The UEFA Champions League 2024-25 group stage delivered high-octane drama and thrilling action on Matchday 2, with Arsenal securing a much-needed victory against Paris, Borussia Dortmund putting seven past Celtic, and Barcelona, Manchester City, and Inter recording significant wins.
Here’s a comprehensive round-up of the notable matches played on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Champions League 2024-25 Group Stage: Tuesday Night’s Action
Brest Triumphs in Austria: Salzburg 0-4 Brest
Brest continued their impressive start to the Champions League campaign with a dominant 4-0 victory over Salzburg. Despite the home side creating several chances, Brest’s second-half performance was clinical. Abdallah Sima opened the scoring at the 24-minute mark after latching onto Ludovic Ajorque’s pass, muscling his way past two defenders to slot home the opener.
As Salzburg looked to respond, Brest remained resolute. Mahdi Camara extended their lead midway through the second half, followed by Sima’s second goal—a close-range finish that left Salzburg’s defense in tatters. Mathias Pereira Lage rounded off the night with a stunning strike from the edge of the box, completing Brest’s commanding win.
Player of the Match: Abdallah Sima (Brest)
Stuttgart Held by Sparta Praha: Stuttgart 1-1 Sparta Praha
Stuttgart earned their first point of the group stage after a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Sparta Praha. The German side took an early lead through Enzo Millot, who nodded home the opener just seven minutes into the contest. However, Sparta fought back and equalized in the 32nd minute thanks to a sublime free-kick by Kaan Kairinen, who curled the ball in off the post.
The visitors came close to taking the lead several times, with both Martin Vitík and Veljko Birmančević hitting the woodwork. Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel made key saves to deny Birmančević, while Sparta’s Peter Vindahl was equally impressive, stopping Fabian Rieder’s late long-range effort to ensure the teams shared the points.
Player of the Match: Enzo Millot (Stuttgart)
Wednesday Midnight’s Action
Arsenal Outclass Paris: Arsenal 2-0 Paris
In a highly anticipated clash, Arsenal earned their first victory of the group stage by beating Paris 2-0 at the Emirates. The Gunners got off to a strong start with Kai Havertz breaking the deadlock after 20 minutes, rising high to head in from a cross amidst defensive pressure. Arsenal’s captain, Bukayo Saka, then doubled the lead 15 minutes later with a stunning free-kick from wide on the right, catching everyone off guard as the ball sailed past Paris’ goalkeeper.
Paris pressed in the second half, and João Neves nearly pulled one back when his shot deflected off the crossbar after being tipped by Arsenal keeper David Raya. However, Arsenal’s defense held firm to preserve the clean sheet and secure all three points.
Player of the Match: Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
Leverkusen Edge Out Milan: Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 AC Milan
Bayer Leverkusen made it two wins out of two in the group stage with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over AC Milan. The game’s only goal came early in the second half, as Victor Boniface pounced on a rebound after Jeremie Frimpong’s initial shot was saved by Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
The Bundesliga side held on despite pressure from Milan, with Álvaro Morata coming closest to equalizing for the visitors.
Player of the Match: Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen)
Dortmund Runs Riot: Borussia Dortmund 7-1 Celtic
Borussia Dortmund produced a dominant display at home, hammering Celtic 7-1 to send a message to the rest of Europe. Emre Can opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, but Celtic responded swiftly with Daizen Maeda equalizing just two minutes later. However, Karim Adeyemi stole the show with a first-half hat-trick, netting twice before halftime to restore Dortmund’s control.
The relentless attack continued after the break, with Serhou Guirassy converting a second penalty and adding another goal shortly after. Substitute Felix Nmecha completed the rout with a strike 11 minutes from full time, capping a stellar performance from the German giants.
Player of the Match: Karim Adeyemi (Dortmund)
Barcelona Dismantles Young Boys: Barcelona 5-0 Young Boys
Barcelona bounced back emphatically from their opening defeat to Monaco, cruising to a 5-0 victory against Young Boys at Camp Nou. The Catalan giants were spearheaded by a mesmerizing performance from their teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal.
Veteran striker Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring with a clinical finish, and just before the half-hour mark, Iñigo Martínez doubled Barcelona’s lead by heading in from a set-piece. Raphinha extended the advantage early in the second half, tapping home a rebound after a failed clearance from Young Boys. Lewandowski netted his second of the evening shortly after, showcasing his sharpness inside the box.
Young Boys came close to scoring when Joël Monteiro struck the post, but their night went from bad to worse when Mohamed Ali Camara inadvertently scored an own goal in the closing stages, sealing the 5-0 scoreline.
Player of the Match: Raphinha (Barcelona)
Inter Overpowers Crvena Zvezda: Inter 4-0 Crvena Zvezda
Inter Milan maintained their unbeaten home record in the Champions League, extending it to ten games, as they swept past Crvena Zvezda with a commanding 4-0 victory at San Siro. Hakan Çalhanoğlu set the tone for Inter with a sublime free-kick just 11 minutes into the match, giving the Serie A side an early lead.
In the second half, Mehdi Taremi, who had been instrumental throughout, set up Marko Arnautović for Inter’s second goal and moments later provided the assist for Lautaro Martínez to score. Taremi then added a goal to his account, coolly converting a penalty in the 81st minute to complete the resounding win for Inter, their first in this year’s competition.
Player of the Match: Mehdi Taremi (Inter)
PSV and Sporting Share the Points: PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Sporting CP
PSV Eindhoven and Sporting CP played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the PSV Stadion, with both teams creating several chances. PSV took the lead after 15 minutes when Jerdy Schouten intercepted a loose pass in midfield and drove forward before unleashing a powerful shot past Sporting goalkeeper Franco Israel.
Sporting pushed for an equalizer and found it late in the match when substitute Daniel Bragança fired home a first-time effort at the near post after a pinpoint cross from Maximiliano Araújo in the 84th minute. Despite late pressure from PSV, neither side could find a winner, and the points were shared.
Player of the Match: Jerdy Schouten (PSV)
Manchester City Cruise Past Slovan Bratislava: Slovan Bratislava 0-4 Manchester City
Manchester City continued their rich vein of form with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava, kicking off their Champions League campaign in style. İlkay Gündoğan, in his first season back with City, opened the scoring by linking up beautifully with Phil Foden to fire home.
Foden doubled City’s lead shortly after the interval, registering his first goal of the competition. Erling Haaland then added a third, effortlessly rounding Slovan’s goalkeeper Dominik Takáč for his 42nd goal in 41 Champions League outings—a remarkable record. James McAtee put the icing on the cake, pouncing on a delicate Foden chip to score his maiden goal for the club.
Player of the Match: Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Looking Ahead to Champions League 2024-25 Group Stage: More Thrills to Come on Wednesday Night
As the UEFA Champions League group stage action continues, fans can look forward to more captivating matches starting late Wednesday night and stretching into the early hours of Thursday (IST). Here’s a look at the exciting fixtures awaiting:
- Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta – 10:15 pm
- Girona vs Feyenoord – 10:15 pm
- Aston Villa vs Bayern München – 12:30 am
- GNK Dinamo vs Monaco – 12:30 am
- Liverpool vs Bologna – 12:30 am
- LOSC Lille vs Real Madrid – 12:30 am
- Leipzig vs Juventus – 12:30 am
- Sturm Graz vs Club Brugge – 12:30 am
- Benfica vs Atlético de Madrid – 12:30 am
With some of Europe’s heavyweights in action, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Juventus, fans are in for another thrilling night of elite football. As teams push for crucial points in the group stage, the anticipation builds for more high-stakes drama on the pitch. Stay tuned for more Champions League excitement!
When is Lille vs Real Madrid?
Lille vs Real Madrid is from 12:30 am(IST) onwards on October 3.
