Champions League: Villa Beat Bayern, Lille Stun Madrid, Benfica, Liverpool and Juve Win Again
Aston Villa and Lille made headlines on Wednesday night with impressive victories over Bayern München and Real Madrid, respectively. Benfica, Juventus, and Liverpool also joined Villa in securing maximum points with their own wins in the second league phase, while Feyenoord, Atalanta, and Club Brugge kicked off their campaigns with victories in Matchday 2. Here’s a recap of the week’s thrilling action.
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Atalanta
Atalanta started their away campaign with a stunning performance in Gelsenkirchen. Berat Djimsiti scored the opener in the 21st minute, deftly converting a cross from Ademola Lookman. Lookman then hit the crossbar before scoring a low shot just before halftime. Raoul Bellanova added a third goal three minutes into the second half from a Davide Zappacosta cross, which he followed up with a shot that struck the post.
Player of the Match:Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
Girona 2-3 Feyenoord
Feyenoord secured maximum points against Girona thanks to two own goals and a strike from Antoni Milambo. Girona initially took the lead with a close-range finish from David López, but Quinten Timber equalized with a header that deflected off Yangel Herrera. Milambo then put Feyenoord ahead with a smart goal. After a missed penalty by Ayase Ueda for Girona, Donny van de Beek equalized for the hosts, but a late own goal from Ladislav Krejčí gave Feyenoord the win.
Player of the Match: Quinten Timber (Feyenoord)
Aston Villa 1-0 Bayern München
In their first Champions League home match, Aston Villa triumphed thanks to a stunning lob by substitute Jhon Durán in the 79th minute. The match was tightly contested, with Bayern nearly taking the lead through a brilliant save by Emiliano Martínez. Durán’s goal came from a perfectly timed run to meet a long pass from Pau Torres. Martínez made crucial saves during added time to secure the win.
Player of the Match:Jhon Duran (Aston Villa)
GNK Dinamo 2-2 Monaco
Monaco managed to salvage a point after trailing 2-0 against Dinamo in Zagreb. Petar Sučić scored just before halftime, and Martin Baturina extended the lead with a clever dribble. Monaco responded with a header from Mohammed Salisu and a last-minute penalty converted by captain Denis Zakaria to equalize.
Player of the Match:Martin Baturina (GNK Dinamo)
Liverpool 2-0 Bologna
Liverpool continued their winning streak with a convincing performance at Anfield, led by goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah. Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and Salah sealed the victory with a brilliant strike in the 75th minute, ensuring a successful European night for manager Arne Slot.
Player of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
LOSC Lille 1-0 Real Madrid
Lille celebrated a memorable victory against Real Madrid, with Jonathan David scoring from the penalty spot just before halftime. Ayyoub Bouaddi, celebrating his 17th birthday, shone in midfield, helping Lille withstand late pressure from the Spanish side. Despite several attempts from Real Madrid, they could not break through Lille’s solid defense.
Player of the Match: Edon Zhegrova (Lille)
Leipzig 2-3 Juventus
Juventus claimed a dramatic victory in Germany, thanks to a late goal from Francisco Conceição. After trailing 1-0 at halftime, Dušan Vlahović equalized with a powerful shot. Despite having a player sent off, Juventus fought back, with Vlahović scoring again after Leipzig regained the lead from a penalty. Conceição’s late goal clinched the win for the visitors.
Player of the Match: Dušan Vlahović (Juventus)
Sturm Graz 0-1 Club Brugge
Club Brugge bounced back from their previous defeat with a narrow win over Sturm Graz. Christos Tzolis scored the only goal of the match, curling a beautiful shot into the net midway through the first half. Despite a few chances for Sturm, Brugge’s defense held firm.
Player of the Match: Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge)
Benfica 4-0 Atlético de Madrid
Benfica continued their perfect start with a resounding victory against Atlético. Kerem Aktürkoğlu opened the scoring, and after a missed chance from Samuel Lino, the hosts dominated the second half with two penalties from Ángel Di María and Orkun Kökçü, along with a fine header from Alexander Bah.
Payer of the Match: Orkun Kökçü (Benfica)
