Whereas all the highest leagues have accomplished one month into the brand new season, followers have been eagerly awaiting the beginning of the UEFA Champions League, the premier membership soccer competitors. And recreation week one of many match didn’t disappoint as we noticed thrilling finishes, emotional returns after years for some golf equipment, and mesmerising clashes between prime groups.
We witnesses objectives, yellow playing cards, and purple playing cards, which simply present how aggressive the league will likely be this season. From these 15 video games alone, a number of groups have put up their fingers and made their intentions clear about profitable the trophy, and because the competitors progresses, extra groups may be a part of the fray.
So, right here’s what we realized from gameweek one of many 2023-24 UEFA Champions League.
Jude Bellingham saves Actual Madrid once more
The €103 million that Actual Madrid spent in the summertime on Jude Bellingham appears to be like now like a steal. The 19-year-old who was delivered to bolster the creativity division has taken over scoring the profitable objectives, too. He did it towards Celte de Vigo; he did it towards Getafe, and now he has proved his mettle as soon as once more within the Champions League.
Dealing with a Union Berlin facet, the 14-time competitors winners have been heavy favourites. Nevertheless, because the case has been so many instances this season, Los Blancos appeared to have left their taking pictures boots at house.
Carlo Ancelotti’s males had 32 pictures on track, however with some resolute defending and poor ending, the guests have been trying to win their first level within the competitors. Nevertheless, within the recreation’s dying minutes, Valverde had the ball at his toes outdoors the field, and he went for glory. Nevertheless, the ball ricocheted off participant after participant earlier than fortunately discovering its method to Bellingham, who solely needed to put the ball within the objectives from a foot away to substantiate Madrid’s victory.
Cuando sea el Rey de Champions no diré nada, pero habrá señales… pic.twitter.com/e58CnDPHxp
— Actual Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 20, 2023
Atletico face the identical outdated issues towards Lazio
Ever since Diego Simeone took cost of Atletico Madrid in 2011, the membership has change into one of many hardest groups to face throughout Europe. Most of the time, huge groups have discovered it difficult to interrupt down their defensive wall. Nevertheless, one space the place the workforce struggles is after they must take onus and assault with the opposite workforce defending.
Simeone has tried laborious to make his workforce extra attack-minded, signing gamers corresponding to Antoine Griezmann, Alvaro Morata and Joao Felix. Two of those gamers have been within the assault for Ateltico’s recreation towards Lazio.
In keeping with stats, Atletico Madrid performed extra passes and had extra of the ball than the Italian workforce however failed to make use of it adequately. Their objectives got here by way of a deflection that discovered its well past a wrong-footed Ivan Provedel. Their different probability got here once more by way of a deflection that hit the publish.
Ultimately, their defence failed to select up a week-timed run by Provedel, who scored within the dying minutes of the sport to assist Lazio win one level.
↔️ Spot the variations #UCL | #LazioAtleti#CMonEagles 🦅 pic.twitter.com/hqe1vjtKGk
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) September 19, 2023
PSG beat Dortmund, whereas Newcastle escaped with one level towards AC Milan
Group F is rightly known as the Group of Dying with Paris Saint Germain (PSG), Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Newcastle United. Nevertheless, the group’s first two video games have failed to satisfy expectations. The sport between PSG and Borussia Dortmund noticed 31 pictures, of which solely 4 have been on track. In reality, one of many two objectives that PSG scored got here by way of a penalty.
Each groups seemed adept at creating probabilities however have been sorely missing the ultimate contact that might have gained it for both. Nevertheless, there was one other conflict within the group the place no objectives have been scored.
AC Milan have been coming into the sport towards Newcastle United on the again of a 5-1 drubbing by the hands of their metropolis rivals Inter Milan. In the meantime, Newcastle United had gained their earlier recreation towards Brentford, ending their three-game unbeaten streak.
Nevertheless, AC Milan used their expertise to get the higher maintain within the recreation, having 9 pictures on track. The mixed effort of some heroic goalkeeping and a few poor ending noticed Newcastle United escape with a degree on a day the place their assault and midfield hardly produced something of notice within the opposition’s half.
Manchester Metropolis and RB Leipzig set the tempo in Group G
Manchester Metropolis and RB Leipzig have been all the time the favourites to qualify out of Group G and proved their dominance from the primary recreation onwards. Manchester Metropolis confronted Serbian facet FK Crvena zvezda however didn’t create any form of affect within the first half regardless of having a number of probabilities. It was the Serbs who opened the scoring via Osman Bukhari.
Metropolis appeared reinvigorated within the second half as they overturned the deficit in simply quarter-hour after Julain Alvarez scored a brace. The rise of Alvarez has been the principle story on the membership, with the world-winning attacker forming a formidable partnership with Erling Haaland. It additionally provides Pep Guardiola extra goal-scoring choices in an occasion the place the Norwegian is injured for a protracted spell.
In the meantime, RB Leipzig additionally grabbed three factors of their first recreation on the street towards Younger Boys. The Germans who offered their prime gamers, corresponding to Christopher Nkunku, Josko Gvardiol, and Dominik Szoboszlai, well reinvested their cash to purchase satisfactory replacements and in addition promote younger gamers to fill the void left by the departing gamers.
And three of those gamers have been on the scoresheet. Mohamed Simakan opened the scoring within the third minute earlier than two objectives from Xaver Schlager and Benjamin Sesko put the end result past doubt.
Barcelona put a 5-star efficiency towards Royal Antwerp
La Liga champions Barcelona began their marketing campaign in fashion, beating Royal Antwerp 5-0. The Blaugrana produced a whole efficiency, with their opponents having little probability. The hosts’s domination could be seen within the stats: 22 pictures in comparison with 3, 10 pictures on track in comparison with 1 798 passes in comparison with 343.
For giant components of the sport, Antwerp have been solely chasing shadows because the Spanish champions displayed their passing dominance on the pitch. Whereas Barcelona will face way more formidable challenges than the Belgians, this begin will instil a brand new enhance of confidence in Xavi’s males.
Within the group’s different recreation, Porto obtained three factors after thrashing Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 on the street. The sport noticed maybe probably the most chaotic stars of recreation week one, as three objectives have been scored in simply quarter-hour.
Brazilian winger Galeno, who was signed final 12 months by league rivals Braga, was the present’s star, scoring a brace to place his workforce within the lead. Mehdi Taremi added the third within the twenty ninth minute.
Bayern Munich, Manchester United play an entertaining seven-goal thriller
It was a aim fest on the Allianz Enviornment as Bayern Munich gained 4-3 towards Manchester United. It was a recreation the place Bayern Munich would go right into a consolation zone earlier than conceding a aim.
Erik Ten Hag’s males began the sport brilliantly and will have scored with the 2 probabilities they obtained. As an alternative, the German champions went into the lead after some horrendous retaining by Andre Onana. From the sting of the field, Leroy Sane unleashed a tam shot that by some means was spilled by the shot-stopper into the aim.
Diese Jungs! 🥰#UCL #MiaSanMia #FCBayern pic.twitter.com/2WKxd0a5fV
— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) September 20, 2023
Bayern scored one other to enter a two-goal lead at half-time. Nevertheless, United struck again with new signing Rasmus Hojlund. Nevertheless, Bayern established a two-goal lead instantly after profitable a penalty following a VAR intervention, which Harry Kane duly transformed. United returned via Casemiro however conceded straight from the kick-off, with Mathys Tel scoring his third aim of the season. Bruno Fernandes scored the sport’s remaining aim with the final kick, but it surely was too little too late for the guests.