UCL: Salah Shines as Liverpool Stay Perfect; Real Madrid Bounces Back with Win Over Atalanta
In a thrilling night of Champions League action, Mohamed Salah once again proved his mettle, helping Liverpool secure a perfect record in the group stage with a hard-fought victory over Girona. Meanwhile, defending champions Real Madrid bounced back from their recent defeat to Liverpool, overcoming a resilient Atalanta side.
Liverpool continued their dominance in the revamped format of Europe’s premier club competition, extending their winning streak to six matches.
Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty, which sent Girona’s goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga the wrong way, marked his 50th goal in Champions League history, tying him with Filippo Inzaghi as the tenth highest goalscorer in the tournament’s illustrious history. With 16 goals across all competitions this season, Salah has been instrumental in Liverpool’s impressive campaign.
Under new coach Arne Slot, Liverpool appears virtually assured of a place in the last 16, thanks to their stellar performances. Their next two group stage matches early next year will determine their final positioning, but for now, they sit atop the standings with confidence.
In contrast, Real Madrid, who suffered a 2-0 defeat at Anfield in their previous outing, faced a challenging match against Atalanta. Kylian Mbappé put the Spanish giants ahead in the 10th minute, only for Charles de Ketelaere to equalize with a penalty just before halftime.
However, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti saw his team rally, with Vinicius Junior scoring and Jude Bellingham adding another goal, securing a 3-2 victory that lifted them to 18th place in the standings with nine points.
Paris Saint-Germain, struggling in the group, finally found their form with a critical 3-0 win against Salzburg, moving them closer to playoff contention. After a dismal start that left them in 25th place with only four points, the French champions now have renewed hope as they approach their final two matches.
Bayer Leverkusen also enjoyed a significant victory, edging past Inter Milan 1-0 to become the first team to score against the Serie A leaders in this year’s competition. This win places them five points behind Liverpool, solidifying their position in the race for the knockout stages.
Other notable results included Brest’s impressive 1-0 win over PSV Eindhoven, marking a historic moment for the modest French side as they sit fifth in their first-ever Champions League appearance.
Additionally, Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb played to a lackluster 0-0 draw, while Club Brugge defeated Sporting 2-1, keeping their knockout stage hopes alive.
