Barcelona secured their spot in either the Round of 16 or the knockout phase play-offs after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Thursday night, moving into sole possession of second place in the league phase table. Arsenal joined a cluster of teams on 13 points, trailing Barcelona by two and leaders Liverpool by five, after a commanding 3-0 win over Monaco.
Meanwhile, AC Milan and Juventus climbed the standings with victories over Crvena Zvezda and Manchester City, respectively. As the inaugural league phase approaches the New Year break, just three points separate third from 19th. Here’s a complete roundup of UEFA Champions League Matchday 6 action.
Table of Contents
Champions League 2024-25 Matchday 6 Round-Up
Griezmann Stars as Atlético Extend Winning Streak to Ten Matches
Atlético de Madrid 3-1 Slovan Bratislava
Antoine Griezmann’s brilliance powered Atlético de Madrid to their tenth consecutive victory across all competitions. The home side took an early lead with Julián Alvarez’s exquisite curling strike, though Slovan Bratislava came close to equalizing when Tigran Barseghyan’s shot rattled the crossbar.
Griezmann’s header doubled Atleti’s lead before halftime. While David Strelec briefly revived Slovan’s hopes with a composed penalty, Griezmann sealed the result with a close-range finish. Late in the game, Siemen Voet’s effort struck the post, leaving the visitors still searching for their first point.
Player of the Match: Antoine Griezmann (Atlético de Madrid)
Lille Edge Sturm Graz in Five-Goal Thriller
LOSC Lille 3-2 Sturm Graz
LOSC Lille secured their fourth victory of the campaign by overcoming a spirited Sturm Graz comeback at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. The hosts struck twice late in the first half, with Osame Sahraoui scoring a precise opener in the 37th minute and Mitchel Bakker doubling the lead in added time. However, Otar Kiteishvili’s thunderous strike on the stroke of halftime kept the visitors in contention.
Sturm Graz carried their momentum into the second half, equalizing within two minutes through Mika Biereth, who capitalized on William Bøving’s low cross. Lille, however, found the winner in the 81st minute when substitute Hákon Arnar Haraldsson delivered a stunning finish into the top corner.
Player of the Match: Osame Sahraoui (LOSC Lille)
Tammy Abraham Secures Late Win for AC Milan
AC Milan 2-1 Crvena Zvezda
Tammy Abraham’s late strike earned AC Milan their fourth consecutive league phase victory. The Rossoneri overcame an early scare when Andrija Maksimović’s shot struck the crossbar, dominating the first half and taking the lead through Rafael Leão’s elegant finish.
Crvena Zvezda fought back after halftime, with Mike Maignan producing a crucial save to deny Mirko Ivanić before Nemanja Radonjić leveled the score with a powerful effort. The decisive moment came three minutes from time, as Abraham capitalized on Ivan Guteša’s save off Francesco Camarda’s header to secure all three points.
Player of the Match: Rafael Leão (AC Milan)
Saka Shines as Arsenal Cruise Past Monaco
Arsenal 3-0 Monaco
Arsenal maintained their flawless home record in the league phase with a commanding victory over Monaco, led by a Bukayo Saka brace. The opener came in the 34th minute when Gabriel Jesus delivered a precise low cross for Saka to finish at the back post. Despite several missed chances, including an effort from Martin Ødegaard, the Gunners ended the first half with a narrow lead.
Monaco pushed hard after the interval, but Saka struck again in the 78th minute, capitalizing on Kai Havertz’s interception in the Monaco box. Havertz then added the third, finishing off Saka’s delivery with the help of a Thilo Kehrer deflection to secure the win.
Player of the Match: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Torres Brace Seals Crucial Win for Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund 2-3 Barcelona
Super-sub Ferran Torres struck twice to secure a vital win for Barcelona, ensuring their place in either the Round of 16 or the knockout phase play-offs. After a goalless opening half, Raphinha’s precise low strike gave the visitors the lead. Dortmund responded swiftly, with Serhou Guirassy converting a penalty after being fouled by Pau Cubarsí.
Torres restored Barcelona’s advantage, but Guirassy equalized once more for the hosts. The decisive moment came when Torres latched onto a brilliant pass from Lamine Yamal and coolly beat Gregor Kobel for his second goal of the night, lifting Barcelona three points clear of Dortmund.
Player of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Feyenoord Overcome Sparta Praha in Six-Goal Thriller
Feyenoord 4-2 Sparta Praha
Feyenoord claimed their first home win of the league phase with a dominant attacking display, scoring four goals in the Champions League proper for the first time. Gernot Trauner’s deflected header opened the scoring, and Igor Paixão doubled the lead with a spectacular counterattack finish inside ten minutes. Anis Hadj Moussa added a brilliant third with a curling strike on the half-hour mark.
Albion Rrahmani reduced the deficit, but Santiago Giménez quickly restored Feyenoord’s three-goal lead. A late own goal by Thomas Beelen in the 79th minute made for a tense finale, but the hosts held firm to secure victory.
Player of the Match: Igor Paixão (Feyenoord)
Juventus Sink Manchester City with Second-Half Brilliance
Juventus 2-0 Manchester City
Juventus earned a crucial victory in Turin, with second-half strikes from Dušan Vlahović and Weston McKennie sealing the points. Manchester City, now with only one win in their last ten matches across all competitions, missed a key opportunity in the first half when Michele Di Gregorio made a superb save to deny Erling Haaland’s chipped effort.
After the break, Vlahović capitalized on a precise Kenan Yıldız cross to fire home his fourth goal in as many Champions League games. Substitute Timothy Weah then provided an assist for McKennie, who doubled the lead just six minutes after coming on.
Player of the Match: Dušan Vlahović (Juventus)
Skorupski’s Heroics Hold Benfica to a Stalemate
Benfica 0-0 Bologna
Bologna secured a hard-fought draw at the Estádio da Luz, thanks to a stellar display from goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski. Despite Benfica’s dominance in the second half, the visiting keeper stood firm, frustrating the hosts and earning Bologna their second league phase point.
Benfica’s best opportunity came when Vangelis Pavlidis appeared poised to score midway through the second half. However, Skorupski’s lightning-fast recovery kept the Greek forward at bay, denying the Eagles a much-needed breakthrough.
Player of the Match: Alvaro Carreras (Benfica)
Stuttgart Storm to Dominant Victory Over Young Boys
Stuttgart 5-1 Young Boys
Stuttgart delivered a stunning comeback after falling behind early, with a dominant second-half performance securing a commanding 5-1 win. Despite Łukasz Łakomy’s early goal for Young Boys, Stuttgart quickly responded with Angelo Stiller’s equalizer midway through the first half.
The home side then exploded in the second period, scoring four goals in just 22 minutes. Enzo Millot capitalized on a Fabian Rieder cross, while Chris Führich curled in a brilliant free-kick. On his 24th birthday, Josha Vagnoman netted a fourth at the back post, before Yannik Keitel sealed the win with a powerful strike from distance.
Player of the Match: Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
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FAQs
Who scored the winning goals for Barcelona against Borussia Dortmund?
Ferran Torres scored twice, securing a 3-2 win for Barcelona.
What was the key moment in Feyenoord’s 4-2 win over Sparta Praha?
Feyenoord dominated with goals from Gernot Trauner, Igor Paixão, Anis Hadj Moussa, and Santiago Giménez, despite a late own goal by Thomas Beelen.
Who was the standout player in Juventus’ 2-0 victory over Manchester City?
Dušan Vlahović scored the opening goal and was named Player of the Match for his excellent performance.
How did Bologna manage to hold Benfica to a 0-0 draw?
Bologna’s goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski put in a brilliant performance, making crucial saves, including denying Vangelis Pavlidis.
What led to Stuttgart’s 5-1 victory over Young Boys?
Stuttgart bounced back from an early deficit, with four second-half goals from Enzo Millot, Chris Führich, Josha Vagnoman, and Yannik Keitel.
