The new 36-team league phase format of the UEFA Champions League kicked off on Tuesday with nail-biting matches between some of Europe’s best teams.
Defending champions Real Madrid, and six-time winners Liverpool and Bayern Munich are surged to vitals victories in their respective opening matches.
Los Blancos needed a big second half to see of German club VfB Stuttgart 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, with goals from Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger and Endrick cancelling out Deniz Undav’s strike for the visitors.
Three goals and three points for Real Madrid ⚪#UCL pic.twitter.com/wD9mRw74mL
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Bundesliga giants Bayern cruised to a 9-2 home win over Dimano Zagreb at the Allianz Arena, with the Bavarians led by a quadruplet of goals from England forward Harry Kane, who scored a hat-trick of penalties and surpassed Wayne Rooney (30) as the English player with the most goals in Champions League history with 33.
A brace from summer signing Michael Olise, and one apiece from Raphael Guerreiro, Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka helped Vincent Kompany’s side become the first team in Champions League history to score nine goals.
WOW 😳#UCL pic.twitter.com/eBV3zIXyKA
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 17, 2024
Elsewhere, in a rematch of the famous 2005 and 2007 Champions League finals, AC Milan welcomed Liverpool to the iconic San Siro Stadium, but it was the visitors, who ended as 3-1 winners.
Arne Slot’s men came back from a goal down after Christian Pulisic had put the Rossoneri ahead, with goals from Ibrahim Konate, Virgil Van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai doing the damage for the Premier League club.
Victory in Milan 🔴#UCL pic.twitter.com/Xy9l1CccYa
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 17, 2024
At the Allianz Stadium, Juventus beat PSC Eindhoven 3-1 with Turkish teenager Kenan Yildiz etching his name in the history books as he scored the first goal of the new Champions League format.
American midfielder Weston McKennie and Argentina international Nicolas Gonzalez were the other names on the scoresheet for the Old Lady, who conceded Ismail Saibari goal to deny goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio a clean sheet.
Back with a bang 💥#UCL pic.twitter.com/2uemv5HloR
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 17, 2024
In Switzerland, Aston Villa put three past hosts Young Boys at the Wankdorf Stadium thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana as the Premier League side, coached by Spaniard Unai Emery, marked a winning return to the Champions League.
Fans inside the Estadio Jose Alvalade were treated to the best of football as Sporting Lisbon defeated 10-man Lille 2-0 with a sublime finish from Viktor Gyokeres and thunderous belter from Zeno Debast clinching the victory for the Portuguese side.
After action on the opening day, Bayern sit atop the league standings with a better goal difference, while Villa, Liverpool, and Juventus follow in second, third and fourth, respectively. Real Madrid are in fifth place, while Sporting hold the sixth position pending results from the Wednesday and Thursday’s matches.
