Champions League 2024-25 Matchday 5 Round-Up: Feyenoord Shock Man City, Inter and Barcelona Triumph Again, Bayern Overcome PSG, Atalanta and Atleti Net Six Each

Feyenoord shocked Manchester City on Tuesday, as Inter and Barcelona – with a standout performance from Robert Lewandowski – secured their fourth league phase victories to climb to the summit of the table.

Meanwhile, Arsenal, Atalanta – netting six goals in style – Bayern Munich, and Leverkusen all achieved crucial wins, while Atlético Madrid celebrated a dominant triumph in Prague.

Here’s a recap of all the excitement from the opening night of UEFA Champions League Matchday 5.

Champions League 2024-25 Matchday 5 Round-Up

Atlético Dominate in Style with a Six-Goal Thrashing of Sparta Praha

Sparta Praha 0-6 Atlético de Madrid

Atlético Madrid delivered a commanding performance in Prague, dismantling Sparta Praha with an unrelenting attacking display. Julián Alvarez starred, scoring in both halves – his first an exquisite free-kick – and Marcos Llorente’s floated cross-shot extended their lead just before the hour mark.

Diego Simeone’s side showed no mercy as the game progressed. Substitute Antoine Griezmann celebrated his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance with a precise low finish, while Ángel Correa, another substitute, struck twice from close range within four minutes to seal the rout.

Player of the Match: Julián Alvarez (Atlético de Madrid)

Milan Edge Past Slovan Bratislava in a Five-Goal Thriller

Slovan Bratislava 2-3 AC Milan

Christian Pulišić opened the scoring for AC Milan in the 21st minute, calmly finishing after a clever pass from Tammy Abraham. The hosts responded swiftly, with Tigran Barseghyan lofting the ball over Mike Maignan to equalize just three minutes later. However, a series of second-half strikes dashed Bratislava’s hopes of earning their first league phase points.

Rafael Leão regained Milan’s advantage with an elegant chip, while Tammy Abraham capitalized on a misplaced back pass from David Strelec to extend the lead. Substitute Nino Marcelli reignited Bratislava’s chances with a powerful late goal, but their momentum was halted as Marko Tolić was sent off, sealing Milan’s victory.

Player of the Match: Rafael Leão (AC Milan)

Leverkusen Cruise Past Salzburg As Goals Galore

Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 Salzburg

Florian Wirtz stole the show with a brace as Bayer Leverkusen dismantled Salzburg in a dominant display on home soil. Wirtz opened the scoring early with a penalty, followed minutes later by a stunning lofted free-kick from Alejandro Grimaldo to double the lead within 11 minutes.

Wirtz added his second goal with a precise low strike at the half-hour mark, setting the tone for the second half. Patrik Schick and Aleix Garcia netted their first-ever goals in the competition to round off an emphatic victory for the hosts.

Player of the Match: Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Atalanta Run Riot Against Young Boys in Dominant Away Victory

Young Boys 1-6 Atalanta

Atalanta delivered a statement performance with a commanding victory, powered by braces from Charles De Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui. Retegui opened the scoring with a composed finish, but Silvère Ganvoula’s header briefly brought the hosts level.

The visitors quickly regained control as De Ketelaere and Sead Kolasinac scored in rapid succession. Retegui added another before half-time, capitalizing on a precise cross to make it 4-1. De Ketelaere struck again in the second half, and Lazar Samardžić sealed the result with a brilliant solo effort.

Player of the Match: Mateo Retegui (Atalanta)

Lewandowski Shines as Barcelona Ease Past Brest

Barcelona 3-0 Brest

Robert Lewandowski’s brace, which included his 100th UEFA Champions League goal, and a dazzling strike from Dani Olmo propelled Barcelona to their 11th consecutive home victory across all competitions. Lewandowski opened the scoring from the penalty spot to reach his historic milestone, followed by Olmo’s brilliant solo effort to double the lead with exceptional footwork.

In added time, Lewandowski sealed the result with a clinical finish, perfectly controlling Alejandro Balde’s pass and slotting it home to cap a dominant display.

Player of the Match: Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)

Minjae Kim’s Header Secures Bayern’s Narrow Win Over PSG

Bayern München 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain

Minjae Kim’s decisive close-range header extended Bayern’s streak of victories without conceding to seven matches across all competitions. The Korean defender powered the ball into the roof of the net after Paris failed to deal with Joshua Kimmich’s curling corner delivery.

PSG’s chances diminished when Ousmane Dembélé was sent off for a second yellow card just before the hour mark. Bayern came close to doubling their lead, but Matvei Safonov’s exceptional fingertip save denied Jamal Musiala, tipping his fierce shot onto the post.

Player of the Match: Minjae Kim (Bayern München)

Inter Edge Leipzig to Claim Top Spot in the League Phase

Inter 1-0 Leipzig

Inter climbed to the top of the league phase standings with a hard-fought win over Leipzig, who remain winless. The decisive moment came in the 27th minute when Castello Lukeba inadvertently turned Federico Dimarco’s free-kick into his own net.

Denzel Dumfries came close to extending Inter’s lead shortly after the break, while Yann Sommer preserved the clean sheet with a crucial save to deny Antonio Nusa. Simone Inzaghi’s side secured their fifth consecutive shutout in this season’s competition.

Player of the Match: Piotr Zieliński (Inter)

Feyenoord Stage Stunning Comeback to Draw with Manchester City

Manchester City 3-3 Feyenoord

Feyenoord pulled off a sensational comeback, erasing a 3-0 deficit to earn a remarkable point against Manchester City. Erling Haaland’s brace and a deflected strike from İlkay Gündoğan had given the hosts a commanding lead.

However, Feyenoord began their fightback as Anis Hadj Moussa capitalized on some sloppy defending to ignite their hopes. Santiago Giménez then tapped in to reduce the deficit, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion. In the dying moments, Dávid Hancko scored a dramatic equalizer with a header from Igor Paixão’s cross, sending the visiting fans into wild celebration.

Player of the Match: Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord)

Arsenal Thrash Sporting CP in Comprehensive 5-1 Victory

Sporting CP 1-5 Arsenal

Arsenal delivered a commanding performance in Lisbon, cruising to a 5-1 win with an irresistible attacking display. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring early with a simple tap-in, followed by Kai Havertz’s clinical finish to complete a team move. Gabriel then added a header from a set-piece just before the break to give Arsenal a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Sporting CP came out with renewed energy after the interval, pulling a goal back through Gonçalo Inácio. However, Arsenal quickly regained control, with Bukayo Saka converting a penalty and Leandro Trossard adding a header from a rebound to seal a dominant victory.

Player of the Match: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

As the UEFA Champions League action continues to unfold, Wednesday promises another exciting set of fixtures. With matchups like Liverpool hosting Real Madrid, and Crvena Zvezda taking on Stuttgart, football fans are in for a treat. The battle between Monaco and Benfica is sure to be a thrilling contest, while teams like Aston Villa, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund will be aiming to strengthen their positions in the league phase.

Whether it’s the high-octane encounter between Liverpool and Madrid or the tactical battles in Graz and Bologna, every match could have significant implications for the standings as the competition intensifies. Make sure to stay tuned as these teams look to make their mark on the road to glory.

Read More: UEFA Champions League 2024/25: Liverpool vs Real Madrid – Preview & Prediction

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