UCL: Barcelona, PSG Dominate as Liverpool, Arsenal Secure Narrow Wins
The first matchday of the UEFA Champions League continued with some big clubs in action on Wednesday night. Barcelona and PSG made emphatic starts to their Champions League campaigns, winning big, while Liverpool and Arsenal secured narrow victories.
Barcelona 5-1 Feyenoord
Barcelona ran riot against Feyenoord at the Camp Nou, recording a commanding 5-1 victory over their visitors.
Raphinha opened the scoring in the third minute before Karim Adeyemi doubled Barcelona’s advantage midway through the first half. Raphinha scored his second after the break, while Lamine Yamal extended the lead with a free-kick. Barcelona also hit the post through João Cancelo before Feyenoord pulled one back late in the game through Sem Steijn.
Newly recruited Gabriel Jesus restored Barcelona’s fourth goal advantage by heading in Yamal’s cross to complete the 5-1 victory.
Raphinha was named Player of the Match.
Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 Slovan Bratislava
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain also enjoyed a comfortable opening-night victory, beating Slovan Bratislava 6-1.
Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring after Nuno Mendes struck the woodwork, before Dembélé doubled the advantage with a header.
Ferran Torres then took over, scoring three goals to complete his hat-trick in his first Champions League appearance for Paris. Suleiman Camara pulled one back for Slovan Bratislava, but Fabián Ruiz scored Paris’ sixth goal to complete a convincing victory.
Torres was named Player of the Match.
Liverpool 2-1 Atlético Madrid
Liverpool came from behind to beat Atlético Madrid 2-1 at Anfield, recording themselves as the first club to beat the Spanish side four times on the bounce in the UEFA Champions League.
Marcos Llorente put Atlético ahead with his fifth goal in three appearances at Anfield.Liverpool equalised before half-time when Dominik Szoboszlai found the bottom corner following a Ronald Araújo flick.
Alexis Mac Allister then put Liverpool ahead shortly after the interval with a powerful effort from outside the area.
Liverpool held on to secure the victory, with Szoboszlai named Player of the Match.
Napoli 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal secured a late narrow 1-0 victory away to Napoli.
Martin Ødegaard scored the decisive goal in the 75th minute, finishing off a slick team move with a shot that went in off the inside of the post. Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino had earlier gone close for Arsenal, while Napoli saw Kevin De Bruyne and Matteo Politano force saves from David Raya.
Ødegaard was named Player of the Match.
Other Wednesday night results
Stuttgart 3-1 Viking
Sporting 3-1 Galatasaray
Matchday one continues today, Thursday, with Bayern Munich and Manchester United among the teams in action.
