The UEFA Champions League returned with a bang on Tuesday night, featuring a thrilling mix of dominant wins, late drama, and unexpected collapses. Here's a detailed look at the action from all the matches.
Tuesday’s Champions League action delivered a mix of dominance, drama, and surprises. Arsenal thrashed Sporting 5-1 in Lisbon, while Manchester City collapsed from 3-1 up to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in a defensive meltdown. Bayern Munich edged 10-man PSG 1-0 thanks to Kim Min-jae’s header, and Barcelona cruised past Brest 3-0 with Robert Lewandowski reaching 101 UCL goals.
Here's a detailed look at the action from Tuesday's Champions League clashes:
Arsenal silence Gyokeres and Sporting
Arsenal delivered a commanding performance in Lisbon, thrashing Sporting 5-1 in a dominant display.
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring early, breaking Arsenal's 415-minute drought of away goals in European competition. The Gunners doubled their lead midway through the first half when Bukayo Saka set up Kai Havertz for his eighth goal of the season.
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes added a third with a goal he celebrated by mimicking the signature style of Sporting’s usually prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres, who was largely anonymous throughout the match.
Sporting managed to pull one back shortly after halftime through Gonçalo Inácio, but Arsenal quickly restored their three-goal cushion when Saka converted a penalty just past the hour mark.
Leandro Trossard capped off the night with a well-placed header, sealing an emphatic victory for Mikel Arteta’s side, who celebrated a memorable night in Europe.
Man City stumble in thrilled against Feyenoord
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City faced renewed scrutiny after a dramatic collapse saw them settle for a 3-3 draw against Feyenoord.
Despite dominating possession, City needed a stroke of luck to break the deadlock. Erling Haaland delivered under pressure, converting a penalty to mark his 50th Champions League goal involvement.
Ilkay Gundogan then lit up the second half with a thunderous strike from outside the box, and Haaland added his second of the night shortly after, seemingly putting the game to bed.
But Feyenoord had other plans. Anis Hadj-Moussa capitalized on a fortunate bounce to end Ederson’s hopes of a clean sheet, rolling the ball into an empty net. Santiago Gimenez kept the drama alive, chesting in a goal to make it 3-2.
The late twists continued as David Hancko completed the comeback, pouncing on a defensive lapse to slot home the equalizer past an out-of-position Ederson. City were left to rue their missed chances in a chaotic finish.
Barcelona cruise past Brest
Barcelona eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Brest, with their star players taking center stage.
The opener came from the penalty spot, as Robert Lewandowski coolly converted to mark his 100th goal in the competition.
While Brest managed to hold off Barcelona’s dominance for much of the first half, Dani Olmo made his presence felt after the break. The EURO 2024 standout showcased exceptional close control in the box, weaving past two defenders before calmly slotting home to double the lead.
Lewandowski then sealed the win with his 101st Champions League goal, further cementing his place among the competition's all-time greats. It was a routine yet commanding display from the Catalan giants.
Bayern Munich edge past 10-man PSG
In the marquee clash of the night, Bayern Munich edged past PSG 1-0 in a tightly contested affair at the Allianz Arena.
The opening 25 minutes offered little excitement, as Bayern controlled possession but neither side managed to create clear scoring opportunities. The breakthrough came just before halftime, courtesy of an unlikely hero. A failed punch from PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov allowed Kim Min-jae to rise above the defense and head home the decisive goal.
Despite Bayern's dominance, their lead remained precarious. PSG's hopes of a comeback took a major hit when Ousmane Dembele received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Alphonso Davies, leaving the visitors down to 10 men with half an hour remaining.
Jamal Musiala nearly put the game to bed late on, but his effort rattled the woodwork. PSG’s attack, ineffective even before Dembélé's dismissal, failed to mount a response, leaving Bayern to celebrate a hard-fought victory.
Inter Milan grind out narrow win over Leipzig
Inter scraped a narrow 1-0 win over RB Leipzig in a match that offered little excitement but plenty of tension.
The decisive moment came from a stroke of luck, as a free-kick deflected off Castello Lukeba and found its way into the net. It proved to be the only goal of the game.
Leipzig, despite their efforts, managed just one shot on target across the 90 minutes and will feel aggrieved by the result. Inter, meanwhile, struggled to create much of their own and may need to reassess their attacking approach moving forward.
Atalanta hammer six past Young Boys
Atalanta showcased their European dominance with a commanding 6-1 victory over Young Boys in a thrilling encounter.
The game started at a blistering pace, with both teams finding the net within two minutes. Mateo Retegui opened the scoring with his first Champions League goal and 13th of the season, only for Silvere Ganvoula M'boussy to head home an equalizer, ending Atalanta’s defensive streak.
The floodgates opened in another frantic two-minute spell, as Atalanta struck twice to take control. Charles De Ketelaere restored the lead with his first of the night, followed by Sead Kolasinac, who gave the hosts a comfortable cushion.
Retegui added his second just before halftime, putting Atalanta firmly in cruise control. De Ketelaere then secured his brace, capping off an influential performance that saw him involved in all five goals scored before the break.
Leverkusen crush Salzburg
Bayer Leverkusen secured their first-ever Champions League victory over RB Salzburg in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 5-0 triumph.
Florian Wirtz got the hosts off to a perfect start, calmly converting an early penalty. Moments later, Alejandro Grimaldo doubled the lead with a sensational free-kick from outside the box that left goalkeeper Alexander Schlager rooted to the spot.
Wirtz struck again before halftime, weaving through defenders in the box before slotting home, capping off a brilliant first half for Xabi Alonso’s side.
The dominance continued after the break, with Patrik Schick and Aleix García joining the scoresheet to complete the rout. Salzburg, meanwhile, struggled to make an impact, managing just two shots on target throughout the match.
AC Milan survive Bratislava scare
Milan extended their strong Champions League form with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Slovan Bratislava.
Christian Pulisic, ever-reliable in front of goal, opened the scoring for the visitors with a composed finish into the bottom left corner after a surging run into the box. The American now boasts an impressive 11 Champions League goals, surpassing Eden Hazard’s tally in the competition.
Slovan Bratislava responded almost immediately. Tigran Barseghyan picked up the ball deep in his own half, embarked on a stunning solo run, and capped it off with a delicate chip to make it 1-1.
After the break, Milan needed a spark, and substitute Rafael Leão delivered. The Portuguese forward burst into the box and showed lightning-quick reactions to poke home and restore the lead.
Tammy Abraham then capitalized on a defensive error to score Milan's third, marking the first time he registered both a goal and an assist in a Champions League match, having set up Pulisic’s opener.
The hosts added late drama as Nino Marcelli pulled one back, but Milan held firm under pressure to secure the victory.
Atletico Madrid run riot in Prague
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid extended their winning streak to six matches with a commanding 6-0 victory over Sparta Praha.
Summer signing Julian Alvarez set the tone early, curling a magnificent free-kick into the top left corner from outside the box to give Atleti the lead. Marcos Llorente then doubled the advantage, heading home from close range just before halftime.
The second half saw Sparta Praha largely on the back foot as Atletico unleashed a barrage of attacks, registering 23 shots to their opponents' mere four. Alvarez, in sensational form, added a second goal from a tight angle, further extending the lead.
Veteran players then took center stage, with Antoine Griezmann marking his 100th Champions League appearance by scoring Atletico’s fourth after a brilliant team move. Angel Correa, also coming off the bench, added two quick-fire goals in four minutes, with the second showcasing exquisite close control in the box.
Atletico’s dominance was clear as they cruised to a resounding victory.
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