CONTINENTAL FOOTBALL
UEFA Champions League
The elite clubs kicked off their fight for European glory once again, and this is how things went.
Sept 19.
FEYENOORD 2-0 CELTIC
LAZIO 1-1 ATLÉTICO MADRID
AC MILAN 0-0 NEWCASTLE UNITED
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 2-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND
YOUNG BOYS 1-3 RB LEIPZIG
MANCHESTER CITY 3-1 RED STAR BELGRADE
BARCELONA 5-0 ANTWERP
SHAKHTAR DONETSK 1-3 PORTO
Sept 20.
GALATASARAY 2-2 COPENHAGEN
BAYERN MUNICH 4-3 MANCHESTER UNITED
SEVILLA 1-1 LENS
ARSENAL 4-0 PSV EINDHOVEN
REAL MADRID 1-0 UNION BERLIN
BRAGA 1-2 NAPOLI
REAL SOCIEDAD 1-1 INTER MILAN
BENFICA 0-2 RED BULL SALZBURG
Manchester City, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Feyenoord, and Bayern Munich all started the tournament with victories. Benfica were the only reigning domestic champions to go down in defeat.
Union Berlin were seconds away from leaving Madrid with a point when Jude Bellingham scored the game-winning goal in the fourth minute of extra time to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win.
The classic between Bayern Munich and Manchester United ended as many predicted based on the teams’ current form. Bayern Munich’s ‘4-3’ victory does not reflect their dominance in the tie after the opening goal.
Napoli defeated Braga to become the only Italian club to win in the first round. Inter Milan earned a point against Real Sociedad. AC Milan were unable to capitalize on their dominance to win against Newcastle. Lazio salvaged a draw in the dying minutes against Atletico Madrid.
Lazio’s goalkeeper came into the attacking third in the final play of the game and headed in the equalizing goal to help Lazio avoid a losing start at home to Atletico Madrid.
Newcastle United avoided a deserved defeat, leaving Manchester United as the only Premier League team to lose. Manchester City and Arsenal were convincing winners in their ties.
Feyenoord defeated a numerically inferior Celtic. By the 70th minute, two Celtic players had received red cards. To be fair to Feyenoord, they scored a goal before each red card Celtic received.
Sevilla and Lens split the points. A better result than expected for Lens, and Sevilla may target their other favorite cup competition.
In terms of results, most of the favorites got off to a good start, with Benfica being the exception. The next round should help refine many predictions.
STANDINGS
Group A
Bayern Munich – 3
Copenhagen – 1
Galatasaray – 1
Manchester United – 0
Group B
Arsenal – 3
Lens – 1
Sevilla – 1
PSV Eindhoven – 0
Group C
Napoli – 3
Real Madrid – 3
Braga – 0
Union Berlin – 0
Group D
Red Bull Salzburg – 3
Inter Milan – 1
Real Sociedad – 1
Benfica – 0
Group E
Feyenoord – 3
Atlético Madrid – 1
Lazio – 1
Celtic – 0
Group F
Paris Saint-Germain – 3
Newcastle United – 1
AC Milan – 1
Borussia Dortmund – 0
Group G
RB Leipzig – 3
Manchester City – 3
Red Star Belgrade – 0
Young Boys – 0
Group H
Barcelona – 3
Porto – 3
Shakhtar Donetsk – 0
Antwerp – 0
EUROPA LEAGUE RESULTS:
Sept 21.
WEST HAM UNITED 3-1 TSC
OLYMPIACOS 2-3 FREIBURG
AJAX 3-3 MARSEILLE
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2-3 AEK ATHENS
SPARTA PRAGUE 3-2 ARIS LIMASSOL
RANGERS 1-0 REAL BETIS
ATALANTA 2-0 RAKÓW CZĘSTOCHOWA
STURM GRAZ 1-2 SPORTING CP
UNION SAINT-GILLOISE 1-1 TOULOUSE
LASK 1-3 LIVERPOOL
RENNES 3-0 MACCABI HAIFA
PANATHINAIKOS 2-0 VILLARREAL
SERVETTE 0-2 SLAVIA PRAGUE
SHERIFF TIRASPOL 1-2 ROMA
BAYER LEVERKUSEN 4-0 BK HÄCKEN
QARABAĞ 1-0 MOLDE
CONFERENCE LEAGUE RESULTS:
Sept 19.
LILLE 2-0 OLIMPIJA LJUBLJANA
Sept 21.
SLOVAN BRATISLAVA 2-1 KÍ KLAKSVIK
MACCABI TEL AVIV 3-2 BREIÐABLIK
ZORYA LUHANSK 1-1 GENT
VIKTORIA PLZEŇ 1-0 BALLKANI
DINAMO ZAGREB 5-1 ASTANA
CLUB BRUGGE 1-1 BEŞIKTAŞ
LUGANO 0-0 BODØ/GLIMT
LEGIA WARSAW 3-2 ASTON VILLA
ZRINJSKI MOSTAR 4-3 AZ ALKMAAR
GENK 2-2 FIORENTINA
FERENCVÁROS 3-1 ČUKARIČKI
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 2-1 ABERDEEN
HJK 2-3 PAOK
LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD 4-0 SPARTAK TRNAVA
FENERBAHÇE 3-1 NORDSJÆLLAND
