Tuesday: Barcelona shine, Arsenal cruise and Bayern survive a scare
Sporting show Lens how it is done
Lens 0–2 Sporting CP
Sporting travelled to France and returned with all three points after a disciplined performance against Lens. The Portuguese side took their chances and kept the hosts quiet, leaving Lens with plenty to think about.
Sabah celebrate a memorable European night
Sabah 2–0 Slavia Prague
Sabah produced one of the night’s biggest surprises by beating Slavia Prague without conceding. It was a result to remember for the Azerbaijani side, who showed that reputations count for little once the whistle blows.
Arsenal make light work of Lille
Arsenal 3–0 Lille
Arsenal delivered a comfortable victory at the Emirates, with Jurriën Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka all finding the net. It was a professional performance from Mikel Arteta’s men, who controlled the game and gave Lille very little room to breathe.
The Gunners will be pleased with the clean sheet as well as the three goals. European nights do not always have to be complicated.
Manchester United fall to Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid 2–0 Manchester United
It was another frustrating evening for Manchester United. Atlético took control with a disciplined performance, while United’s task became even harder after Leny Yoro was sent off.
United struggled to find a way back into the contest, and Atlético punished their visitors. For United, this was a reminder that European football can be unforgiving when concentration slips.
Club Brugge stun Inter in seven-goal thriller
Inter Milan 3–4 Club Brugge
Now this was entertainment. Club Brugge walked into the San Siro and came away with a remarkable victory after seven goals and a nervy finish.
Inter managed to make the scoreline uncomfortable late on, but Brugge held their nerve to secure one of the week’s standout results. Inter will be wondering how they let this one slip, while Brugge have every reason to celebrate.
Barcelona turn the tables on Galatasaray
Galatasaray 1–4 Barcelona
Barcelona had an early scare after Galatasaray took the lead, but the visitors responded in style. João Cancelo helped get them level before Lamine Yamal produced the kind of creativity that makes him such an exciting player to watch.
Yamal supplied two key assists as Barcelona took control and eventually won 4–1. Galatasaray started brightly, but Barcelona’s quality eventually told.
Leipzig edge PSV
RB Leipzig 1–0 PSV Eindhoven
There was no goal fest here, but Leipzig got the job done. A single goal separated the sides in a tight contest, with Leipzig doing enough to claim the points.
It was the sort of match that tests patience. PSV will feel they could have taken something from the game, but Leipzig will not mind how the points arrived.
Bayern Munich rescued by a late fightback
Viking 3–3 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich found themselves in serious trouble after Viking raced into a two-goal lead. The German giants fought back and turned the game around, only for the Norwegian side to hit back and secure a 3–3 draw.
Bayern’s night was made more difficult by Michael Olise’s red card. Viking deserve enormous credit for refusing to give up against one of Europe’s biggest clubs. For the neutrals, it was six goals and plenty of drama.
Villarreal get the better of Napoli
Villarreal 3–1 Napoli
Villarreal delivered a strong home performance to beat Napoli 3–1. The Spanish side made their opportunities count and kept Napoli under pressure, securing a valuable victory in the league phase.
Napoli will need to respond quickly, while Villarreal can take confidence from a result against serious opposition.
Wednesday: Liverpool score six, Villa hit six and Madrid leave it late
Feyenoord win a five-goal contest
Feyenoord 3–2 Como
Feyenoord edged Como in an entertaining game that could have gone either way. Both sides found the net regularly, but Feyenoord had the final say to take all three points.
Como will be disappointed to leave empty-handed after scoring twice, but Feyenoord deserve credit for finding a way to win.
Liverpool hit LASK for six in Austria
LASK 3–6 Liverpool
Liverpool gave their supporters plenty to cheer about with a six-goal away victory. Bradley Barcola was the headline act, scoring a hat-trick and opening his Liverpool goalscoring account in spectacular fashion.
Jeremie Frimpong, Ronald Araújo and Lewis Koumas also scored as Liverpool recovered from their recent defeat to Manchester City. Koumas enjoyed a particularly memorable night, scoring and assisting in the same Champions League match.
However, conceding three goals will concern Liverpool’s manager. The attack was electric, but the defence left the door open far too often. Liverpool will happily take the three points, although they know tougher opponents may punish those mistakes.
Real Madrid produce another late escape
Roma 3–4 Real Madrid
If you switched off before the final whistle, you missed the best part.
Roma looked to be in control after building a two-goal advantage, but Real Madrid refused to accept defeat. Carlos Espi pulled one back in the closing stages, Endrick equalised shortly afterwards, and Antonio Rüdiger completed the turnaround in the 90th minute.
Madrid scored three times late on to turn a difficult evening into a famous win. Roma will be devastated after coming so close, but Real Madrid once again showed why they are never a safe bet to write off.
Aston Villa destroy Fenerbahçe
Aston Villa 6–0 Fenerbahçe
Villa Park was treated to a European masterclass as Aston Villa recorded a historic 6–0 victory, their biggest win in European competition.
Johan Manzambi opened the scoring on his Champions League debut, before Nicolas Jackson struck twice. Ross Barkley added another two goals, and Tammy Abraham completed the rout late on.
Unai Emery’s side were sharp, confident and ruthless in front of goal. Fenerbahçe had no answer, while Villa supporters finally had a home performance to celebrate in style.
This was more than three points. It was a statement that Villa intend to make their mark in Europe.
Shakhtar Donetsk overcome AEK Athens
Shakhtar Donetsk 3–1 AEK Athens
Shakhtar claimed a convincing victory after scoring three times against AEK Athens. The Ukrainian side looked the more effective team going forward and made their chances count.
AEK managed a goal, but it was not enough to change the outcome. Shakhtar will be pleased with a result that keeps their European campaign moving in the right direction.
Bodø/Glimt deliver a shock against Dortmund
Bodø/Glimt 1–0 Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund travelled to Norway expecting a difficult test, but few would have predicted a defeat without scoring.
Bodø/Glimt produced a disciplined display and took their opportunity to claim a famous victory. Dortmund will be frustrated by their lack of cutting edge, while the Norwegian side can celebrate another memorable European night.
PSG win the battle of the giants
Manchester City 2–4 Paris Saint-German
This was one of the week’s biggest fixtures, and PSG made sure they left Manchester with the bragging rights.
The visitors raced into a commanding lead through Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha. City improved after the break, with Erling Haaland scoring twice, but Maghnes Akliouche restored PSG’s breathing space with a fine strike.
Gianluigi Donnarumma then saved a penalty from Ferran Torres as PSG held on for a 4–2 victory.
City showed enough fight to make the scoreline respectable, but their first-half defending was costly. PSG, meanwhile, looked dangerous whenever they attacked. It was a reminder that even the strongest sides can be punished when they start slowly.
Real Betis edge Porto in another thriller
Real Betis 3–2 Porto
Betis and Porto served up another close contest, with the Spanish side eventually taking the points in a five-goal game.
Porto stayed in the fight, but Betis found a way to get over the line. It was a valuable result for the hosts and a frustrating one for Porto, who will feel they were close to earning something from the match.
Stuttgart finish strongly against Slovan Bratislava
Slovan Bratislava 0–3 Stuttgart
Stuttgart rounded off Wednesday’s action with a comfortable win. Three goals and a clean sheet gave the German side a satisfying away performance, while Slovan Bratislava struggled to find a response.
It was not the wildest game of the night, but Stuttgart will be delighted with a professional display and three important points.
The big talking points from Matchday 2
Liverpool’s attack is frightening, but the defence needs work. Scoring six away from home is impressive. Conceding three means there is still room for improvement.
Aston Villa have made a statement. A 6–0 European victory is the sort of result that gets the rest of the competition paying attention.
PSG have landed a blow on Manchester City. Their four-goal display showed just how dangerous they can be, especially when they find space early.
Real Madrid are still Real Madrid. Roma had the game in their hands, but Madrid turned defeat into victory in the closing minutes.
There is no room for complacency. Club Brugge beating Inter, Sabah defeating Slavia Prague and Bodø/Glimt overcoming Dortmund showed that every point must be earned.
Matchday 2 had everything a football fan could ask for: goals, comebacks, shocks and big-name clubs under pressure. Liverpool and Aston Villa provided the biggest wins, PSG claimed a major scalp, and Real Madrid supplied the late drama.
If this week’s action is anything to go by, the road to the Champions League final is going to be a wild one. And with the league phase still in its early stages, there is plenty of time for more surprises.
One thing is certain: in the Champions League, switching off before the final whistle is never a good idea.
