Champions League: Real Madrid revives title defence with win against Atalanta
Real Madrid's big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant's faltering Champions League title defence. Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham scored in a thrilling 3-2 win against Italian league leader Atalanta. However, Madrid had to ride its luck as Mateo Retegui missed a golden chance to level the game in stoppage time, firing over from in front of goal.
The victory was only Madrid's third in the revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champion in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. Coach Carlo Ancelotti emphasised the importance of the win, noting the tough nature of Champions League matches. “We suffered and competed. In the Champions League, you have to suffer,” he said.
Mbappé’s milestone
Pressure had been mounting on Madrid after three losses in their opening five games. Questions were also raised about Mbappé following his uncertain start since his move. However, Mbappé answered with a brilliant 10th-minute strike to put Madrid 1-0 up, marking his 50th Champions League goal at just 25 years old. He became the second-youngest player to reach this milestone, behind Lionel Messi.
Mbappé was substituted off before halftime with a potential injury, and Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere equalised from the penalty spot. However, Madrid regained control with two goals in three minutes in the second half from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham. Despite Ademola Lookman’s late goal for Atalanta, Madrid held on to the win the game 3-2.
Liverpool maintains perfect record
Liverpool also extended its perfect Champions League record with a narrow 1-0 win against Girona. Mohamed Salah scored a 63rd-minute penalty to secure the win and achieve his 50th Champions League goal. Despite the victory, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was critical of his team's performance, especially after goalkeeper Alisson made several key saves to keep Girona at bay.
Slot praised Salah’s contribution. Despite Girona’s persistent efforts, they remain at the bottom of the table with just one win from six games. Liverpool continues to lead the standings, with two matches remaining against Lille and PSV Eindhoven.
Bayern thrashes Shakhtar
Bayern Munich made a statement with a dominant 5-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk to move into automatic qualification positions for the Champions League round of 16. The match saw Michael Olise score a brilliant solo goal, leading Bayern's comeback after going 1-0 down early to a goal from Brazilian winger Kevin.
PSG fights back
Paris Saint-Germain, after a poor start to the league phase, secured a crucial 3-0 win over Salzburg, moving them into the playoff spots. The victory came after PSG had struggled without key players like Mbappé, Messi and Neymar, who all departed in the past two seasons. Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue were the goalscorers for PSG.
Leverkusen, Villa move up
Bayer Leverkusen continued its strong run with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan, marking its sixth straight victory across all competitions. Leverkusen now sits second in the standings, just five points behind Liverpool. Aston Villa also enjoyed a resurgence with a 3-2 win against Leipzig, climbing to third place after overcoming an eight-game winless streak.
Brest, other surprises
Brest, one of the surprise packages of the season on its Champions League debut, moved into fifth place with a 1-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven. Meanwhile, Inter Milan dropped to fourth after their first concession of the season in their loss to Leverkusen.
