Champions League Round Up: 23 goals in opening night, Barcelona, holders Man City among top winners

It was an amazing opening night of Champions League football, holders Manchester City maintained their 27 games unbeaten home run and Lazio keeper Ivan Provedel scored stoppage time header to share the spoils with Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid.

Manchester City
Champions League holders Manchester City had to come from behind for the second time in less than a week to take all three point against Serbian champions Red Star Belgrad.

City recorded 22 shots during a one-sided first half, against the run of play the Serbian champions took a shocking lead on the stroke of half-time when Osman Bukari’s strike was allowed to stand after a VAR review for offside (45).

Pep Guardiola’s half time team talk payed off with Julian Alvarez getting the equaliser two minutes into the second half, before opposition goalkeeper Omri Glazer scored an own-goal, and then Rodri grabbed a third in the 73rd minute.

The victory means the blues maintained their 27 games unbeaten home run in Champions League (2018-2023).

PSG
It was a comfortable night in Paris for Luis Enrique’s men, second half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi ensured the French side sit top of Group F after matchday 1.

The French side are formidable at home losing just one game in 34 matches in the Champions League, winning 27 and drawing six.

The French side burst into life just four minutes into the second half as Ousmane Dembele’s turn of pace and pass found Kylian Mbappe free inside the box and his wayward shot was blocked by the arm of Niklas Sule.

The Frenchman made no mistake from the spot giving Kobel no chance, despite the keeper going the right way.

PSG doubled their lead when Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi combined well with midfielder Vitinha and doubled the home side’s lead.

The French side are in Group F with Newcastle and AC Milan.

Barcelona
Barcelona hit five for the second time in four days, the Spanish side breeze pass Royal Antwerp, with Xavi Hernandez admitting that his team are playing their best football since he took over as manager.

The Catalan were a class apart for the whole contest with the Belgian side contemplating damage control after Xavi’s men scored thrice in the opening 22 minutes.

João Félix scored twice, with Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and a Jelle Bataille own goal completing the rout.

Xavi said: “I am really happy with the result, but above all with how we played.

“The early stages tonight were even because we didn’t press high well, but from the 20th minute, I thought we controlled the game. We dominated possession, recovered balls high and attacked well positionally.

“Obviously the level of the team goes up when [Ilkay] Gündogan plays, [João] Cancelo knows what we want and Félix has started well. I think these last two games are the best level we have shown with me in charge. It’s the path to follow.”

Lazio
It was a night of Miracle at Estadio Olimpico de Roma, as 29-year-old Italian and Lazio goalkeeper, Ivan Provedel scored a bullet header in stoppage time to earn a miraculous draw for Lazio in their Champions League group stage match against Atletico Madrid.

Provedel was voted as the Goalkeeper of the Year in Serie A last season, but he showed that he has attacking talents too after being sent forward with his team 1-0 down.

The 29-year-old’s headed equalizer from six yards proved to be the final action of Tuesday’s Group E opener at the Stadio Olimpico.

He becomes the first goalkeeper to score in a Champions League match since Nigeria Vincent Enyeama achieved with Hapoel Tell Aviv 13 years ago.

Newcastle united
After 20 years Newcastle returned to the Champions League and left San Siro with a point and a clean sheet after surviving a first half onslaught from last season’s semi-finalists Ac Milan.

As expected, the Rossoneri were the side on the front foot in the first half, peppering the Newcastle goal with 15 shots, the joint most by any side in the opening 45-minutes of a Champions League match in the last eight seasons without scoring, whilst also hitting the target seven times, also the joint record in the first half of a UCL game without scoring since 2003/04.

Milan have now failed to score in their last 3 games in the Champions League, a run of 352 minutes without a goal and have failed to win in their last 4 games in the competition, their last longer winless streak since the 11th December 2013 to 3rd November 2021, a run of 7 games.