Whereas all the highest leagues have accomplished one month into the brand new season, followers had 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 targets, yellow playing cards, and pink playing cards, which simply present how aggressive the league will likely be this season. From these 15 video games alone, a bunch of groups have put up their arms and made their intentions clear about successful the trophy, and because the competitors progresses, extra groups may be 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 now like a steal. The 19-year-old who was dropped at bolster the creativity division has taken over scoring the successful targets, 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.
Going through a Union Berlin facet, the 14-time competitors winners had been heavy favourites. Nevertheless, because the case has been so many occasions this season, Los Blancos appeared to have left their capturing boots at dwelling.
Carlo Ancelotti’s males had 32 pictures on course, however with some resolute defending and poor ending, the guests had been trying to win their first level within the competitors. Nevertheless, within the recreation’s dying minutes, Valverde had the ball at his ft outdoors the field, and he went for glory. Nevertheless, the ball ricocheted off participant after participant earlier than fortunately discovering its option to Bellingham, who solely needed to put the ball within the targets from a foot away to verify 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 previous issues towards Lazio
Ever since Diego Simeone took cost of Atletico Madrid in 2011, the membership has develop into one of many hardest groups to face throughout Europe. As a rule, large groups have discovered it difficult to interrupt down their defensive wall. Nevertheless, one space the place the group struggles is after they need to take onus and assault with the opposite group defending.
Simeone has tried laborious to make his group extra attack-minded, signing gamers resembling Antoine Griezmann, Alvaro Morata and Joao Felix. Two of those gamers had been within the assault for Ateltico’s recreation towards Lazio.
In line with stats, Atletico Madrid performed extra passes and had extra of the ball than the Italian group however failed to make use of it adequately. Their targets got here by way of a deflection that discovered its well past a wrong-footed Ivan Provedel. Their different likelihood got here once more by way of a deflection that hit the submit.
Ultimately, their defence failed to choose 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 had been on course. In actual fact, one of many two targets that PSG scored got here by way of a penalty.
Each groups appeared adept at creating possibilities however had been sorely missing the ultimate contact that will have received it for both. Nevertheless, there was one other conflict within the group the place no targets had been scored.
AC Milan had 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 received 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 course. 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 be aware within the opposition’s half.
Manchester Metropolis and RB Leipzig set the tempo in Group G
Manchester Metropolis and RB Leipzig had 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 did not create any form of impression within the first half regardless of having a number of possibilities. It was the Serbs who opened the scoring by 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 primary 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 an extended spell.
In the meantime, RB Leipzig additionally grabbed three factors of their first recreation on the highway towards Younger Boys. The Germans who bought their prime gamers, resembling Christopher Nkunku, Josko Gvardiol, and Dominik Szoboszlai, neatly reinvested their cash to purchase ample replacements and likewise promote younger gamers to fill the void left by the departing gamers.
And three of those gamers had been on the scoresheet. Mohamed Simakan opened the scoring within the third minute earlier than two targets from Xaver Schlager and Benjamin Sesko put the outcome past doubt.
Barcelona put a 5-star efficiency towards Royal Antwerp
La Liga champions Barcelona began their marketing campaign in model, beating Royal Antwerp 5-0. The Blaugrana produced a whole efficiency, with their opponents having little likelihood. The hosts’s domination could be seen within the stats: 22 pictures in comparison with 3, 10 pictures on course in comparison with 1 798 passes in comparison with 343.
For giant components of the sport, Antwerp had 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 increase of confidence in Xavi’s males.
Within the group’s different recreation, Porto acquired three factors after thrashing Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 on the highway. The sport noticed maybe probably the most chaotic stars of recreation week one, as three targets had been scored in simply quarter-hour.
Brazilian winger Galeno, who was signed final yr by league rivals Braga, was the present’s star, scoring a brace to place his group 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 purpose fest on the Allianz Area as Bayern Munich received 4-3 towards Manchester United. It was a recreation the place Bayern Munich would go right into a consolation zone earlier than conceding a purpose.
Erik Ten Hag’s males began the sport brilliantly and will have scored with the 2 possibilities they acquired. As an alternative, the German champions went into the lead after some horrendous conserving by Andre Onana. From the sting of the field, Leroy Sane unleashed a tam shot that one way or the other was spilled by the shot-stopper into the purpose.
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 successful a penalty following a VAR intervention, which Harry Kane duly transformed. United returned by Casemiro however conceded straight from the kick-off, with Mathys Tel scoring his third purpose of the season. Bruno Fernandes scored the sport’s last purpose with the final kick, nevertheless it was too little too late for the guests.
