The UEFA Champions League kicked off with fireworks across Europe, as Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern all made statements, while Juventus and Borussia Dortmund produced a classic and Benfica fell to a shock defeat. From Kylian Mbappé’s penalties to Harry Kane’s brace, the first round delivered everything fans expect from the world’s biggest club competition.
Day One: Tuesday September 16 – Steady Arsenal, chaos in Turin, and a let-off for Real Madrid
At San Mamés, Arsenal began their Champions League campaign with a confident 2-0 win over Athletic Club. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard struck late to secure three points, with Trossard also claiming Player of the Match honors.
Union Saint-Gilloise stunned PSV Eindhoven 3-1, while Qarabag pulled off the upset of the night in Lisbon, defeating Benfica 3-2 thanks to Oleksiy Kashchuk’s late goal.
The match of the day came in Turin, where Juventus and Borussia Dortmund battled to an unforgettable 4-4 draw. Dušan Vlahović was one of the week’s top performers, striking twice to help Juve salvage a miraculous draw after being 2-4 down entering the stoppage time.
At the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid overcame a spirited Marseille side 2-1, with Kylian Mbappé scoring two penalties. Yet it was goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli of Marseille who stole the show with a world-class performance, earning a 9.7 rating.
The former Real Sociedad and Villarreal shot-stopper made an astonishing 13 saves, tied second-most for a goalkeeper in a single UCL match since 2003-04.
Day Two: Wednesday, September 17 – Kane leads Bayern, Salah inspires Liverpool, PSG continue their brilliance
Wednesday night belonged to Harry Kane, who scored twice in Bayern Munich’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea. The England captain looks primed to chase the Champions League Golden Boot.
At Anfield, Liverpool and Atlético Madrid produced a thriller, with Mohamed Salah scoring early and Virgil van Dijk heading a stoppage-time winner for yet another Liverpool late steal this season.
Elsewhere, Inter Milan claimed a 2-0 win at Ajax through Marcus Thuram, while Slavia Praha and Bodo Glimt shared a 2-2 draw highlighted by Lukáš Provod’s creative clinic.
Over in Paris, PSG flexed their firepower with a crushing 4-0 win against Atalanta. Marquinhos, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes and Gonçalo Ramos all found the net in a statement victory that underlined PSG’s Champions League ambitions.
Day Three: Thursday, September 18 – Barcelona survive, Trincão steals the spotlight, City too strong
Barcelona survived a late scare at St. James’ Park, edging Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a superb brace from Marcus Rashford. Anthony Gordon pulled one back in stoppage time, but it was too late for the Magpies.
Sporting CP delighted their fans with a 4-1 win over Kairat Almaty, led by Francisco Trincão, who scored twice and earned one of the top ratings of the week. Club Brugge were also impressive, thrashing Monaco 4-1 as Hans Vanaken controlled the midfield.
At the Etihad, Manchester City began their Champions League defense with a 2-0 win over Napoli, with Erling Haaland on the scoresheet. Yet surprisingly, Napoli’s goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić took Player of the Match honors after keeping the scoreline respectable. Eintracht Frankfurt hammered Galatasaray 5-1, while Copenhagen and Bayer Leverkusen shared a dramatic 2-2 draw.
The Team of the Week
Our Champions League Team of the Week includes many of the competition’s biggest stars. Marseille hero Gerónimo Rulli was named in goal, with Marcos Llorente (Atlético), Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes (both PSG), and Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) forming the backline.
The midfield was packed with creativity and goals: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP), and Lukáš Provod (Slavia Praha).
Up front, Dušan Vlahović (Juventus) and Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) completed a world-class strike partnership.
The best performer in Round One? Sporting CP’s Francisco Trincao, who’s brace sparked a storming couple of minutes as the Portugues champions made sure that Kairat Almaty’s Champions League debut was not one to remember.
Conclusion
The first week of the UEFA Champions League delivered everything: shock defeats for giants like Benfica, superstar displays from Mbappé, Salah, and Kane, plus a tight win for Barcelona. If Matchday One is any indication, this season’s Champions League will be one for the ages!