his season last month.
The Romania international defender posted on Instagram saying: “Football doesn’t just teach you how to win – it teaches you how to fight when things get tough.”

Michail Antonio

Antonio is continuing his recovery from his leg fracture injuries in Dubai, the start of a long road to recovery after a car accident last December.
Operated on after suffering fractures to his lower limbs,  the 34-year-old has a clear ambition of returning to the field.
It remains unlikely the West Ham striker will play before the end of the current season, but his contract at the London Stadium is due to be extended so the Jamaica international can play for the Hammers again.

Cheick Doucoure

Crystal Palace midfielder Doucoure looks set to be out for up to six months after suffering a serious meniscus injury in training.
The Mali international is now setting his sights on a return to action ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Doucoure has suffered an injury-hit spell with the Eagles since tearing his Achilles against Luton in November 2023 and missed five Premier League outings this season due to a toe injury.
The 24-year-old has featured 14 times under Oliver Glasner but is now set for another spell on the sidelines.

Enes Unal

Unal suffered a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a training session, Bournemouth confirmed in early January.

The 27-year-old signed for the Cherries permanently from Getafe on a four-year deal last summer, having joined on loan in the previous January transfer window.
The Turkey international, who has made 17 appearances this season and scored two goals, picked up the contact injury in a routine drill and won’t play again this season.

Spanish club Villarreal have condemned the attack of two disabled supporters outside the club’s ground following Saturday’s La Liga match against Valencia.
The fans were attacked outside the Estadio de la Ceramica after the two teams played out a 1-1 draw.
One of the supporters attacked plays for Villarreal’s EDI team which is a team for players with intellectual disabilities. They spent the night under observation to “undergo tests for contusions”.

The other supporter suffered “a complete maxillofacial fracture” [a fracture of a facial bone] and was taken to Castellon General Hospital where they remained as of Monday morning.

In a statement, the club said: “Villarreal CF would like to reiterate the club’s absolute condemnation and utmost repudiation of any act of violence in any form, which has no place in football and society. [The club] wishes to show its support for those affected, with whom it has been in permanent contact and collaboration since the aggression.”.

Valencia also condemned the attacks, saying: “Football does not tolerate violence in any form.
“Stadiums should be a place free of hatred and the club condemns these acts that do not represent the fundamental values ​​of sport or the healthy coexistence and respect between fans that was evident throughout the match.”

The father of Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar appeared to put talk of his son potentially joining FC Barcelona next summer to bed through comments made to TNT Sports in their homeland.

Neymar returned to his boyhood club Santos after a lucrative contract at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia was terminated by mutual consent earlier this year.

Citing anonymous sources, outlets such as SER Catalunya in Spain have recently reported that the winger wants to embark upon a second stint at Barca in 2025/2026 after getting back in shape with Santos.

Speaking after O Peixe’s 3-1 win against Agua Santa in the Sao Paulo state championship on Sunday, however, Neymar Senior explained that “our project is not only for five months, even though my son’s contract is only for five months,” which has been taken by SPORT as him putting to bed any talk of a potential switch to the Blaugrana.

“We did not come here to play five months, we have come to give Santos the opportunity to restructure itself during this time, to find allies who can help the club get back on its feet – and a lot of people have appeared.

“(Santos President) Marcelo Teixeira is a fundamental piece in all this, because he gave me the opportunity to help Santos. This is a difficult time for the club. Knowing the weight of bringing Neymar here, it is necessary for the entity to reach an adequate level so that he can be happy here,” Neymar’s father added.
Asked about these remarks, Neymar Junior urged Santos fans not to worry and “be calm”.
“This is the beginning of a great era for Santos,” he promised, before revealing that he didn’t want to pen a longer contract because “I didn’t know how I was going to come back” from a lengthy injury that kept him sidelined for most of 2024.

“I didn’t know how I was going to feel playing. I think anything can happen,” Neymar confessed.
“The contract we have made … we did it thinking not only between the two of us. One is helping the other. Santos is helping me, it opened the doors for me to reconnect with football and rediscover joy.”
Neymar said that Santos knows “the love I feel for this club” and the “respect I have” for it.
“While I’m on the pitch, which is where I like to be the most, I’m going to give 100%. We’re going to enjoy this moment, each of the matches. This is the beginning of a great era for Santos, of that I am sure. Santos is going to get back on its feet and return to the top, which is where it deserves to be,” the former PSG man concluded.

With Neymar seemingly ruled out of donning a Barca shirt anytime soon, the Catalans’ quest for a left winger continues.

For the first time in the Vincent Kompany era, Bayern Munich lost the possession battle in Saturday’s intense 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern also failed to register a shot on goal for the first time since 2008.

Overall, Bayern struggled to quickly regain possession or even hold possession on Leverkusen’s side of the pitch. Thanks to an incredible defensive effort and a couple lucky bounces off the crossbar, Bayern’s defense rallied to its second consecutive clean sheet in the Bundesliga.
“Ideally, we always want to press and recover the ball as quickly as possible,” said Kompany (via @iMiaSanMia). “But if a team earns the right to play then we have to defend. Leverkusen did that today, they took care of the ball really well and pressed really well – so we had to defend. In that sense, I can still give a massive compliment to my team for the mentality and the defending. We played so many games where we scored so many goals, so this for us is a point that we can take home.”

Kompany’s recent work on the training pitch has focused on defending as a unit inside the box. Bayern’s defense was up to the challenge and delivered a critical point to maintain the eight-point lead atop the Bundesliga table.

This La Liga season has been one full of ups and downs for FC Barcelona. Despite the effort from Hansi Flick and his men, there have been positive periods in the ongoing campaign but also negative ones. Ultimately, both have at least given Barcelona some valuable lessons to learn

At one point during the competition, the Catalan giants were leading the La Liga table with a comfortable lead. Soon after, primarily due to around two months of very poor results and performances in the league, Barcelona ended up losing their top spot.

Soon after, both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid took full advantage of Barça’s inability to maintain their lead and capitalized. With a seven-point lead over Barcelona at one point, Los Blancos took over as the leaders in the Spanish First Division.

Now, after a rather short wait of just three games, Barcelona have an opportunity to take back their place at the top of the league table that they originally lost after a defeat to UD Las Palmas. That is because, as highlighted by SPORT, both Madrid-based teams have stumbled and dropped points simultaneously.

In the game between Real Madrid and CA Osasuna, a 1-1 draw ensured that Los Blancos would only get one point and be locked in at 51 points. Similarly, Atletico Madrid drew against Celta Vigo at the Metropolitano with a 1-1 final result as well, and that left Diego Simeone’s side with 50 points in total by the end of the game.

Barcelona, currently at 48 points, can now look at the game against Rayo Vallecano as their ticket back to the top of the league. If La Blaugrana manage to win that game at the Montjuic Stadium, they will end the game with three points that will take their points tally to 51, the same as Real Madrid.

However, due to their superior goal difference and head-to-head advantage over Real Madrid, they would be lead the La Liga table. Still, things are much easier said than done and Barcelona still need to ensure victory first before they can even worry about that top spot.

In terms of form, however, there is simply no denying how well Barcelona has been playing recently. Since the start of 2025, the Catalan side has played 11 games and only drew twice while winning every other game. Their goals speak for themselves this season, and the team is simply performing at a top level. That itself should be good motivation for them to go up against Rayo Vallecano with a lot of confidence.

Moreover, Hansi Flick already has his players back in training and except for certain stars still in recovery, he has most of his squad available. Now, it just remains to be seen how the Barcelona coach approaches the game and how he manages to come out of it as well.

LA LIGA LEADERS Real Madrid dropped two points in a 1-1 draw at Osasuna on Saturday in which Jude Bellingham was sent off.
The Spanish champions took the lead through Kylian Mbappe before the referee expelled England international Bellingham for dissent towards the end of the first half.
Ante Budimir levelled for hosts Osasuna from the penalty spot after 58 minutes as Carlo Ancelotti’s side endured a third consecutive league match without victory.
Atletico Madrid, second and two points behind the leaders, host Celta Vigo later Saturday, while third-place Barcelona welcome Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Bellingham insisted he was expressing his frustration and not insulting the referee.
“It’s difficult when a referee isn’t sure, to determine that I’ve said something that I haven’t, and as a result it kind of hinders the team,” Bellingham told reporters.

“I think you can see clearly in the video, I remember the incident very well, it was an expression to myself.

“I’m not even directing myself towards the referee, but obviously there was a misunderstanding. He’s believed that I’ve said (something insulting) to him…
“There was no intent to insult him, there was no insult, and for that reason I think you can see there was a misunderstanding.”
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was happy with how Madrid played despite dropping points.
“In a footballing sense we started very well, and we finished well despite having one less player,” said Ancelotti.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga slide continued on Saturday with a 2-0 loss at lowly Bochum, while Stuttgart missed a chance to climb to fourth, losing 2-1 at home to Wolfsburg.
Bochum, who started the game in last place, grabbed control in the first half when winter loan signing Georgios Masouras scored two goals in three minutes.

Masouras tapped a low Philipp Hofmann shot in from close range after 33 minutes and then pounced on a terrible back-pass from Niklas Suele to double the lead two minutes later.

Dortmund have won just one of their past seven league games, five of which were defeats, and sit 11th, eight points off the top four.
Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck said “we need to turn things around soon — it’s becoming a horror season.”
“There really aren’t any explanations,” a frustrated Dortmund goalie Gregor Kobel told Sky Germany. “We knew what to expect but we still couldn’t manage to hold our own.”
Stuttgart failed to take advantage of fourth-placed Leipzig’s scoreless draw at Augsburg on Friday, giving up a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 at home against Wolfsburg.

This campaign, the champions’ bid for a fifth successive league crown collapsed in explosive fashion and they now trail Arne Slot’s side by 16 points.

But even if the Reds do get over the line, they will still be unable to repeat City’s feat.
‘We took all the records in England,’ said Guardiola. ‘Who would do 100 points now in modern football? I’m waiting. Or four in a row? I’m waiting – with clubs like Bournemouth, Fulham and Wolves that you have to play.

Guardiola also accepted City have gone off the boil this season, adding: ‘I asked Gundo (Ilkay Gundogan) yesterday, “two years ago you were here, you were one year in Barcelona and you come back here, did you see changes in the Premier League?”
‘He said massively, the difference was unbelievable. It’s the truth. The teams are much, much, much better in all departments. People prepare so well.
‘We cannot do it for the (injury) problems we’ve had. There are a lot of players, with the amount of minutes they have had, who are so tired, emotionally as well.
‘But guys, we deserve to have a bad season.
‘We deserve not to be like we were. They are human beings, it can happen. We weren’t consistent and we haven’t had the players at their best.
‘It’s the first time that me and many of the players have lived this position but we have to accept it (and recognise) what happened in the past was not normal.’
City also face an uphill battle to progress to the Champions League last-16 after their 3-2 home defeat in the first leg of their knockout round play-off.

We cannot sustain it for 90 minutes, that’s right,’ said Guardiola. ‘We are in this posotion because we are not good enough

In the second half against Madrid, when they keep the ball and start to play, play, play, we regain the ball and want to – in two seconds – try to score a goal. We lose the ball and then [Kylian] Mbappe and Vinicius run even more.
‘During the big, big success of the team we were able to do sequences of 20, 25, 30 passes in the opponents half – now we are not able to do that.

‘Before we had the confidence to play with the ball and now we suffer when we have the ball. We take risks and make mistakes – that didn’t happen in previous years.

I accept that when the opponents have the ball, I’m going to suffer. But now we are suffering when we have the ball. It never happened before.’

Millwall are top of the league, but which one?
Sadly for fans of the club sitting 14th in the Championship, it is the ‘cost of mascot experiences’ table, rather than their side being on the cusp of promotion to the Premier League.

Despite their last campaign in the top division being the 1989-90 season, it has not stopped the Lions charging their young fans the most in the top two flights of English football.

The opportunity to walk out with the team for a weekend game at the Den will set supporters back £400.
So what do you get for an experience that costs £30 more than Millwall’s cheapest adult season ticket was priced at for this season?
A home kit, three match tickets, the opportunity to meet the players before the game and a training session with a junior team coach.

And if you think that sounds like a bargain, then Alex Neil’s side – who are in their eighth consecutive season in the Championship – offer a £50 discount for midweek games!

The second most expensive package in English football belongs to a side that have been flirting with the prospect of joining Millwall in the Championship next season, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Vitor Pereira was appointed in December with the club 19th and five points from safety, but he has lifted the side out of the relegation zone, opening up a two point gap over Leicester City.
Despite their struggles on the pitch, young Wolves fans pay the most in the Premier League for a mascot experience, with packages starting at £290 and rising to £395.
Those prepared to pay the prices get the opportunity to walk out alongside Pereira’s side at Molineux, while some bundles include two adult and two junior tickets.
The West Midlands based side are one of just four Premier League clubs who charge for the experience, with local rivals Aston Villa making it free this season.
Last year Villa charged £524 for category B matches and an extortionate £569 for category A games, which included fixtures against the traditional big six, Newcastle and Wolves.

The privilege of walking out alongside Unai Emery’s men is now restricted to their rewards programme; children of military Aston Villa supporters; local schoolchildren; and children and siblings from their charity partners.

AFC Bournemouth have also made their mascot experience free for this season – an opportunity which cost £300 last year.
It leaves Brighton & Hove Albion, Ipswich Town and West Ham United as the only other top-division sides who charge for the experience.
The Seagulls offer a ‘captains package’ at £340, which includes three tickets and a pitchside pre-game warm up with the club mascot Gully the Seagull.
Brighton supporters wanting to save £100 can opt for the ‘standard package,’ with just two tickets and without a pre-match photo in the centre circle with captains and officials.

The Tractor Boys charge £250 for every game, with two tickets and a penalty shootout amongst the benefits for those successful in the ballot.
At the London Stadium the price ranges from £175 to £375, which includes two tickets and an introduction to first-team players.
Although other Premier League sides do not charge for mascot experiences, the clubs often impose requirements or use them to make charitable contributions.
For example at Brentford, it is free for junior season ticket holders aged between six and 12.

But children have to buy and wear their latest home kit, which typically retails on their website at £73.
At Old Trafford, the Manchester United Foundation is responsible for allocating mascot experience places, although their waiting list is currently closed due to high demand.
They typically try to offer them to children aged between seven and 13 with long-term or terminal illnesses, or children that attend the Foundation’s schools and projects.

Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and QPR all charge £350, with a varying number of complimentary tickets included for the eye-watering cost.
There are two included at Bramall Lane, three at the Riverside and four for those attending Loftus Road.
QPR even offer a deal with two mascot experience packages available for £450!
Championship play-off hopefuls Blackburn Rovers, Bristol CIty and Norwich all charge in excess of £200 per game.

The list of fee-paying mascot experiences is completed by Sunderland, who charge £185 and West Bromwich Albion at £150.

Despite the cost, the high demand amongst fans has led the Black Cats to close their waiting list until the 2028/29 season.
Packages for Baggies supporters have also sold out for the rest of the campaign.

The team training base will be situated at the Sportanlage Güttingersreuti in Weinfelden, where Cymru will have two pitches and a gym/activation area, as well as facilities for daily media activities, similar to the men’s team setup for the UEFA EURO 2016 and UEFA EURO 2020 team bases in Dinard and Baku.
On the announcement, Weinfelden City Councillor for Culture, Sport and Tourism Valentin Hasler said; “We are delighted to welcome Cymru football team to Weinfelden. Our maintenance and greenkeeping team will do their best to make the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 campaign as successful as possible.”
The team will be staying at the Wellneshotel Golfpanorama in Lipperswil, with exclusive use of the 56-room, four-star hotel with pool and spa facilities.
The hotel’s General Manager, Alexandre Spatz, says he’s looking forward to welcoming Cymru to the area. “We are delighted and proud to welcome team Cymru to the Wellnesshotel Golf Panorama as their team base hotel. It is our pleasure to support them on their journey and provide an enjoyable stay. Together, we create the best foundation for success!”

The FAW visited more than 20 options across Switzerland, and Rhian Wilkinson has also visited the final choice.
“Even before qualification had taken place, my incredible staff, the team behind the team, were already working towards finding the right hotel and team base for Cymru in Switzerland. In the The Wellneshotel Golfpanorama in Lipperswil, they have found the perfect location.”
“The hotel and surrounding area gives a great balance between what we will need on and off the pitch to be at our absolute best in our history making first Euro tournament appearance.”
“I look forward to meeting and getting to know the people of Weinfelden and Lipperswil. Hopefully they feel an affinity with us and adopt Cymru as their second favourite team of the tournament.”

Over the next four months the FAW will prepare the facilities to ensure a high-performance environment for the tournament, while the team focuses on competing in the UEFA Women’s Nations League A campaign, with six matches to be played ahead of the summer’s EUROs.

AC Milan have officially unveiled their new fourth kit in collaboration with PUMA and Off-White, and it features a very bold design.
Many presumed that the 125th anniversary shirt worn against Genoa would be the final release of the season, but over the past few weeks there have been teases of a new collaboration shirt.

A statement on the official website reads: “Milan, PUMA and Off-White™ are proud to unveil the highly anticipated AC Milan x Off-White™ 2025 kit, a seamless fusion of football, fashion, and innovation .
“This collaboration is more than just a meeting of football and fashion, it is a celebration of shared values ​​and the transformative power of dreams . It honours the ability of dreams to unite and inspire, transcending sport to create a cultural moment, exemplified by Off-White™ creating its first-ever kit designed to be worn on the pitch.
“At the heart of this exclusive collection lies the concept of Dreamland , embodying a rich tapestry of values ​​and symbolism. The number 63, printed on the inner collar of the jersey, serves as a powerful emblem of dreams.

“Dreams of victory and sporting success for a football club, as AC Milan claimed its first European Cup triumph in 1963, and dreams of progress, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech from the same year.

“The speech remains a timeless call for social justice and equality, a vision shared by PUMA, AC Milan and Off White™, with the three brands celebrating a shared belief in the transformative power of dreams, offering a powerful reminder of the endless possibilities that dreams inspire.

Maikel Oettle, Chief Commercial Officer of AC Milan: “This collaboration represents a milestone for AC Milan, bringing together football, fashion, and values ​​in a way that is both bold and meaningful.

Partnering with Off-White™ on their first-ever playing kit alongside PUMA allows us to create something truly unique, perfectly aligning with AC Milan’s legacy and vision for the future and celebrating the partnership with Off-White™.
“Building on the success of our Fourth Kit strategy with PUMA, this project reaffirms our dedication to pushing creativity boundaries and connecting with fans in innovative ways. We are proud to celebrate this cultural moment and bring the transformative power of dreams to life on and off the pitch.”
Marco Mueller, PUMA’s Senior Director of Product Line Management Teamsport: “This partnership celebrates not only AC Milan’s footballing heritage but also the power of dreams and progress.

“We are honored to work with Off-White™ to bring this iconic moment to life, blending performance and culture into something truly unique. This kit is a tribute to AC Milan’s legacy and a celebration of the progress we continue to make both on and off the pitch.”

Cristiano Fagnani, CEO of Off-White™: “The collaboration between Off-White™, AC Milan, and PUMA is not just a tribute to style and innovation but also an opportunity to celebrate the cultural legacy and influence of the Black community in sports and fashion.
“During Black History Month, this Fourth kit becomes a symbol of connection, identity, and pride, uniting past, present, and future through the universal language of football and streetwear. More than just a kit, it represents a statement of diversity, inclusion, inspiring the next generation on and off the pitch.”
It continues a recent trend for Milan, who back in the 2021-22 season announced a new kit along with the fashion brand Nemen, releasing a fourth kit for the first time in a very long while.

It was a commercial success for the Rossoneri and therefore, they released one in 2022-23 as well with Koche. Last season it was the turn of US-based fashion brand PLEASURES to team up with the club, and it was another big hit.

Feyenoord will take a narrow lead to the San Siro for the second leg of their Champions League play-off round tie after the Dutch side held out for 1-0 win at home to AC Milan.
The only goal of the game in the third minute when Igor Paixao cut in from the left and saw his speculative low drive sneak past Mike Maignan at the near post.
Milan drew a blank in response to leave them with work to do in their home fixture.

Club Brugge edged Atalanta 2-1 at the Jan Breydel Stadium, downing the Serie A side with a fiercely-contested injury-time penalty.
Isak Hien was punished for a coming together with his Sweden team-mate Gustaf Nilsson, sparking complaints from the visiting side.

Nilsson dusted himself down to slot home the spot-kick. Brugge, who scraped the final spot in the play-offs by finishing in 24th place, had taken the lead through Ferran Jutgla on the quarter-hour before Mario Pasalic levelled heading into the break.

Benfica will take a 1-0 lead back to Lisbon after seeing off 10-man Monaco.
After a first-half stalemate, a deft chip from Vangelis Pavlidis put the away team ahead just after the restart. A second yellow card for Moatasem Al-Musrati further undermined the Ligue 1 side’s efforts and they were unable to get back into the contest.