The Champions League never fails to deliver drama, and the latest round of matches was no exception. From stunning upsets to managerial masterclasses, there was no shortage of talking points as Europe’s elite clubs battled it out on the pitch. Let’s dive into the key stories that emerged from an enthralling week of action.
Sporting Shock Manchester City in Lisbon
The biggest shock of the week came at the Estádio José Alvalade, where Sporting handed Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City a humbling 4-1 defeat. The Portuguese side, coached by soon-to-be Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim, put on a counterattacking clinic to tear City apart.
Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres was the star of the show, netting a hat-trick to become the competition’s top scorer with five goals. The 26-year-old, who was playing in the English Championship with Coventry City just last season, overshadowed his Scandinavian counterpart Erling Haaland on the night.
The result was a fitting farewell for Amorim, who is set to take over the reins at Old Trafford next season. United fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of the Portuguese tactician bringing his high-octane style to the Premier League.
Slot’s Liverpool Revolution Gathers Pace
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s resurgence under new manager Arne Slot continued with a thumping 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. The Dutchman, who raised eyebrows when he was appointed as Jürgen Klopp’s successor, has quickly silenced his doubters with a string of impressive performances.
The star of the show was Luis Díaz, who scored a hat-trick playing in an unfamiliar central role. The Colombian’s pace and trickery proved too much for Leverkusen to handle, as he took his tally to four goals in the competition.
I really enjoyed playing in that position. The manager makes it very clear exactly what he wants from us.
Luis Díaz on his new role under Arne Slot
Slot’s Liverpool are now top of both the Premier League and their Champions League group. The Anfield faithful will be dreaming of a return to the glory days under their new boss.
Trouble Brewing for Arsenal and Real Madrid
It was a less positive week for Arsenal and Real Madrid, who both suffered damaging defeats. The Gunners went down 1-0 at Inter Milan, with their lack of fluency in the absence of captain Martin Ødegaard a cause for concern. The loss was compounded by the departure of popular sporting director Edu, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side facing an uncertain future.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, were stunned 3-1 at home by AC Milan. The Italian giants exposed the holes in Los Blancos’ midfield, with the absence of retired maestro Toni Kroos keenly felt. Coach Carlo Ancelotti is now under serious pressure, with his galaxy of stars failing to gel on the pitch.
Other Talking Points
- Monaco moved up to third in their group with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bologna, courtesy of a late Thilo Kehrer goal.
- Celtic stunned RB Leipzig 3-1 at a raucous Parkhead, with former Leipzig youth player Nicolas Kühn scoring twice against his old club.
- Inter veteran Matteo Darmian rolled back the years with a stellar performance to keep Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka quiet in Milan’s win.
With plenty of shocks and surprises already, the Champions League is shaping up to be as unpredictable as ever this season. As the knockout stages approach, the question on everyone’s lips is: who will emerge triumphant to lift the famous trophy come May?
