UCL: Man City begin title defence with win; Barcelona outclass Royal Antwerp as Newcastle hold AC Milan
To fans’ excitement, UEFA Champions League football is back on the screen as the 203/24 season of Europe’s club football competition kicked off across various stadiums.
Manchester City began their title defence journey with a 3-1 victory over Serbian side Crvena Zvezda at the Etihad Stadium. The hosts were behind just before the halftime break when Ghana’s Osman Bukari put his team ahead.
However, two minutes after the break, Julian Alvarez equalised for Man City through an assist from Erling Haaland. The Argentine striker scored his second goal of the evening in the 60th minute from a direct freekick to put the hosts in the lead for the first time in the encounter.
Goalkeeper Omri Glazer, who had brilliantly denied Erling Haaland multiple times in the match, miscalculated Alvarez’s freekick while trying to push the ball but ended up in his net.
Rodri, Manchester City’s hero in the Champions League final against Inter Milan last season, sealed the Group G win for the Premier League champions with a curler in the 73rd minute.
Barcelona showed no mercy in Spain as Xavi’s side kicked off their Champions League campaign with a thumping 5-0 win over Belgian champions Royal Antwerp at Estadi OlÃmpic LluÃs Companys.
Ending the match with 70 per cent possession, Barcelona were the better side throughout the 90 minutes of action plus stoppage time, with on-loan Joao Felix opening the scoring as early as the 11th minute.
Eight minutes later, Robert Lewandowski doubled Barcelona’s lead before they went three-nil in the 22nd minute after Jelle Bataille’s own goal.
In the second half, Spanish youngsters Gavi and Felix again found the net as clinical Barcelona jumped to the top of Group H.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi were on the scoresheet as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in their Group F encounter at the Parc Parc des Princes.
Newcastle United held AC Milan to a goalless draw on their return to the Champions League after more than two decades; Lazio and Atletico Madrid played 1-1, with the former’s goalkeeper Ivan Provedel scoring a late equaliser with a header.
Full matchday one results
Barcelona 5 vs 0 Royal Antwerp
Manchester City 3 vs 1 Crvena zvezda
Feyenoord 2 vs 0 Celtic
Lazio 1 vs 1 Atletico Madrid
AC Milan 0 vs 0 Newcastle United
PSG 2 vs 0 Borussia Dortmund
Young Boys 1 vs 3 RB Leipzig
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 vs 3 FC Porto
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