UCL | Atalanta 4-1 Borussia Dortmund (4-3 agg): Dea miracle in Bergamo

Atalanta performed a football miracle by overturning the 2-0 Champions League play-off first leg defeat to beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 on the night with a last-gasp Lazar Samardzic penalty, 4-3 on aggregate.

La Dea had a big task ahead of them after losing the first leg 2-0 in Germany, their third consecutive defeat in the competition. Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori were still out of action, with Ederson only fit for the bench, but Gianluca Scamacca returned to the starting XI. Borussia Dortmund were missing Niklas Sule, Italian Filippo Mane and cup-tied Patrick Drewes, but Emre Can was back after a month out.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Nicola Zalewski nearly scored in the fourth minute, Gregor Kobel fingertipping the angled drive past the far post, but the breakthrough arrived moments later.

Lorenzo Bernasconi got down the left and rolled across, Ramy Bensebaini sliding in got it wrong and just kept the ball going for Scamacca to tap in from six yards.

Scamacca arrives at the back post to pull one back for Atalanta against Dortmund @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/UgSP0vB2no

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

Emre Can had to put it out for a corner when Bernasconi volleyed a Lazar Samardzic cross back from the far post, then Kobel made a sensational fingertip save on another Zalewski scorcher.

Serhou Guirassy nodded the first Dortmund chance wide at the back stick on 28 minutes, then Marco Carnesecchi needed quick reactions to deny Julian Brandt from close range on an inspired Maximilian Beier through ball.

Zalewski curled just over the bar after a strong Isak Hien run, and Atalanta cancelled out the first leg deficit on the stroke of half-time when Zappacosta’s strike from the edge of the area took a deflection off Bensebaini to wrongfoot Kobel.

Zappacosta makes it 2-0 on the night and pulls Atalanta level on aggregate @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ZRf9iGRgNj

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

After the restart, Carnesecchi made another impressive save on Guirassy after a debatable offside call, while Mario Pasalic couldn’t get enough power on the finish to surprise Kobel from Scamacca’s lay-off.

Kobel also rushed off his line to narrow the angle when Marten de Roon was sent clear down the right, but Dortmund were inches away from scoring when Beier’s angled drive beat Carnesecchi to bounce off the inside of the far post.

Atalanta survived the scare and took the lead for the first time in the tie when De Roon’s cross found Pasalic for a glancing header at the back stick from six yards, making it 3-2 on aggregate.

Turnaround complete

Atalanta fight back in stunning fashion to flip the tie against Borussia Dortmund!@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ykLtFmJriy

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

There was bad news as Sead Kolasinac limped off with a muscular problem, then Guirassy hit a fresh-air shot from eight yards in a move that saw Carnesecchi’s double save on the striker and Fabio Silva.

Borussia Dortmund got it to 3-3 on aggregate moments later, as Karim Adeyemi cut inside and bent his curler into the far top corner from inside the box.

Adeyemi with a brilliant strike as the tie is once again level on aggregate @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/PBQhrUlKZD

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

Samardzic squirmed between two to drill inches wide of the far post, but there was drama deep into stoppages when Kobel rushed outside his line to clear and got it wrong, allowing Pasalic to cross from the left, which Bensebaini clumsily tried to intercept with a high boot behind him, kicking Krstovic in the head.

The contact was not in doubt, as the striker was bleeding, but it took a VAR On-Field Review to award the second yellow card to Bensebaini and above all the penalty, which Samardzic converted into the top corner to send Atalanta through 4-3 on aggregate.

Lazar Samardžić with an emphatic penalty to seal an incredible night for Atalanta as they progress to the round of 16 in the Champions League @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/MLARPOVoyF

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 25, 2026

Atalanta 4-1 Borussia Dortmund (4-3 agg)

Scamacca 5 (A), Zappacosta 45 (A), Pasalic 57 (A), Adeyemi 75 (B), Samardiz pen 98 (A)