Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena is the sole candidate for the 2028 Champions League final while Wembley and the renovated Camp Nou are both vying for the 2029 final, UEFA said on Friday.

Munich was the only city that stepped forward for the 2028 final after hosting it in 2025 when Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Inter Milan 5-0.

Munich also hosted the elite European club final in 1979, 1993 and 1997 in the Olympic Stadium and 2012 and 2025 at the Allianz Arena.

This season the final is scheduled for the Puskas Arena in Budapest while the Metropolitano in Madrid hosts in 2027.

UEFA will decide between London and Barcelona for the 2029 final in September 2026.

Hugo Ekitike scored against his old club as Liverpool got back on track with a 5-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday while Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were among the night's other winners.

The Anfield side came into their trip to Germany reeling after a run of four consecutive defeats which included a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in their last Champions League outing.

They bounced back in style by coming from behind to hammer Eintracht, who suffered a second straight 5-1 defeat in Europe – having started their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win.

Rasmus Kristensen gave the hosts the lead but Ekitike broke away to equalise against the team he left in July in a £79 million deal.

Virgil van Dijk headed the visitors in front at a corner on 39 minutes and Ibrahima Konate made it 3-1 before the interval in almost identical fashion.

Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai added further goals in the second half as Liverpool moved up to 10th in the 36-team league phase standings.

"I don't know if it's a statement but it is a win and something to build on," Van Dijk told broadcaster TNT Sports.

Van Dijk 🤳🏆#UCL pic.twitter.com/7G3nFaMgHi

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 22, 2025

KANE SCORES AGAIN

Chelsea won by the same scoreline against Ajax at Stamford Bridge, in a match which featured an early red card and three first-half penalties.

Kenneth Taylor was sent off for the Dutch visitors before Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo scored for the Premier League side.

Wout Weghorst pulled one back from the spot for Ajax but Enzo Fernandez and Estevao both converted penalties before halftime for Chelsea.

Tyrique George rounded off the scoring in the second half as for the first time in Champions League history three teenagers scored for the same team.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️#CFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/yJiBTheqOl

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 22, 2025

"We trust a lot of young players," said Maresca after the goals for Guiu, Estevao and George. "That is the strategy of the club, but not only the ones that we buy. Also the ones from the academy."

Chelsea have now won their last two European outings since beginning their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Bayern.

Ajax, meanwhile, are bottom of the standings as one of only two teams without a point after three games – the other is Jose Mourinho's Benfica.

The Premier League clubs get the biggest wins in Wednesday's #UCL action 🇪🇺⚽#SSUCL pic.twitter.com/4Fm5kLKloe

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 22, 2025

Bayern are one of five teams with the maximum nine points as Harry Kane scored his 20th goal in 12 club appearances this season in a 4-0 cruise against Club Brugge at the Allianz Arena.

Lennart Karl, 17, got the opener before Kane, Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson also hit the target for the Bundesliga champions.

Brilliant Champions League night at the Allianz. Congrats Lennart Karl on a night to remember! Gotta keep this momentum going 🙌 pic.twitter.com/2oKn7dl0Mk

— Harry Kane (@HKane) October 22, 2025

Madrid also have nine points following a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu as England captain Kane's compatriot Jude Bellingham scored for the first time this season.

The goal came just before the hour mark, with Bellingham converting the rebound after Vinicius hit the upright. Juventus have now gone seven games without a win.

NEW SCREENSAVER UNLOCKED pic.twitter.com/6f7mA0dLa7

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 22, 2025

"I'm very happy with the win, it was a very tough game with chances at both ends and we had to sweat for it, but it was an important win against a big team," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar.

SPURS DRAW WITH MONACO

Tottenham Hotspur became the only one of England's six representatives to fail to win this midweek as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Monaco.

In Lisbon, Portuguese champions Sporting came from behind to defeat Marseille 2-1 in a game which hinged on a red card in first-half stoppage time.

Igor Paixao's stunner put Marseille ahead, but Emerson Palmieri was dismissed for a second yellow for diving after a decision to award him a penalty was overturned.

Sporting used the extra man to equalise in the second half through Geny Catamo before Alisson Santos got their winner.

Nigeria superstar Victor Osimhen netted twice as Galatasaray beat Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in Istanbul, with Yunus Akgun scoring their other goal before Andreas Helmersen pulled one back.

Athletic Bilbao beat Qarabag of Azerbaijan 3-1 at San Mames, coming from behind after Leandro Andrade had given the visitors a first-minute lead. Gorka Guruzeta bagged a brace for the Basque side either side of a Robert Navarro goal.

Atalanta and Slavia Prague drew 0-0 in the night's other game.

Here's how things stand after three matches in the #UCL 🔢#SSUCL pic.twitter.com/8iojZ0xE3r

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 22, 2025

The next round of Champions League action in a fortnight will include clashes between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern, and Liverpool and Real.

Athletic Bilbao conceded an opening-minute goal but came back to beat Qarabag 3-1 at home on Wednesday, earning their first points of this season's Champions League against the Azerbaijani side which had won their opening two games.

Bilbao had lost to Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund while Qarabag had beaten both Benfica and Copenhagen, and after a nightmare start at the San Mames stadium, a Gorka Guruzeta double helped the Basque side kickstart their European campaign.

The visitors went in front after 48 seconds, the quickest Champions League goal this season, after Bilbao defenders Aymeric Laporte and Aitor Paredes failed to deal with a throw-in and Leandro Andrade nipped in to fire past Unai Simon.

Bilbao hit back five minutes before the break when a long ball over the top from Mikel Jauregizar sent Guruzeta racing into the box to smash his low shot under keeper Mateusz Kochalski.

Athletic continued to create chances after the interval, Kochalski denying Guruzeta, and a ball to the back post bounced off the chest of Paredes and over the Qarabag bar, before substitute Robert Navarro scored 20 minutes from time.

Navarro, who had been on the pitch five minutes after replacing Nico Williams, hit a stunning strike from the edge of the area which found the far top corner, and Guruzeta wrapped up the win two minutes from time with a shot from distance.

Bilbao are away to Newcastle United on 5 November, with Qarabag hosting Chelsea the same day.

Galatasaray made the most of a litany of errors by Norwegian visitors Bodo/Glimt as they cruised to a 3-1 home win in the Champions League on Wednesday, with striker Victor Osimhen netting twice for the Turkish side in the first half.

Osimhen wasted no time giving the home side an early lead, sweeping a sumptuous first-time finish past Nikita Haikin in the third minute as the Norwegian side was quickly punished for giving the ball away cheaply in midfield.

Osimhen doubled his tally in the 33rd minute after another error. Under pressure as he ran infield, Bodo left-back Fredrik Bjorkan inexplicably passed the ball straight to Osimhen in a central position, and the forward gratefully tucked the ball away.

Bodo created some decent chances of their own but were made to pay again on the hour mark as centre-back Haitam Aleesami was robbed just outside his penalty area by Osimhen, and Yunus Akgun was able to score at the second attempt to make it 3-0.

Osimhen had plenty of opportunities to complete his hat-trick but he was thwarted by keeper Haikin, and Bodo substitute Andreas Helmersen was able to head home a close-range consolation goal in the 76th minute as his side finished strongly.

With seven games kicking off later on Wednesday, the win leaves Galatasaray on six points from three games, while Bodo/Glimt have two points ahead of their home clash with Monaco of France in two weeks.

Galatasaray are next away at Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam.

Atalanta were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Slavia Prague in their Champions League meeting on Wednesday in a game of spurned chances and saves from both keepers.

The hosts move on to four points after losing 4-0 away to champions Paris St Germain before beating Club Brugge 2-1, while Slavia are on two points having opened with a 2-2 draw at home to Bodo/Glimt followed by a 3-0 defeat at Inter Milan.

Atalanta created two early chances in quick succession, with defender Odilon Kossounou racing through on goal but sending his shot straight at Slavia keeper Jakub Markovic, who then parried away Charles De Ketelaere's strike from distance.

Markovic later made a point-blank save from Nikola Krstovic's close-range effort and at the other end, Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi made an excellent stop to deny David Moses on the stroke of halftime.

Carnesecchi saved a Lukas Provod free kick while Kamaldeen Sulemana came off the bench for the hosts but failed to net when through one-on-one with the keeper.

Another Atalanta substitute, Gianluca Scamacca, had a late chance saved by Markovic and both sides will feel they did enough to earn the win but had to settle for a share of the spoils. Atalanta are away to Olympique de Marseille next while Slavia host Arsenal.

Monaco’s poor start to their Champions League campaign continued when they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Tottenham Hotspur in new coach Sebastien Pocognoli’s first game in charge in the competition.

The Ligue 1 side, who have two points from three games, had the clearest chances but Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario proved decisive between the posts.

Tottenham, who conceded more than 20 shots in a one-sided encounter, are 15th in the 36-team table on five points while Monaco sit in 27th place, in the elimination zone.

We take a point back to North London. pic.twitter.com/IZDH3xezUW

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 22, 2025

Monaco next face Bodo/Glimt away while Spurs will entertain Copenhagen.

The hosts started strongly at Stade Louis-II, pressing high and threatening through Maghnes Akliouche and Mamadou Coulibaly.

Folarin Balogun had the first clear chance after 10 minutes, breaking free on the right before Vicario blocked his shot. Akliouche then forced another save with a curling effort from the left.

Vicario, who made eight saves on the night, continued to keep Tottenham afloat after the break.

First, the Italian frustrated Aleksandr Golovin, diving sharply to his left to parry the Russian midfielder’s right-footed curling shot that was bound for the far corner in the 67th minute.

Eight minutes later, he denied Dutch defender Jordan Teze, whose powerful close-range header from a Caio Henrique cross was pushed away as the Spurs keeper’s reflexes once again preserved their clean sheet in the face of persistent Monaco pressure.

"Not the best performance from us, so a lot to learn from this game because the level in the Champions League is very high," said Vicario.

"It's a point that we have to take. Of course, it's a tough point because we had to battle tonight, we had to suffer a lot."

Vic reflects on our goalless draw in Monaco 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/o8ZBEDhYuo

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 22, 2025

Geny Catamo and Alisson Santos came off the bench in the second half to inspire hosts Sporting to a late 2-1 comeback win over Olympique de Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Ligue 1 leaders Marseille, who were on a five-match winning run across all competitions, dropped to 18th in the table with three points, while Sporting climbed to 11th on six points with their second win in the competition.

A late win for Sporting CP in Lisbon 🟢⚪#UCL pic.twitter.com/YqtHCIgNYf

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 22, 2025

The hosts sought to apply pressure from the outset but Igor Paixao put Marseille ahead in the 14th minute, collecting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross-field pass on the left before cutting inside his marker and curling a fine shot into the far corner for his third goal in as many Champions League games this season.

Marseille looked set to double their lead just before halftime when they were awarded a penalty for an apparent foul on Emerson Palmieri. However, after a VAR review the decision was overturned, and in a dramatic twist the Brazilian was shown a second yellow card for simulation.

With their numerical advantage, Sporting pushed forward as Marseille sat deeper to protect their lead.

Geovany Quenda's pace repeatedly troubled the visitors, the 18-year-old forcing Geronimo Rulli to push his shot onto the post before the goalkeeper denied Joao Simoes with his legs.

The pressure finally paid off in the 69th minute as Catamo came off the bench and drew Sporting level with a crisp low strike, the equaliser standing after a VAR review overturned an initial offside call.

Santos sealed the comeback in the 86th minute, cutting in from the left and firing a deflected shot into the top corner.

How to celebrate a goal by @11alissonsantos 🏄‍♂️ #SCPOM #UCL pic.twitter.com/QgMKX0MZwS

— Sporting CP (@SportingCP) October 22, 2025

Sporting's Maximiliano Araujo was shown a red card in stoppage time, but VAR downgraded it to yellow, allowing the hosts to clinch the win with all 11 players on the pitch.

Bayern Munich outclassed visitors Club Brugge 4-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday with three goals in the first 34 minutes to maintain their flawless start to the season and make it three wins from three matches in the competition.

The German champions have now won all 12 matches across all competitions this season while also staking an early claim for a Champions League knockout stage spot with a maximum nine points.

A new German record 💫

12 wins from 12 in all competitions this season. pic.twitter.com/YeWZFZMMVu

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 22, 2025

First half goals from 17-year-old Lennart Karl, who became the youngest German scorer in the competition, Harry Kane and Luis Diaz in the 34th minute sealed the game before substitute Nicolas Jackson added another in the 79th.

Bayern next travel to defending champions Paris St Germain on November 4 while Brugge, sitting on three points from three matches, host Barcelona a day later.

The Bavarians were the clear favourites and Karl's sensational solo effort and powerful shot in the fifth minute put them early in the driving seat as the record-breaking teenager celebrated a memorable first start in the Champions League.

England captain Kane then tapped in at the far post after a perfectly-timed cutback from Konrad Laimer in the 14th to confirm his sensational scoring form and take his tally to 20 goals in 12 matches across all competitions with Bayern this season.

This is faster to 20 goals than Argentine great Lionel Messi or Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo have ever managed from the start of a season in their club careers.

The Belgians never got a chance to get back in the game, and Diaz found enough space to cut into the box and fire an unstoppable shot to make it 3-0 and put the game to bed in the 34th.

The Bavarians, who lead the Bundesliga title race with seven wins from seven matches, could have added to their tally, missing half a dozen golden chances and twice hitting the woodwork, as the Belgians struggled with the hosts' fierce tempo.

Kane should have scored a second goal in the 58th when he had only the keeper to beat but his attempted chip was plucked out of the air by Nordin Jackers, as the hosts wasted chance after chance.

Jackson, who had an effort cleared on the line minutes earlier, made amends in the 79th, tapping in to complete a quick break and cap a dominant performance by the hosts.

Liverpool broke a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Hugo Ekitike scoring for the English champions against his former club.

After Ekitike levelled for Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai all grabbed goals, the latter two assisted by Florian Wirtz on his return to Germany.

Tonight's goalscorers 🎯 pic.twitter.com/csmcrDizyB

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 22, 2025

Liverpool came into Wednesday's match staring down the barrel of their worst losing run in 73 years dating back to 1953-54, when they were relegated from the top flight.

Arne Slot benched the out-of-form Mohamed Salah and Liverpool conceded first for the fifth straight game when Rasmus Kristensen scored on the counter.

The Reds soon kicked into gear however, scoring three goals inside 10 minutes to take a 3-1 lead at halftime.

Wirtz, who had no goals or assists in the Premier League or Champions League since his big-money arrival at Anfield, laid on second-half goals for Gakpo and Szoboszlai to put the match to bed.

While Wirtz broke his goal contribution duck, Alexander Isak again failed to fire and was subbed off at halftime for Federico Chiesa.

The win will do Liverpool's confidence the world of good but Arne Slot's side will face bigger tests than Frankfurt, who have now conceded 23 goals in their past six games.

With 26 minutes gone, Nathaniel Brown picked Wirtz's pocket before Frankfurt thundered up the field, Mario Goetze finding Kristensen who swapped to his preferred right foot and hammered home the opener.

Frankfurt were pushing for a second on 35 minutes when Andy Robertson won possession and played a superb long-range pass from deep to the breaking Ekitike.

The former Frankfurt forward collected the pass, advanced goalwards and slid it under Michael Zetterer, before raising his palms to apologise to the home fans.

The goal came against the run of play but sent a jolt through Liverpool.

The Reds were two up just four minutes later when Van Dijk powered past his helpless marker, the slight winger Ansgar Knauff, to head in a Cody Gakpo corner.

One minute before the interval, Van Dijk's centre-back partner Konate repeated the trick, again powering past Knauff to head in a corner.

Wirtz had a mixed opening half but looked more assured when Liverpool got on the front foot.

The Germany midfielder laid on goals for Gakpo and Szoboszlai inside four second-half minutes to put Liverpool on track for a big win.

A win on MD3 🙌 #UCL pic.twitter.com/NoAncnbtJN

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 22, 2025

Chelsea took full advantage of an early red card for Ajax captain Kenneth Taylor to thrash the Dutch giants 5-1 in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Enzo Maresca's gamble in making 10 changes paid off as Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo struck before Enzo Fernandez and Estevao converted from the penalty spot in the first half.

Tyrique George rounded off the scoring in the second half as Chelsea made it back-to-back Champions League wins after an opening night defeat at Bayern Munich.

𝐓𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 ⚡

The Chelsea youngster is off the bench and onto the scoresheet 🎯

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/q6fpgeSX72

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 22, 2025

The Blues climb to 11th in the table, while Ajax remain rooted to the bottom of the Champions League standings.

Ajax arrived in London without a point or even a goal so far in this season's Champions League.

With Chelsea bearing the brunt of an injury crisis on the back of winning the Club World Cup in July, Maresca clearly targeted the visit of the four-time European champions as one he could afford to rest a number of his key players for.

Only Romeo Lavia, who came off at halftime at the City Ground, was retained from the side that won 3-0 at Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

However, that included the return of Fernandez from injury, the club's record signing in Caicedo and Brazilian wonder kid Estevao.

Ajax were soundly beaten by Inter Milan and Marseille in their opening two games and saw any hope of an upturn in fortunes disappear once VAR intervened to see Taylor's high challenge on Facundo Buonanotte upgraded from a yellow to a red card on 15 minutes.

Ajax lose their captain to a direct red card ©️🔴

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/QLJSCf42GW

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 22, 2025

Maresca had to face questions on Chelsea's discipline in the pre-match press conference after his side had a man sent off in four of their last six games.

This time, they made the numerical advantage count.

From the resulting free-kick after Taylor's dismissal, Guiu turned home Wesley Fofana's header back across the box.

Caicedo had just three Chelsea goals since his £115 million move from Brighton in 2023 prior to this season, but now has four already this campaign.

The Ecuadorian had some good fortune as his shot deflected in off Josip Sutalo.

Ajax were briefly offered a lifeline when Tosin Adarabioyo trod on the foot of Raul Moro and Wout Weghorst converted from the penalty spot.

However, there were two more spot-kicks before the break to allow Chelsea to kill the game off.

Weghorst was penalised for a trip on Fernandez, who dusted himself off to slot home.

Estevao then fired in the first of what are likely to be many Champions League goals.

The 18-year-old won the penalty and confidently dispatched it high past Remko Pasveer.

Maresca made four more changes to start the second half with Fernandez and Caicedo among those withdrawn.

George took just three minutes to make his mark off the bench with a precise low finish from Andrey Santos's backheel.

Jude Bellingham's goal helped record 15-time winners Real Madrid maintain their 100 per cent start to the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Juventus on Wednesday.

Xabi Alonso's Spanish giants mostly outplayed their visitors but could not extend their lead after England international Bellingham netted from close range in the second half.

Italian giants Juventus, now without a win in seven games across all competitions, fought hard but failed to find an equaliser at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid's solid win was ideal preparation for Sunday's Clasico against rivals Barcelona in LaLiga and left them as one of five sides to win all three of their opening matches.

Both teams tried to figure each other out in a tentative opening period, but slowly Alonso's team began to take control.

Brahim Diaz flicked the ball to in-form French superstar Kylian Mbappe, whose shot was tipped away by Michele Di Gregorio.

The striker produced a superb dribble from the right to break into the box and then cut the ball back to Eder Militao on the edge of the box, who whistled a shot narrowly over.

That was as close as either side came in the first half but the game opened up after the interval.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a fine save with his leg to deny Dusan Vlahovic at the end of a rapid break downfield.

Madrid took the lead after some fine work by Vinicius Junior, yet to score in the Champions League this season.

The Brazilian was surrounded by defenders in the area but managed to work some space for a shot, which he curled against the post.

Attacking midfielder Bellingham showed his poacher's instinct to react quickest and turn home the rebound after 57 minutes.

Vinícius Júnior weaves through defenders, Bellingham finishes it off 😮‍💨🪄

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/hBYsL3eyGr

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 22, 2025

It was the 22-year-old's first goal of the season in his seventh match, after a slow start to the campaign following shoulder surgery in the summer to fix a long-term problem.

Mbappe, who had scored in his previous 11 matches for club and country, slipped as he shot and Di Gregorio was able to save his low strike as Madrid sought a second.

The Italian stopper made a stunning double save from Mbappe and Diaz to give his team a chance of snatching a draw.

Juventus forged one golden chance but Raul Asencio slid in to block Lois Openda's shot as the clock ticked down.

Mbappe had one more effort from distance saved as he tried to preserve his goalscoring streak, but Di Gregorio was equal to it.

Courtois was called into action again in stoppage time to pummel away Filip Kostic's long-range strike, leaving Igor Tudor's Juve winless in their first three Champions League matches.

The UEFA Champions League returns for match week three with nine thrilling fixtures lined up for Wednesday night live on SuperSport.

The headline clash sees Real Madrid host Juventus in a heavyweight showdown, while Tottenham face a potentially tricky test away to Monaco.

With group standings beginning to take shape, every point counts as Europe’s elite battle for knockout stage qualification.

Chelsea v Ajax

This is the third European meeting between Chelsea and Ajax, having met twice in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions group stage – the Blues won 1-0 in Amsterdam, before a 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Ajax are winless in their last 11 major European matches against English teams (D2 L9) since a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in April 2019. They’ve failed to score a single goal in any of their last five, since a Mohammed Kudus goal against Liverpool in September 2022.

Chelsea have lost just two of their last 12 UEFA Champions League matches at Stamford Bridge (W9 1N), both of which were against Real Madrid in quarterfinals in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The Blues are unbeaten in their last 12 group games at Stamford Bridge (W8 D4) since a Valencia victory back in September 2019.

Ajax have lost their last five major European competition matches (three in UEFA Europa League last season, first two Champions League games this season). They haven’t lost six in a row since doing so between April 1988 and September 1989.

With Ajax on a five-game losing run in major European competition, this will be the seventh time Chelsea have faced a team who’ve lost their last 5+ games in Europe – they’ve won their previous six by an aggregate score of 14-0. The only English teams to lose against a side on such a run are Man City in 1970 v Linfield in the Cup Winners’ Cup and Man Utd in 2019 v Astana in the UEFA Europa League.

 

Back home for Champions League MD3. 👊#CFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/79eW7gjblY

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 22, 2025

 

Chelsea are the only side yet to give a single minute to a player aged 30+ in the UEFA Champions League this season. Only two English sides have gone three or more games without fielding a player in their 30s – Liverpool in 2002-03 (6) and Spurs in 2016-17 (6).

John Heitinga has lost his first two UEFA Champions League matches as manager, the first Ajax boss to ever do that. Heitinga is one of four people to lose his first two games both as a player and manager in the competition with a club (with Ajax in 2003), along with Mark van Bommel at PSV, Ivan Leko at Club Brugge and Krunoslav Jurcic at Dinamo Zagreb, none of whom also lost their first three as Heitinga could do.

Jorthy Mokio became the second youngest Ajax player to appear in the UEFA Champions League when he debuted on MD2, aged only 17 years and 214 days. He was the 52nd teenager to appear in the competition for Ajax – the most of any team.

Only two players have made more tackles in this season’s UEFA Champions League than Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo (9) – he made more tackles than any other player across MD2, with seven in the win over Benfica.

Although he is yet to score in the UEFA Champions League for Chelsea, one of João Pedro’s six previous major European goals was netted against Ajax back in September 2023 in the UEFA Europa League for Brighton in a 2-0 win. No player has ever netted against Ajax for two different English clubs in major European competition.

Real Madrid v Juventus

This will be the 22nd meeting between Real Madrid and Juventus in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League – only Bayern Munich versus Real Madrid has ever been played more often (28).

Real Madrid and Juventus last met in the UEFA Champions League in April 2018, with the Spaniards progressing 4-3 on aggregate in the quarterfinals (3-0 away, 1-3 home), thanks mainly to a 97th minute Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in the second leg that took them through to the semifinals.

On three of the last four occasions Real Madrid have faced Juventus in the UEFA Champions League, they have gone on to win the competition that season (2013-14, 2016-17 and 2017-18), the exception coming in 2014-15 when Juve knocked Madrid out in the semifinals 3-2 on aggregate.

Juventus are one of three sides to draw their first two UEFA Champions League games this season, along with Bodø/Glimt and Bayer Leverkusen. They haven’t drawn three in a row since October 2012, which was also their first three matches that campaign in 2012-13.

 

⚡ CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS! pic.twitter.com/E1GxfwcwRR

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 22, 2025

 

Real Madrid have netted 18 goals in their last five UEFA Champions League group stage matches, winning all five games. In addition, they’ve won 12 of their last 13 home games in the group stages, losing the other 3-1 against AC Milan in November 2024.

Xabi Alonso has won his first two UEFA Champions League matches with Real Madrid and is looking to become the fifth manager to win his first three with this club, along with Josef Heynckes, Carlos Queiroz, José Mourinho and most recently Carlo Ancelotti, whose third win was a home win against Juventus in 2013.

Juventus have won only one of their last 11 away matches in the UEFA Champions League (D5 L5): on 2nd October 2024 versus RB Leipzig (3-2), although four of their last five away games in the competition have ended in draws (L1).

Real Madrid have had the most shots (48) and shots on target (27) in the UEFA Champions League this season. With 15 shots on target v Marseille and 12 v Kairat, it could be the fourth time a side has had 10+ shots on target in three games in a row since 2003-04, with two of the previous three occasions being Real Madrid (April 2014 & November 2019); the other was Bayern Munich (December 2019).

Kylian Mbappé is the UEFA Champions League’s leading scorer in 2025-26 with five goals, with the Real Madrid forward netting two against Marseille and a hat-trick against Kairat. The most goals scored in a team’s first three matches in a season is seven, by Filippo Inzaghi for AC Milan in 2002-03 and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013-14 for Real Madrid, both of whom ended that season as champions.

Francisco Conceição has netted four goals in the UEFA Champions League for three different clubs (one for Ajax, one for Porto, two for Juventus), with all four of them coming as a sub. It’s the joint most goals scored with 100 per cent coming as a sub, along with Roberto Baggio, Joseba Llorente and Jürgen Rische.

Monaco v Tottenham Hotspur

This will be the fifth meeting between Monaco and Tottenham in European competition – after failing to win either of the first two (D1 L1), Monaco won home and away against the English side in the 2016-17 group stage of the UEFA Champions League (both 2-1).

Monaco have only lost one of their eight home matches against English sides in the UEFA Champions League, winning five of the other seven (D2). That lone defeat, however, did come against a side from North London (2-0 win for Arsenal in March 2015).

Since winning four consecutive home matches in the 2016-17 edition of the UEFA Champions League (including one over Tottenham), Monaco have only won three of their last 13 home matches in the competition, suffering nine defeats in this period (D1).

Tottenham Hotspur have won one of their last seven away UEFA Champions League matches (D2 L4), though it did come in France in a 2-1 win at Marseille back in November 2022.

Monaco twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Man City on MD2, the first time they’d avoided defeat from behind in a home UEFA Champions League match since September 2016 v Bayer Leverkusen (L9 in between). It was the first time they’d twice come from behind to avoid defeat since a 2-2 draw with Rangers in November 2000.

 

“It's where I made my full debut in France. Good memories as well, we won that match so hopefully that's something we can do tomorrow night.”

Kevin Danso's Monaco preview 💬 pic.twitter.com/bGNbUAzFMf

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 21, 2025

 

Thomas Frank could become the first Tottenham manager to go unbeaten in his first three UEFA Champions League matches (W1 D1 in his first two). Meanwhile, only in 2017-18 have Spurs previously gone unbeaten in their opening three games of a single edition in the competition (W2 D1 under Mauricio Pochettino).

Monaco have conceded 2+ goals in each of their last three UEFA Champions League matches, only once doing so in four in a row in the competition (between November 2017 and October 2018).

Mohammed Kudus completed five dribbles in just 30 minutes on the pitch in Tottenham’s previous UEFA Champions League game (v Bodø/Glimt). This was as many as the rest of his Spurs teammates managed in the game combined (5), as well as the most by a substitute for the club in a Champions League match.

Monaco defender Eric Dier – who played 365 games in all competitions for Spurs between 2014 and 2023 – has scored in two of his last three UEFA Champions League appearances, scoring for Bayern Munich in April and Monaco on MD2. Dier’s one of only two Englishmen to score for two different non-English clubs in the European Cup/Champions League, along with Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid).

Pedro Porro assisted the first of Tottenham’s goals in their 2-2 draw against Bodø/Glimt on MD2, while he has also created the most chances (4) and made the most line-breaking passes (18) of any Spurs player in the UEFA Champions League so far this season.

Eintracht Frankfurt v Liverpool

Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool have faced twice previously in Europe, with those meetings coming in the first round of the 1972-73 UEFA Cup. Liverpool progressed 2-0 on aggregate, after a 2-0 home win and a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture in Germany.

Liverpool have only lost one of their last 15 matches against German teams in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (W10 D4), a 4-2 defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen in April 2002. They have won the most recent five by an aggregate scoreline of 12-1, two of which came last season (1-0 v RB Leipzig and 4-0 v Bayer Leverkusen).

After not winning any of their first six away matches against German teams in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (D3 L3), Liverpool have won each of the last four in succession, including one last season (1-0 v RB Leipzig).

Eintracht Frankfurt were beaten 5-1 by Atlético Madrid on matchday two of the current campaign; their joint-heaviest defeat in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (also 3-7 v Real Madrid in May 1960). Their xG against total versus Atlético (4.44) was the second worst by a team in a single game in the current edition, after Pafos (4.54) v Bayern Munich.

Liverpool have lost two of their last three games in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League (W1), including a defeat to Galatasaray last time out. This is as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 30 matches in the group/league phase of the competition combined (W26 D2).

Excluding two own goals scored by the opposition, each of Eintracht Frankfurt’s four goals in the UEFA Champions League this season have either been netted or assisted by Jonathan Burkardt (two goals, one assist) or Ansgar Knauff (one goal, one assist).

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has lost (5) more games than he has won (4) away from home in the UEFA Champions League (nine matches in total), compared to seven victories in nine home games (L2) as a manager in the competition.

Jonathan Burkardt – who has netted in the first two matchdays this term – is one of only three Eintracht Frankfurt players to score in their first two appearances in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, along with Erich Bäumler in November 1959 and Erich Meier in March 1960.

Only Jamie Carragher (40) has made more away appearances for Liverpool in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League than Mohamed Salah (36), who is the club’s top scorer in away matches (22). The Egyptian has netted 15 goals in his last 19 games on the road in the Champions League.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown has won 11 of his 12 true tackles attempted in the UEFA Champions League this season, and is yet to be dribbled past. His true tackle win per centage was the highest of any player to attempt 10+ across the opening two matchdays this season (92 per cent).

Bayern Munich v Club Brugge

This will be just the third meeting between Bayern Munich and Club Brugge, after facing in the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League group stage. Bayern won 1-0 in the home meeting, before drawing 1-1 in Belgium.

Bayern Munich have won their five home games against Belgian sides in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League by an aggregate scoreline of 12-1. Indeed, the only Belgian side to score a goal away to Bayern across the two competitions was Anderlecht back in March 1986.

Belgian teams have lost seven of their eight away games against Bayern Munich in European competition, with the only exception being a 2-1 win for Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup in March 2008.

Bayern Munich have only lost one of their last 24 home matches in the UEFA Champions League (W18 D5), with that lone defeat coming against Internazionale in April (2-1). In the group/league phase, meanwhile, they are unbeaten in their last 35 home matches (W33 D2), since losing to Manchester City in December 2013 (3-2).

Club Brugge conceded an 87th-minute goal to lose against Atalanta on MD2 (2-1), after having taken a first half lead through Christos Tzolis. However, the Belgian side haven’t lost consecutive matches in the UEFA Champions League’s group/league phase since December 2021.

Bayern Munich have only kept a clean sheet in 25 per cent of their UEFA Champions League matches under Vincent Kompany (4/16); the joint-lowest per centage under a specific manager in the competition, along with Carlo Ancelotti (25 per cent - 3/12).

Since his first match for Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League in October 2023, Harry Kane has scored more goals (22) and been directly involved in more goals (27 – five assists) than any other player in the competition.

If he plays in this match, Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (152) will move into the top five appearance makers in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history, overtaking Karim Benzema (152). If he ends on the winning side, meanwhile, he’ll overtake Iker Casillas (101) for most victories by a goalkeeper (currently on 101).

Against Atalanta on MD2, Brandon Mechele led all Club Brugge players for completed passes (61), duels won (9) and tackles (5), as well as making the joint-most clearances (7 – level with Kyriani Sabbe).

Michael Olise has been involved in 10 UEFA Champions League goals in 16 appearances for Bayern Munich (6 goals, 4 assists), despite only scoring or assisting in five of those games. It was the fewest games by a Frenchman to hit 10 goals and assists in the competition since current Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembélé in September 2018 (14 games).

Newcastle attacker Anthony Gordon said being lauded by Benfica boss Jose Mourinho after the Magpies' Champions League win at home to the Portuguese side on Tuesday was a "big compliment".

The 24-year-old England forward scored the first goal – his fourth in the competition in three games this season - and made the last in a 3-0 victory at St James' Park as the Magpies overwhelmed Benfica to the delight of a crowd of more than 52 000 people.

There were plaudits aplenty for Gordon following the game but it was the words of Mourinho, who went over to talk to the former Everton frontman on the final whistle, that really hit home.

Asked what the veteran Portuguese boss had told him, Gordon replied: "He said 'You're too much', which is a big compliment for me because as a kid, he was my favourite manager in the world growing up.

"It's quite weird because he was quite a defensive manager, but I just love the way... even then, the bench was getting up. He really creates a team environment, it's like us against the world. I recognise that from my own game, so it was a big compliment.

"It means an awful lot. Even if I didn't idolise him, a compliment from any coach at this level means a lot."

Newcastle climbed to seventh place in the table thanks to the victory with six points from their first three games.

Gordon broke the deadlock by turning in Jacob Murphy's inviting cross with 32 minutes gone and, after substitute Harvey Barnes had doubled Newcastle's lead 19 minutes from time, Gordon sent in Barnes for his second goal.

"I thought both our wingers that started the game did really well," said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

"It was great to see them combine for the first goal, that's a really pleasing sight.

"Anthony played very direct and I thought athletically, he was excellent. He put a really big effort in both on and off the ball."

Gordon, meanwhile praised Nick Woltemade for the return pass played by the £69 million ($92 million) Germany attacker in the build-up to Newcastle's third goal.

"I was unsure of his game style when he first came in, how it would translate for me," said Gordon. "It's been unbelievable, to be honest. I didn't think it'd turn out as well as it has.

"He suits my game so well. He sees the little passes I do round the corner – that's my style of play as a winger. Not a lot of attackers can really play off that style, but some of his first touches, some of his little flicks - especially for third goal – that's top, top level."

One of the few clouds hanging over Arsenal this season has been the lack of goals from the big-money centre forward Viktor Gyokeres but he erased some doubts with a timely return to form by scoring twice in a 4-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Gyokeres, who Arsenal signed for £64 million from Sporting, poached his side's third and fourth goals to end a nine-game streak without netting for club and country.

The Swede was all smiles as he was substituted late on and manager Mikel Arteta said the 27-year-old fully deserved the ovation he received from the Arsenal fans.

"I think he deserved it because everything that we were seeing in terms of what he was bringing to the team and how much he was helping the team in many areas, apart from scoring goals in the last few weeks," Arteta told reporters.

"There was no debate about that. It was about keeping that belief in himself, that emotional state that he can enjoy and play freely. I look at his teammates as well, in the picture and the video, they are all so happy for him."

His opening goal was a messy affair as his weak shot dribbled into the net via a deflection while his second came from yet another Arsenal set piece with Gabriel heading a corner into the path of the Sweden international.

"He makes us a much better team. I think we've become much more unpredictable. He's so physical, the way he presses the ball, holds the ball, that's phenomenal," Arteta said.

"He's scored two very different ones today, and hopefully he starts to get some momentum and a good run of goals."

Gyokeres now has five for the season, including three in the Premier League, and was clearly relieved to be back on target.

"(It's reward) for the team, but of course, me as well," he said of the win that maintained Arsenal's 100 per cent start in the Champions League. "I do my best all the time, work hard and contribute with different stuff. It'll come sooner or later."

Paris Saint-Germain scored seven and both Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven hit six in big victories while Arsenal crushed Atletico Madrid 4-0 on a prolific night of Champions League action on Tuesday.

Erling Haaland was among the scorers in Manchester City's 2-0 win at Villarreal as a total of 43 goals rained down across nine games.

Tuesday night delivers 4️⃣3️⃣ goals in the Champions League 🤯⚽#SSFootball | #UCL pic.twitter.com/BFBUnUxv8J

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 21, 2025

However, it was champions PSG who stole the show with their 7-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

🤯#UCL pic.twitter.com/iqcU2SVM4D

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 21, 2025

Desire Doue scored twice in between goals by Willian Pacho and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for PSG in a first half which saw Alejandro Grimaldo miss a penalty and Aleix Garcia net from the spot for Leverkusen.

Both sides had a man sent off in the opening period, with Robert Andrich seeing red for Leverkusen and Illia Zabarnyi walking for the visitors.

Nuno Mendes got the French side's fifth goal shortly after the break and Garcia pulled it back to 5-2.

Ousmane Dembele, on his return from injury and first appearance since winning the Ballon d'Or, got PSG's sixth and Vitinha completed the scoring at the death.

"I am not yet at 100 per cent. I wanted to play at the weekend and the coach told me to wait a bit, but I felt great," Dembele told broadcaster Canal Plus.

⏱️ 63' - Dembélé subbed on
⏱️ 66' - Dembélé scores

The Ballon d'Or winner is back 🤩#UCL pic.twitter.com/neGloclnth

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 21, 2025

It is the first time PSG have scored seven goals away from home in a Champions League game, and they are top of the standings after three outings in the league phase, with a maximum nine points and the best goal difference.

GYOKERES ENDS DROUGHT

Inter Milan and Arsenal are the other teams with a 100 per cent record after three outings, with the Italians easing to a 4-0 victory at Union Saint-Gilloise in Brussels.

Denzel Dumfries and Lautaro Martinez both netted late in the first half before Hakan Calhanoglu added a penalty soon after the restart and Pio Esposito completed the scoring.

🙅‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/AFI947mthu

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) October 21, 2025

Meanwhile Premier League leaders Arsenal hammered Atletico at the Emirates Stadium, as Mikel Arteta's side made it three straight wins all with clean sheets in Europe this season.

All the goals came in the second half, with Gabriel putting them ahead and Gabriel Martinelli getting the second before Viktor Gyokeres struck twice to end a run of seven club appearances without finding the net.

"Hopefully it's the start of some beautiful sequence now," said Arteta of the Sweden striker.

Viktor Gyökeres ❤️#UCL pic.twitter.com/NOiHcxa0gg

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 21, 2025

HAALAND SCORES AGAIN

Haaland put City ahead against Villarreal in Spain and Bernardo Silva got their second goal before halftime as Pep Guardiola's team moved on to seven points from three outings.

Norway superstar Haaland kept up his remarkable record in front of goal this season and he has now found the net 15 times in 11 appearances for City in all competitions.

Another game. Another goal. pic.twitter.com/ngAZRAUrEW

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 21, 2025

"I see that things are looking good, we are playing a little bit better day after day and that's a good sign," Guardiola told broadcaster Movistar.

Felix Nmecha hit a brace as Borussia Dortmund won 4-2 away to FC Copenhagen, with Ramy Bensebaini converting a penalty and Fabio Silva also scoring.

Waldemar Anton's own goal had brought the Danes back level at one point in the first half, while Viktor Dadason got their other goal late on. They are yet to win in the league phase.

Brace for impact. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/MvBnH9SMIF

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) October 21, 2025

Beaten at home by PSG last time out, Barcelona bounced back to thump Olympiacos 6-1 at Montjuic as Fermin Lopez starred with a hat-trick.

One, two, three... BANG pic.twitter.com/LvDFfFhhRB

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 21, 2025

Lamine Yamal got his name on the scoresheet with a penalty and Marcus Rashford scored twice, with Ayoub El Kaabi's spot-kick scant consolation for the Greeks.

Newcastle United got their second straight win in the competition by easing to a 3-0 victory against Benfica at St James' Park.

Anthony Gordon got the opener and Harvey Barnes emerged from the bench to score twice in the second half, leaving Jose Mourinho's Benfica as the only team to have no points having played three games.

1 Goal ⚽️
1 Assist 🅰️

Outstanding tonight, @anthonygordon! 👏 pic.twitter.com/GJ0oTNAwmW

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) October 21, 2025

PSV claimed a stunning 6-2 home win against Italian champions Napoli, despite Scott McTominay giving the visitors the lead in the first half.

An Alessandro Buongiorno own goal restored parity and Ismael Saibari put PSV ahead before Dennis Man scored twice and both Ricardo Pepi and Couhaib Driouech also found the net.

McTominay pulled another one back for Napoli, who had Lorenzo Lucca sent off.

What a night. Big WIN under the lights 💫#PSVNAP #UCL pic.twitter.com/GuGYyqM0kX

— PSV (@PSV) October 21, 2025

The night's other game ended in a 0-0 draw between rank outsiders Kairat Almaty and Pafos of Cyprus in Kazakhstan.

Returning Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele called on his teammates not to let up after a goal rout over Bayer Leverkusen in Tuesday's 7-2 away Champions League win.

The Champions League holders, who have won three from three to start their title defence, scored six of their seven goals with 10 men, having lost Illia Zabarnyi to a red card late in the first half.

Desire Doue, man of the match when PSG thumped Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Munich in May, relished his return to Germany, scoring twice before halftime.

Ballon d'Or winner Dembele was only fit enough for the bench but scored just three minutes after coming onto the pitch midway through the second half.

Willian Pacho, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha also scored in a statement win for the French giants.

Playing his first match since claiming the Ballon d'Or last month, Dembele said his side "could have avoided our red card", but "stayed in the game and scored goals before halftime that did us good.

"And we just had to roll on in the second half. Scoring seven goals is important, we have to keep it up.

"It's only the first half of the season, we'll have to stay on target in Europe and the league."

The 28-year-old said he was "not at 100 per cent yet" and wanted to come back in the league last weekend, but "the coach told me to wait a bit longer."

"I'm slowly getting my form back."

PSV Eindhoven’s Dennis Man scored twice as the home side handed Napoli a 6-2 thrashing on Tuesday after coming from a goal down to get their first win in this season's Champions League.

 

Scott McTominay put the Italians ahead in the 31st minute but the Dutch champions swept into a 2-1 lead within seven minutes as Alessandro Buongiorno put the ball into his own net and then Ismael Saibari scored on the counter-attack.

After halftime Man netted twice as PSV took advantage of a frenzied atmosphere at the Philips Stadion to advance to four points from three games, one more than the Serie A champions.

PSV score six! 😲#UCL pic.twitter.com/AA1eChE6MW

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 21, 2025

Napoli’s Lorenzo Lucca was sent off 14 minutes from time for dissent to add to the visitors' woes, although McTominay scored their second in the 86th minute from a corner.

But straight from the restart Couhaib Driouech set up substitute Ricardo Pepi to score with his first kick of the game and within a minute Driouech got one himself with a thumping strike at the end of a series of swift one-touch passes.

The game was played at a high tempo throughout with both sides in an attacking mood and Leonardo Spinazzola’s run down the left wing provided the opening goal for the Italians with his cross being powered home by McTominay.

The Scotland international rose between two defenders at the near post to power home a bullet header.

OWN GOAL AS ATTEMPTED CLEARANCE GOES AWRY

But PSV were level within four minutes as veteran Ivan Perisic’s driving cross was helped into his own net by Buongiorno as his attempted clearance went awry.

Then Perisic stole possession as Napoli were on the edge of the PSV area and Guus Til helped it further forward, feeding Saibari to break free and run half the length of the pitch to score.

"I had time to relax and think about what I was going to do with the ball," said Saibari.

Mauro Junior’s stubbed cross sat up perfectly for Man to guide home the third goal in the 54th minute and after a sustained period of pressure from PSV, the Romanian international thundered home the fourth from range in the 80th minute.

Three more goals in the final five minutes added to the drama which started before the match when PSV dropped fullback Sergino Dest from the starting line-up after he arrived late for the game, although he did appear as an 85th-minute substitute.

"In the first 15 minutes we had it difficult but after that we took charge and we could have made it eight. But a 6-2 scoreline is more than satisfactory," PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten told Ziggo TV.

Napoli defender Giovanni di Lorenzo said they were "fragile right now".

"Last year we were very solid, this year we've lost compactness and balance," he added.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha scored in each half as they overcame conceding an own goal to comfortably beat Copenhagen 4-2 in their Champions League clash at the Parken Stadium on Tuesday.

The Danes defended gallantly in front of their fanatical fans, but were powerless to stop a Dortmund side that dominated possession and had the quality to get the better of them.

Borussia Dortmund stay unbeaten ⚫🟡#UCL pic.twitter.com/tOfEmRLYIg

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 21, 2025

Nmecha broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, pulling off a superb dummy on the edge of the area and allowing the ball to run across his body to send Elias Achouri the wrong way before rifling the ball over the keeper.

That could have been the beginning of the end of the Danish resistance, but Dortmund were surprisingly pegged back when defender Ramy Bensebaini's attempted clearance ricocheted off Waldemar Anton and into the visitors' net 13 minutes later.

Dortmund continued to dominate possession and they took the lead again in the 61st minute when Copenhagen's Lukas Lerager was penalised for almost pulling the shirt of Serhou Guirassy over his head at a set piece.

Bensebaini lashed home the resulting spot-kick, and Lerager’s night went from bad to worse as Nmecha easily held him off before firing his second 15 minutes later.

Fabio Silva then netted his first goal for the German side to make it 4-1 before 17-year-old Copenhagen substitute Viktor Dadason became the third-youngest scorer in the competition’s history with a 90th-minute header.

DORTMUND FOURTH IN STANDINGS

Unbeaten Dortmund, who travel to Manchester City next, are fourth in the table on seven points, with the Danes 31st in the 36-team standings on one point from three games ahead of their trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

Copenhagen coach Jacob Neestrup was under no illusions about the gulf in quality between the sides.

"The players did everything they could, but the difference was too big, especially in the last third of the match. That's why we end up losing deservedly to a team that is simply better than us," he said.

"If you want to win a match like this, you have to score in your good periods ... there are some margins that didn't go our way, and then they show the difference in class. They are better than us in the entire second half."

Francesco Esposito made up for an earlier horror miss to score his first Champions League goal as Inter Milan thumped hosts Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0 in Brussels on Tuesday to make it three wins from three in the competition this season.

Inter are in second place in the table with nine points from their three games, behind Paris St Germain on goal-difference, while it is back-to-back 4-0 losses for Union, who have three points from their three games.

Denzel Dumfries fired in the first goal for Inter from close range after he was left unmarked in the box, before the prolific Lautaro Martinez added a second just before halftime as he swept the ball into the top corner from 15 yards.

Inter were awarded a penalty after a VAR review when Kevin Mac Allister, brother of Liverpool midfielder Alexis, handled the ball in the box and Hakan Calhanoglu easily slotted the spot-kick into the bottom-left corner.

It should have been 4-0 when Dumfries set up Esposito for a tap-in from five yards but the 20-year-old striker somehow missed the target for what will go down as one of the misses of the season in the Champions League.

 

But Esposito did net his third goal for the club, and first in the Champions League, as he slid in and connected with Ange-Yoan Bonny’s low cross to spare his earlier blushes.

Viktor Gyokeres scored twice to end a nine-game goal drought in Arsenal's second half demolition of Atletico Madrid as a 4-0 win extended the Gunners' perfect Champions League start on Tuesday.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli opened the floodgates before Gyokeres' double, with all the goals coming in a 13-minute spell either side of the hour mark.

The Premier League leaders are also sitting pretty alongside last season's finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan at the top of the Champions League table as the only sides so far with nine points from their opening three games.

Gyokeres' lack of goals had been one of very few concerns for Mikel Arteta in a stunning start to the campaign.

The Sweden attacker, signed from Sporting Lisbon to end Arsenal's lack of a clinical No 9, had previously scored just three times, in home games against Leeds and Nottingham Forest, in 11 previous appearances.

VIKTOR GYOKERES 🇸🇪🔴

Arsenal's Number 14 has a brace ⚽⚽

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/EODdOYPjfL

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 21, 2025

"Hopefully it's the start of some beautiful sequence now," said Arteta.

"That's what we brought him here for. His demands on himself are really high, but we value a lot of the things that he does for the team."

Atletico remain without an away win all season and the manner of the Spanish side's collapse after a competitive opening hour will concern Diego Simeone.

Another clean sheet means Arsenal have still only conceded three times 12 games in all competitions this season.

Julian Alvarez twice could have put the visitors ahead as he failed to make the most of a poor David Raya clearance in the first half and then hit the bar from outside the box early in the second period.

Eberechi Eze's deflected effort also came off the woodwork in Arsenal's best attempt of the first 45 minutes.

SET-PIECE STRENGTH

But as so often in recent times, Arteta's men were able to rely on their strength from set pieces to make the breakthrough.

Declan Rice's in-swinging free-kick was perfectly weighted for the stooping Gabriel to power a header into the bottom corner.

Myles Lewis Skelly's recall at left-back was one of only two changes made by Arteta from Saturday's 1-0 win at Fulham.

The England international has played second fiddle to Riccardo Calafiori for most of the season but highlighted the wealth of options available to Arteta with a driving run to set up the second goal.

Lewis Skelly picked out Martinelli, who curled into the far corner for his third goal in as many Champions League games.

Gyokeres then got the bit of fortune he needed to end his barren spell in front of goal when his shot from close range deflected off David Hancko to leave Jan Oblak helpless.

Three minutes later, Gyokeres converted from even closer to the goal after Gabriel again won the first header to Rice's corner.

"It's been a while, but we've been winning games, so in that part it's been a great couple of months," said Gyokeres.

"Of course as a striker, you want to score goals. Great to score two goals and to get this win because it shows where we're at."

Arsenal reached the semifinals last season for the first time since 2009 before losing to eventual winners PSG.

The Gunners appear even stronger after another summer of major investment in the transfer market as they aim to conquer Europe for the first time in the club's history.