It has always been said that the UCL is the greatest competition in club football and it was proven again this week.
UCL match week 3 began in Italy and Monaco as AC Milan vS Club Brugge and Monaco vS Crvena Zvezda took place. However both games ended in favour of the home side. A Tijani Reijnder’s double and a direct corner kick from the USMNT capitain Christian Pulisic was enough to see off the ten-men Belgian side.
Takumi Minamino with a MOTM performance to earn his side a 5-1 win on their home turf in Fontvielle, Monaco.
The Gunners narrowly won against the Ukrainian giants Shaktar Donestk with an own-goal from Shaktar’s goalkeeper, a shot from Gabriel Martinelli going back in from the keeper to earn the London side their 7th point from 9 of the campaign.
Unlike their EPL rivals, Aston Villa won comfortably against Bologna with goals from captain John McGinn and Jhon Dúran to keep the side’s hundred percent win form in the UCL intact.
The best game of the night was however at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu where Real Madrid vS BVB Dortmund went down.
Things seemed to be going in Dortmund’s way from the beginning until Vinicius showed the reason he’s the heir to the no 7 throne at Real Madrid.
Donyell Malen put in the first goal at the 30th mins and barely five minutes later Jamie Bynoe-Gittens doubled the deficit.
Everyone thought it was over, until the comeback started at the 60th mins with an header from Toni Rudiger, an assist from Kylian Mbappé.
Then the Vinicius show began, the Brazilian winger was moving past the BVB defenders like prime Ronaldinho moving left and right like he brought them to Madrid.
He scored the second, Vasquez with the third and Vini Jr. with the last two to complete an epic disaster class for Nuri Sahin’s team whom everyone thought was on their way to hand a consecutive UCL defeat to Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
A former EPL winger was another Brazilian with a brilliant performance against the German giants, Bayern Munchén on Wednesday night. The opening games in Italy and France ended in a stalemate before the late kickoff began. Then;
FC Barcelona vS Bayern Munchen.
The German giants have always had the better off the Calatonian side, not just winning but utmost embarrassment in those fixtures 8-2 wins, 3-0 multiple times and other wins.
Everyone expected the same but with the then Bayern manager now in charge of Barça and their then main striker, everything went in favour of Hansi Flick’s new side.
It began as early as the 1st minute with Raphinha’s goal , nine minute later a Serge Gnabry’s goal was overturned by the VAR before the England captian Harry Kane scored an equalizer.
But Barça had other plans with their no 9 scoring and Raphinha two more with a wonderful assist from youngster Lamine Yamal to take away all three points once again under Hansi Flick.
It was a wonderful and an unexpected performance from the Barça side who last year were wobbling under Xavi Hernandes.
The two EPL sides won their games on Wednesday night, Erling Haaland doing what he does with his side winning by five and an header from Darwin Nunez to keep the momentum going for Arne Slot’s side having a 1-0 win.
The Merseyside red team has now won 11 of their 12 opening games, a new record set by the Dutch coach.
The shock of the night came at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, Diego Simeone side took the lead with a goal from new man Julian Alvarez in the 8th mins before a goal from Eden Zhegrova in the 2nd half cancelled it.
Then the French side showed what they were capable of doing, two goals from Jonathan David gave Bruno Gensio’s side all three points.
UCL nights are always memorable.
Matchweek 3 ended with Villa and Liverpool at the top, both with 3 wins from 3, six teams with 0 point at the bottom with the surprise of all being RB Leipzig.
All focus now shifts to the league games with Arsenal against Liverpool, the El-Classico, Inter vS Juventus and Marseille vS PSG coming this weekend.
