Champions League 2024-25 Matchday 6 Round-Up: Liverpool Maintain Perfect Record as Aston Villa, Brest, Leverkusen Climb, and Bayern Score Five

Liverpool extended their lead at the top to five points with a flawless six wins from six in the league phase, while the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League remains tightly contested, with just one point separating second and eighth place. Aston Villa, Bayern München, Brest, and Leverkusen all secured crucial victories.

Here’s a recap of all the action from matchday six.

Champions League 2024-25 Matchday 5 Round-Up

Salah Secures Liverpool’s Sixth Straight Win

Girona 0-1 Liverpool

Mohamed Salah’s composed second-half penalty ensured Liverpool maintained their perfect record in this season’s league phase. The Egyptian calmly sent Paulo Gazzaniga the wrong way just after the hour mark, converting from the spot following a foul by Donny van de Beek on Luis Díaz.

Arne Slot’s side, already assured of a knockout phase berth on Matchday 5, faced a stern challenge from Girona. Alisson Becker, returning after over two months, delivered a standout performance, notably denying Yáser Asprilla with a crucial save before the break.

Player of the Match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)

Stalemate in Zagreb as Celtic Hold Dinamo

GNK Dinamo 0-0 Celtic

Celtic retained their narrow advantage over Dinamo with a hard-fought draw in Zagreb, as both teams struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Paulo Bernardo’s free-kick narrowly missed the target for the visitors, while Sandro Kulenović squandered two chances from close range for the Croatian champions before half-time.

In the second half, Marko Pjaca came closest to breaking the deadlock, but Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel produced a stunning save to tip the winger’s header over the bar. The result brought an end to Dinamo’s remarkable 43-match streak without a goalless draw in European competition.

Player of the Match: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic)

Real Madrid Edge Five-Goal Thriller in Bergamo

Atalanta 2-3 Real Madrid

Real Madrid returned to form with a hard-fought victory over Atalanta in an exhilarating encounter. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring early with his 50th UEFA Champions League goal, but Atalanta equalized just before half-time through Charles De Ketelaere’s powerful penalty.

Vinícius Júnior restored Madrid’s lead ten minutes into the second half and then assisted Jude Bellingham to extend the advantage. Atalanta responded as Ademola Lookman’s precise finish beat Thibaut Courtois with 25 minutes remaining. Despite late pressure from the hosts, including Mateo Retegui’s miss in stoppage time, Madrid held firm for the win.

Player of the Match: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)

Mukiele’s Late Strike Lifts Leverkusen Past Inter

Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Inter

Nordi Mukiele’s dramatic 90th-minute goal secured Bayer Leverkusen a crucial victory over Inter, propelling them above the Italian side and maintaining their flawless home record. Inter, previously unbeaten in conceding during the league phase, faced an early scare when Nathan Tella’s strike rattled the crossbar just three minutes into the match.

Leverkusen dominated the first half, with Florian Wirtz forcing a save from Yann Sommer, though the Inter goalkeeper remained largely untroubled. However, Mukiele capitalized late on, firing home from close range to seal the win for the hosts.

Player of the Match: Nordi Mukiele (Leverkusen)

Nielsen’s Late Strike Seals Victory for Club Brugge

Club Brugge 2-1 Sporting CP

Club Brugge claimed their third win of the league phase with a late goal from Casper Nielsen in Bruges. The match started with a historic moment as Geny Catamo gave Sporting CP an early lead, capitalizing on a rebound to become the first Mozambican international to score in the Champions League.

Club Brugge equalized in the 24th minute thanks to Andreas Skov Olsen’s clever wing play, setting up Christos Tzolis, whose shot deflected in off Eduardo Quaresma for an own goal. In a tightly contested second half, Nicky Hayen’s substitutions proved decisive, with Gustaf Nilsson assisting Nielsen for a composed finish to clinch the victory.

Player of the Match: Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge)

Paris Saint-Germain Cruise Past Salzburg

Salzburg 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain returned to winning form with a dominant display in Austria. Salzburg’s goalkeeper Alexander Schlager impressed early on with a brilliant double save to thwart Gonçalo Ramos and Achraf Hakimi, but the duo eventually broke through in the 30th minute as Ramos opened the scoring.

PSG extended their lead in the 72nd minute when Désiré Doué set up Nuno Mendes for a powerful finish. Doué capped off the performance in style, firing Hakimi’s assist into the top corner with five minutes remaining.

Player of the Match: Bradley Barcola (Paris)

Bayern Dominate Shakhtar with Five-Goal Display

Shakhtar Donetsk 1-5 Bayern München

Bayern München secured their first away win of the league phase with a scintillating attacking performance, inspired by Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise’s brilliance. Shakhtar initially took the lead through Kevin in Gelsenkirchen, but Bayern quickly responded as Konrad Laimer unleashed a powerful shot to equalize.

Musiala showcased his class, setting up Thomas Müller for a goal just before the break to give Bayern the lead. Olise converted a penalty to extend the advantage, and Musiala added a goal of his own late on. Olise then capped off the night with a dazzling solo effort, weaving through the Shakhtar defense to score a spectacular fifth.

Player of the Match: Michael Olise (Bayern)

Barkley’s Late Winner Seals Aston Villa’s Triumph Over Leipzig

Leipzig 2-3 Aston Villa

Aston Villa edged past Leipzig in a thrilling contest, with Ross Barkley’s late deflected strike securing their fourth win of the league phase. Villa started brightly, taking the lead through John McGinn, who latched onto Ollie Watkins’ header. Leipzig responded swiftly, with Loïs Openda capitalizing on a defensive error to equalize.

Substitute Jhon Durán restored Villa’s lead early in the second half with a spectacular long-range effort, but Christoph Baumgartner’s well-taken volley brought Leipzig level again. Barkley had the final say, finding the net in the dying minutes to push Villa onto 13 points and confirm Leipzig’s elimination.

Player of the Match: Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)

Brest Hold On for Narrow Victory Over PSV Eindhoven

Brest 1-0 PSV Eindhoven

Brest secured a hard-fought victory to move up to fifth place, with a standout performance from goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who made several crucial saves. Bizot denied PSV’s Luuk de Jong with a stunning close-range save in the first half, among other key stops.

Despite being under pressure for much of the game, Brest took the lead against the run of play when defender Julien Le Cardinal smashed home at the back post. PSV dominated the second half, with Ismael Saibari coming close to equalizing when his curling shot hit the woodwork, but Brest held firm to secure all three points.

Player of the Match: Marco Bizot (Brest)

As the group stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League continues to heat up, tonight’s fixtures promise to deliver more thrilling action. Atlético de Madrid will look to extend their lead as they face Slovan Bratislava, while LOSC Lille aims to strengthen their position against Sturm Graz. AC Milan hosts Crvena Zvezda in a crucial match, and Arsenal takes on Monaco in what is expected to be an exciting encounter.

Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund faces Barcelona in a pivotal clash, while Feyenoord will battle Sparta Praha. Juventus will look to secure vital points as they meet Manchester City, and Benfica faces Bologna in a highly anticipated showdown. Finally, Stuttgart and Young Boys will both be eager to claim valuable points in their quest for knockout qualification.

With so much still to play for, tonight’s action could prove decisive for many teams as they push toward securing their places in the next stage of Europe’s premier club competition.

Read More: UEFA Champions League 2024/25: Dortmund vs Barcelona – Preview & Prediction

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