Champions League Matchday 1: Lineups & Team News
The Champions League is back, and with it, the biggest club competition in the world. Matchday 1 has brought a wave of exciting matchups and plenty of drama, with some major surprises already brewing. Here's a rundown of the key lineups and team news from the opening round:
Group A:
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Ajax vs. Rangers: Erik ten Hag's former side, Ajax, started their campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Rangers. Antony and Steven Berghuis were in fine form, each bagging a brace. Rangers, on the other hand, looked toothless in attack and will need to improve significantly if they want to progress in the group.
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Liverpool vs. Napoli: The Reds started their Champions League campaign with a disappointing 4-1 defeat at home to Napoli. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the star of the show, scoring two goals and providing an assist. Liverpool's defense looked vulnerable and will need to tighten up quickly if they want to make a serious run for the title.
Group B:
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Porto vs. Atlético Madrid: Porto opened their group with a convincing 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid. Evanilson and Mehdi Taremi scored for Porto, while Antoine Griezmann scored a late consolation goal for Atlético.
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Club Brugge vs. Bayer Leverkusen: Club Brugge claimed a crucial 1-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a stunning strike from Ferran Jutglà. Leverkusen struggled to break down Brugge's defense and will need to improve their attacking efficiency if they want to challenge for the top spot in the group.
Group C:
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Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan: Bayern Munich dominated their home match against Inter Milan, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Leroy Sané and Sadio Mané. Inter struggled to create chances against a dominant Bayern defense and will be hoping to bounce back in their next match.
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Barcelona vs. Viktoria Plzeň: Barcelona opened their campaign with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Viktoria Plzeň. Robert Lewandowski was on fire, scoring a hat-trick, and Ousmane Dembélé added a brace.
Group D:
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Tottenham Hotspur vs. Marseille: Tottenham Hotspur got off to a winning start in Group D, defeating Marseille 2-0 thanks to goals from Richarlison and Clement Lenglet. Marseille struggled to create chances against a solid Spurs defense and will need to improve their attacking output if they want to compete in this group.
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Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Sporting CP: Frankfurt and Sporting CP played out an entertaining 3-0 victory for Sporting CP. Pedro Gonçalves stole the show, bagging a brace before providing an assist for Paulinho's third.
Group E:
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Chelsea vs. Dinamo Zagreb: Chelsea endured a disastrous start to their Champions League campaign, losing 1-0 at home to Dinamo Zagreb. Mislav Oršić scored the only goal of the game, capitalizing on a defensive error from Chelsea. This is a huge blow to Chelsea's hopes of winning the tournament.
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AC Milan vs. Salzburg: AC Milan secured a crucial 3-1 victory over Salzburg in a thrilling encounter. Rafael Leão, Sandro Tonali, and Noah Okafor all scored for their respective teams, with the result leaving AC Milan on the right foot as they aim to progress in the tournament.
Group F:
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Real Madrid vs. Celtic: Real Madrid kicked off their Champions League campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Celtic. Vinicius Júnior and Luka Modrić scored for the hosts, while Eden Hazard scored a penalty in his first start for Real Madrid in a long time.
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RB Leipzig vs. Shakhtar Donetsk: RB Leipzig got their group stage underway with a 4-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, thanks to goals from Timo Werner, Dominik Szoboszlai, André Silva, and Dani Olmo.
Group G:
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Manchester City vs. Borussia Dortmund: Manchester City started their campaign with a 2-1 victory against Borussia Dortmund thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and John Stones.
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Sevilla vs. Copenhagen: Sevilla opened their Champions League campaign with a comfortable 0-3 victory over Copenhagen, with goals from Ivan Rakitic, Rafael Mir, and Youssef En-Nesyri solidifying the win.
Group H:
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Benfica vs. Maccabi Haifa: Benfica kicked off their campaign with a dominant 2-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa. João Mário scored both goals in the win, setting the stage for a promising Champions League campaign.
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PSG vs. Juventus: PSG started their Champions League campaign with a stunning 2-1 victory over Juventus thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. Juventus, however, will be buoyed by Federico Chiesa's second-half goal.
Looking Ahead:
Matchday 1 has delivered some exciting results and a few surprises. The coming weeks will be crucial for teams to gain momentum and establish their position in their respective groups. Stay tuned for the next round of matches, where we will be looking for more thrilling encounters and impactful results.
