Chemsdine Talbi stole the show as Club Brugge knocked Atalanta out in the UEFA Champions League play-offs with a 3-1 win in Bergamo to book their place in the last 16.
The Belgian team entered the game with a slim 2-1 lead from the first leg, but Atalanta were still favourites to go through, having just won the Europa League last season.
What a night, what a guy. ✨💎 #ATACLU #UCL #PlayForUnforgettable
— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) February 18, 2025
That didn’t matter to Talbi. Just three minutes in, the starlet finished off a slick move after he linked up with Ferran Jutglà, firing a low, hard shot that flew into the bottom corner.
C’est l’homme en forme Chemsdine Talbi qui ouvre déjà le score pour Bruges ! 🔥 #ATACLU #RTLsports pic.twitter.com/ijuFVo5ovs
— RTL sports (@RTLsportsbe) February 18, 2025
In the 27th minute, Talbi pounced on a rebound after Atlanta’s goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi parried a shot that fell straight to him, and he struck the ball into the back of the net, putting Brugge 0-2 ahead, and 1-4 on aggregate.
Jutglà then hammered in a third just before half-time to put Brugge 5-1 up on aggregate.
Enorme boulot d’Ardon Jashari qui part du milieu du terrain et c’est Chemsdine Talbi qui est bien placé pour inscrire son doublé ! 💪 #ATACLU #RTLsports pic.twitter.com/I4HfhepKSl
— RTL sports (@RTLsportsbe) February 18, 2025
Atalanta pulled one back straight after Ademola Lookman was brought in, but the damage was already done. Even a penalty save from Simon Mignolet and a red card for Rafael Toloi couldn’t change the game.
The Belgium-Moroccan dazzled in both legs with his pace, dribbling, pinpoint crosses and high work-rate.
His Champions League brace puts him among the top youth goalscorers in Europe. This means Talbi is now in the company of Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Nicolo Zaniolo who scored two goals in a single match at a younger age.
Born in Molenbeek, the prodigy came through the ranks at Tubize-Braine before joining Brugge’s academy in 2015. He broke into the first team in 2023 and has attracted the scouts’ eyeballs all over Europe this season.
Talbi has played for the Belgium national team in the youth setup, but rumours swirl that he has decided to switch allegiances and play for Morocco instead.
