If anyone needed a reminder of why the Champions League remains football’s grandest stage, this week delivered it in spectacular fashion. There were seven-goal thrillers, heavyweight clashes, unexpected defeats and enough late drama to keep fans talking long after the final whistle. And for Manchester United, it was a night they would rather forget.
Liverpool looked to be heading for trouble at Anfield when Villarreal raced into a 2-0 lead, exposing defensive weaknesses that threatened to spoil the evening. But the Reds refused to fold. Alexis Mac Allister scored twice as Liverpool fought back to win 4-3, with Florian Wirtz also on target. It was a remarkable comeback, although the goals conceded will concern their supporters. Three matches, three wins. Liverpool are making their intentions clear.
In Paris, Paris Saint-Germain delivered one of the week’s biggest statements, beating Barcelona 4-2 in a contest that lived up to its billing. Barcelona twice found a way back into the game, including a superb finish from Lamine Yamal, but PSG’s attacking quality proved decisive in the closing stages. Désiré Doué impressed, while Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz struck late to settle the contest. Barcelona’s unbeaten start to the season was over, and PSG had announced themselves as serious contenders once again. The victory, however, came with injury concerns that could complicate their campaign.
Manchester City had a considerably more comfortable evening, dismantling AEK Athens 5-1. Phil Foden stole the show with a hat-trick, reminding everyone of the damage he can inflict when given space around the box. Napoli were also involved in a seven-goal spectacle, edging Bodø/Glimt 4-3, with Scott McTominay scoring twice. European football, apparently, had no interest in keeping things quiet this week.
But Wednesday belonged to the unexpected. Manchester United suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat away to Como, a result few would have predicted. Nicolás Paz was outstanding, scoring twice and assisting another goal as the Italian side tore through United’s defence. Joshua Zirkzee managed a late consolation, but it did little to soften the blow. For Como, it was a statement victory. For United, serious questions will follow.
Arsenal, meanwhile, showed resilience against Bayern Munich in a gripping 2-2 draw. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring before Alphonso Davies brought Bayern level. Harry Kane then converted a penalty to put the hosts ahead, extending his remarkable run of scoring in ten consecutive Champions League matches. Just when Arsenal looked set to leave Munich empty-handed, Declan Rice struck late to rescue a point. The Gunners will be relieved, although losing Bukayo Saka to an early injury was an unwelcome setback.
Real Madrid also made their experience count, beating RB Leipzig 4-1, while Aston Villa continued their impressive European run with a 3-1 victory over Viking. Galatasaray stunned Lille 4-2, and LASK produced one of the night’s biggest surprises by beating Sporting 3-2 in Lisbon after falling behind. Real Betis edged Feyenoord 1-0, while Club Brugge swept aside Lens 3-0.
Three matches into the league phase, the picture is becoming more intriguing. Liverpool, PSG, Real Madrid, Aston Villa and Real Betis have all won their opening three games, putting themselves in a strong position. Yet the biggest lesson from this week is that reputation offers no protection. Barcelona can be beaten, United can be dismantled and even a two-goal lead at Anfield is no guarantee of victory.
The Champions League is still wide open, and if this week is anything to go by, the next round will be worth watching.
