The UEFA Champions League remains the pinnacle of club football in Europe. Matchday 4 highlighted that with insane drama and plenty of goals. There were a few upsets as well. The European elite clubs stamped their authority over the smaller teams. The race for the automatic qualification into the knockouts is getting intense with each matchday. Without further ado, let’s check out all the action that unfolded this week.
Key Match Summaries
The biggest draw in matchday 4 saw defending champions Paris Saint-Germain host Bayern Munich. Despite being down to ten men, the Bavarians prevailed 2-1 thanks to a brace from Luis Diaz. Joao Neves cut down the deficit with a goal after the break, but Bayern held on for a famous win. Diaz was sent off after seeing a direct red card for a horrific tackle on Achraf Hakimi.
Elsewhere at Anfield, Real Madrid were stunned by a resurgent Liverpool side as the hosts prevailed 1-0. Alexis Mac Allister scored the winning goal at the hour mark. It could have been much worse for Los Blancos, but Thibaut Courtois made a staggering 8 saves to spare his side’s blushes.
Manchester City thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-1 as Erling Haaland continues to score goals for fun. Phil Foden scored a brace, while Rayan Cherki was also on the scoresheet. Minnows Pafos shocked Villarreal to claim a 1-0 win as Derrick Luckassen scored the all-important goal.
Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by Qarabag FK, despite taking an early lead through Estêvão. Leandro Andrade and Marko Janković turned the game around with two quickfire goals before Alejandro Garnacho salvaged a point for the Blues.
Barcelona were held to a 3-3 draw by Club Brugge. Nicolò Tresoldi and Ferran Torres scored inside the first ten minutes, but the Belgian club got their noses ahead when Carlos Forbs put the hosts ahead. Lamine Yamal equalised after the break, but Forbs scored again to give his team the lead. A late own goal from Christos Tzolis helped the Catalans steal a point.
Arsenal prevailed 3-0 over Slavia Praha as Bukayo Saka struck an early penalty and Mikel Merino scored a second-half brace. Tottenham hammered København 4-0, while Newcastle prevailed 2-0 over Athletic Club. Atalanta recorded a 1-0 win over Marseille, Inter downed Kairat Almaty 2-1, while Leverkusen edged Benfica 1-0.
Galatasaray breezed past Ajax 3-0, while PSV and Olympiacos shared the spoils after a 1-1 draw. Juventus were also held to a 1-1 draw by Sporting CP. Napoli played out a 0-0 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt, and Atletico prevailed 3-1 over Union-Saint Gilloise.
Standout Players and Performances
Phil Foden recorded a perfect 10 in SofaScore’s ratings. Behind him, Carlos Forbs (9.8) and Victor Osimhen (9.5) were the best-rated players after scoring two goals each.
Nick Pope (8.4) made 5 saves and was the best-rated goalkeeper this week. Loïc Badé (8.7) and Micky van de Ven (8.5) were rock solid in defence for their respective sides. Lamine Yamal (8.4) shone again for Barcelona, while Mikel Merino (8.7) continues to prove his worth in gold for the Gunners.
League Table & Impact
Bayern continue to sit pretty atop the league table with Arsenal and Inter also on 12 points, having won all their matches so far. Man City are in fourth place, ahead of PSG. Newcastle leapfrogged Real Madrid, and Liverpool remain below Los Blancos despite their win. Galatasaray and Spurs round off the top ten. Barcelona slipped to 11th place, while Chelsea, Dortmund and Atletico Madrid are all languishing in mid-table berths.
Napoli occupy the last playoffs spot; meanwhile, Marseille, Juventus, Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal are in danger of missing the knockouts. Jose Mourinho’s Benfica and Ajax are yet to register a single point this season.
Injuries and Suspension Updates
David Moses and Tomáš Chorý both suffered injuries against Arsenal and will be undergoing tests. Robin Le Normand suffered a knee injury and will be sidelined till the new year. Jostein Gundersen saw a red card and will be suspended for next week. Juventus will be sweating over the fitness of Manuel Locatelli. Federico Valverde also suffered an injury, which will be monitored by Madrid. Luis Diaz will be suspended after his red card, while Ousmane Dembele and Hakimi were both injured against Bayern. Brennan Johnson will also be unavailable for Spurs after his red card.
Looking Ahead
Matchday 5 promises all the more drama, as Chelsea gear up to host Barcelona. The marquee fixture of the week will see Arsenal face their old foes Bayern, whereas PSG will welcome Tottenham to the Parc des Princes. Atletico Madrid will face Inter Milan, while Real Madrid will travel to Greece to play Olympiacos. Dortmund will take on Villarreal, Newcastle are on the road to face Marseille, while City welcomes Leverkusen to the Etihad.