Champions League: Barcelona falls in Munich, Atletico and Leverkusen win

In 10 against 11 the Barcelona falls (2-1) in Monte Carlo in the debut match in Champions League. The German champions, however, shine Bayer Leverkusen who overwhelm Feyenoord in Rotterdam (0-4). Only in the 90th minute l’Atletico Madrid manages to defeat Leipzig in a comeback (2-1). With the same result they win Benfica in Belgrade with the Red Star and the Brest against Sturm Graz.

Monaco-Barcelona 2-1

With 10 men for 80′, Barcelona stumbled in the Principality against Monaco. A defensive mix-up in the postponement phase condemns the Blaugrana to play with 10 men already from the 10th minute due to a red card shown to Eric Garcia guilty of a foul against Minamino who was thrown towards the net. Monaco thanks them and in the 16th minute they pass with a nice personal move from the talented Akliouche who enters the area on the right, jumps to bring back two players and freezes Ter Stegen with a precise left-footed low shot to the edge of the post. Barcelona reacted with pride and equalized in the 28th minute with Lamine Yamal who collected a pass from the back and imitated in photocopy the goal scored by Akliouche. With this goal, the 2007 born player becomes, at 17 years and 68 days, the second youngest to score in the Champions League behind teammate Ansu Fati who in 2019 scored against Inter at 17 years and 40 days. Not happy, the Catalans also tried to win and, naively, let the newly introduced Ilenikhena pass in a throw-in who, launched in front of the goal, bends Ter Stegen’s hands with a strong left foot. In the 85th minute, Dutch referee Lindhout awarded a penalty to the home team after seeing an alleged foul by Inigo Martínez on Balogun but after a report from the VAR he rightly retraced his steps.

Feyenoord-Bayer Leverkusen 0-4

Leverkusen humiliates Feyenoord in Rotterdam on their debut in the new Champions League. The German champions resolve the issue with a stratospheric first half. Wirtz broke the deadlock in the 5th minute as he received a ball recovered by Andrich and beat Hradecky with a precise left-footed shot from the edge. The second goal came after half an hour, scored by Grimaldo who was ready at the far post after a low cross from the right by Frimpong. And again from a Frimpong center comes the 0-3 (36′), scored again by Wirtz, this time with a great right-footed volley. That it was an evening to forget for Feyenoord was confirmed in the 45th minute when goalkeeper Wellenreuther deflected a ball headed back into the net by Tapsoba following a free-kick from Grimaldo’s left midfield.

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Atletico Madrid-Leipzig 2-1

Atletico suffers but in the end manages to beat Leipzig in a comeback. The Metropolitano was frozen after just 4′ by Sesko who scored with a header on the counterattack, taking a right-footed shot from Openda raised by Oblak. The Colchoneros rolled up their sleeves and equalized in the 28th minute with a nice right-footed volley from Griezmann following a cross from the right by Llorente. Atletico persisted, hitting the post with Correa but had to wait until the 90th minute to overturn the result: Gimenez took care of it with a splendid diagonal header from a cross from Griezmann’s left midfield.

Red Star-Benfica 1-2

Benfica started the Champions League on the right foot by conquering Belgrade. Lusitani took the lead already in the 9th minute with Akturkoglu who was ready at the far post following a cross from the right by Bah, triggered by Di Maria. In the 29th minute Benfica doubled their lead with a perfect free kick from 25 meters by Kokcu which went just wide of the post to the left of Glazer. Red Star reacts in the second half but only closes the gap in the 86th minute with Milson, launched into the net by Ndiaye. Too late to avoid defeat.

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Brest-Sturm Graz 2-1

Fabulous debut in the Champions League for Brest who won by defeating Sturm Graz. Magnetti scored the first goal in the competition for the French in the 23rd minute, collecting a short clearance from the visiting defense and beating Scherpen with a great right-footed shot in a half-turn from 23 m. Sturm didn’t have it and in full injury time in the first half (46′) they equalized thanks to an own goal from the chest by Edimilson Fernandes who messed up a center from the left by Boving. Brest rolls up their sleeves and gets back ahead in the 56th minute with a nice left-footed shot from Sima off Ajorque’s tower. Sturm ended the match with 10 men due to Lavalée’s expulsion in the 88th minute due to a yellow card.