Friday, October 4, 2024
Buenos Aires (AT) – The second day of the UEFA Champions League It brought with it a host of emotions for the German, Austrian and Swiss teams. With resounding victories and unexpected defeats, the representatives of these countries faced some of the strongest teams in Europa in a week that left both lights and shadows. From the victories of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen to the complications of Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, the road to knockout phase It is beginning to be defined for some, while others will have to take flight in the coming days.
Bayer Leverkusen continues on a roll: hard-fought victory against Milan
Bayer Leverkusen maintained its good start in the UEFA Champions League by beating AC Milan 1-0 in a difficult match at the BayArena. Those led by Xabi Alonso showed solid tactical organization, although they lacked precision in the first half. However, the team’s patience paid off in the second half, when Victor Boniface took advantage of a rebound after a shot by Wirtz to score the only goal of the game.
Leverkusen, with six points in two rounds of the UEFA Champions League, has proven to be a disciplined team capable of competing at a high level. Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was a key figure in keeping a clean sheet against the attacks of Milan, who in the last part of the match tried to equalize the score without success. With this victory, the German team is among the leaders of its group, showing a balance between defense and attack that could take them far in the competition.
Borussia Dortmund, unstoppable: scandalous defeat of Celtic
Borussia Dortmund continue their perfect run in the UEFA Champions League after an overwhelming 7-1 victory over Celtic. Those led by Nuri Sahin showed their best offensive version, with fluid football and the ability to score from various positions. Karim Adeyemi was the big star of the night, with a hat-trick that confirmed his presence as one of the club’s most important players.
Depth in attack and precision in passing were key for Dortmund to completely disarm their Scottish rival, who had no response against the German offensive power. This victory keeps Dortmund at the top of the general table, with six points and an impressive goal difference, which makes them serious candidates to advance to the knockout stages. The confidence in the team is palpable, and coach Nuri Sahin has managed to find the perfect balance between experience and youth.
Stuttgart settles for a draw: one point not enough against Sparta Prague
VfB Stuttgart faced Sparta Prague in a match in which the Germans were aiming for their first home victory in the UEFA Champions League. Although they started on the right foot, taking the lead after 7 minutes with a goal from Enzo Millot, they were unable to sustain the result and ended up drawing 1-1. A free kick goal from Kaan Kairinen in the 32nd minute equalized the score and frustrated the home team’s expectations.
Stuttgart showed moments of good football, but a lack of forcefulness in attack and some defensive errors cost them the three points. Despite dominating possession, they were unable to breach the Czech team’s defense again. This tie leaves Stuttgart with just one point from two rounds of the UEFA Champions League, which complicates their chances of advancing. They will have to improve their precision in the last meters if they want to continue with a chance in the tournament.
Bayern Munich surprised: first defeat against Aston Villa
Bayern Munich, one of the competition’s favorites, suffered a hard blow when they lost 1-0 to Aston Villa. The Bavarians did not find their best version in this match. Throughout the match, they were overwhelmed by the intensity and pressure of the English team, who took advantage of some genius from Colombian Jhon Durán to seal the victory.
Despite Bayern’s attempts in the final minutes, where Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala tried to equalize the score, they found a graceful Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, who made several key saves. This defeat leaves Bayern in an uncomfortable position in the table and ends a streak of 41 unbeaten games in the first phase of the UEFA Champions League. They will have to regroup quickly to avoid more surprises in the following days.
RB Leipzig, disconcerted: painful defeat against Juventus
RB Leipzig let a victory that seemed assured against Juventus slip away, falling 3-2 in the final minutes of the match. The German team, which had taken the lead with two goals from Benjamin Sesko, was surprised by the Italian team’s ability to come back, which played with one man less for much of the second half. Francisco Conceição, with a goal in the last minutes, sentenced Leipzig and left Marco Rose’s team without points after two days.
This defeat highlights some of Leipzig’s weaknesses, such as the lack of experience in decisive moments and the difficulty in maintaining concentration in the final minutes. With zero points from two games, Leipzig faces a critical situation and will have to win its next games to keep its hopes of qualifying for the second phase of the UEFA Champions League alive.
RB Salzburg, without answers: home win against Stade Brestois
RB Salzburg had a day to forget when they were beaten 4-0 by Stade Brestois in their own stadium. Despite sporadic attempts by the Austrians, the forcefulness of the French team was overwhelming. Abdallah Sima, with a double, was the great figure of the match, while Mahdi Camara and Pereira Lage completed the victory.
Salzburg have failed to score points in the first two rounds of the UEFA Champions League, and this home defeat further complicates their situation in the tournament. Those led by Matthias Jaissle will have to drastically improve their level if they want to aspire to more than an early elimination in this edition of the Champions League.
Sturm Graz fights but falls to Bruges: No points in two days
Sturm Graz played an intense match against Club Brugge, but could not avoid a 1-0 defeat. The Austrian team showed defensive organization and knew how to maintain the tie for a good part of the match, until a genius by Christos Tzolis unbalanced the score in favor of the Belgians. Although Sturm tried to react in the final minutes, they lacked the precision to equalize the result.
This is the second consecutive defeat for Sturm Graz in the UEFA Champions League, leaving them in last place in their group without points. Despite the efforts of their coach Christian Ilzer, the team has not managed to find a path to victory in this initial phase, and their chances of advancing are increasingly slim.
Young Boys without options: overwhelming defeat against Barcelona
The Young Boys of Switzerland had a tough night on their visit to Barcelona, falling 5-0 in the Montjuïc stadium. The Swiss team was never able to get into rhythm and was surpassed in all aspects of the game by a Barcelona that demonstrated its superiority from the beginning. Robert Lewandowski scored a double, while Raphinha and Iñigo Martínez also joined the goal festival.
For Young Boys, this is the second defeat in two rounds of the UEFA Champions League, which leaves the Swiss team in a compromised position. Their chances of advancing to the next phase seem remote, and they will need a radical change in their game to hope to score points in the remainder of the group stage.
Final balance: between lights and shadows
The most outstanding German teams of the day were undoubtedly Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund. Both teams won their respective matches and remain undefeated in the UEFA Champions League, showing a high level of play that places them among the favorites to advance to the knockout rounds.
Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Stuttgart, on the other hand, were not as lucky. While Bayern suffered an unexpected defeat, Leipzig and Stuttgart dropped valuable points. These teams will have to correct mistakes if they want to continue competing at the highest level in the UEFA Champions League.
As for the Austrian teams, RB Salzburg and Sturm Graz failed to score points on this day, and their future in the competition looks complicated. Swiss side Young Boys also face a difficult prospect following their heavy defeat to Barcelona, and will have to improve drastically if they are to avoid early elimination.
