The Champions League is back, with a new format, more games and lots more goals.
There were 28 scored across just six matches, with blistering Bayern Munich scoring almost a third of that total.
In fact, in Champions League history, only one more night (in October 2014) has seen a higher goals-per-game ratio than the 4.7 per game we saw on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s action was about much more than goals though, with Real Madrid and Liverpool kicking off their campaigns with identical scorelines but very different victories, plus a Champions League legend even popped up to announce his new TV show.
Here are the highlights…
Endrick and Mbappe strike after stuttering start by Real Madrid
On the opening Champions League night we got our first look at the reigning champions and they looked… shaky.
Real Madrid may arguably have the most imposing front line in European football – Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, backed up by Jude Bellingham – but it was Stuttgart who were playing carefree, incisive, attacking football for much of this entertaining match.
Mbappe scored Real’s first in the win against Stuttgart (THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)
The scoreline suggests a relatively comfortable 3-1 victory but with just seven minutes left on the clock Madrid were probably lucky to be level at 1-1, with the enterprising German visitors having created a host of chances, particularly in the early stages when they hit the bar and spurned two one-on-one opportunities.
Thibaut Courtois needed to be on top form and basically he bailed Madrid out along with, well, a superstar striker, an old bloke and a child.
Mbappe was brilliantly set up by Rodrygo to score his first Champions League goal in Real Madrid colours just after half time and then, after Brighton reject Deniz Undav had shocked the Bernabeu by levelling the scores with a header, the 39-year-old Luka Modric crossed for Antonio Rudiger to restore Real’s lead and then their 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Endrick made it 3-1.
He became Real’s youngest ever Champions League goalscorer when driving this one home from range after streaming forward with the ball.
Endrick scores from distance on his #UCL debut 💥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/0ZZkj3JqL3
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 17, 2024
A #UCL debut to remember for 18-year-old Endrick! 🤯🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/vP5jiqkval
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 17, 2024
Points off because the keeper palmed it in. Points on for the crowd-pleasing celebration.
Earlier this week Endrick had married Gabriely Mirandy, and when asked about his young forward’s goal tonight and wedding a few days ago, a grinning Carlo Ancelotti replied: “He has shown to be very brave in these two days.”
Bellingham made his return from injury, playing 80 minutes, in what ultimately was a satisfactory night in the Spanish capital. They’ll need to improve if they want to hold on to their title, but then again, they always do.
A record-breaking night for Kane and Bayern Munich
One of their challengers could well be Bayern Munich, whose incredible 9-2 victory over hapless Dinamo Zagreb was the standout scoreline of this or pretty much any night, given that Bayern became the first team ever to score nine goals in a Champions League match.
They had already had two goals chalked off for offside when Harry Kane opened the scoring with a penalty after 19 minutes. Bayern were cruising at half-time, 3-0 up, but by the 50th minute it was 3-2 as Dinamo put two past substitute keeper Sven Ulrich (on for the injured Manuel Neuer at half-time).
Then the goals dropped like a hailstorm. Kane scored four in total, including three penalties which he put in the same corner.
Raphael Guerreiro (more on him later), Leroy Sane, Leon Goretzka and two from ex-Crystal Palace man and Champions League debutant Michael Olise gave Dinamo a night to forget.
Ravenous Bayern were still careering forward in stoppage time trying for double figures, with Kane just clearing the bar with the last kick of the game.
It capped a pretty astonishing eight days for Kane, who last Tuesday scored twice for England in their 2-0 win for Finland, before notching a hat-trick for Bayern in their 6-1 rout of Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
He has become England’s record goalscorer in Champions League history (33), overtaking Wayne Rooney (30), and he now has 53 goals in 50 games for Bayern since joining the club just over a year ago.
Pulisic on target but Liverpool coast to victory at San Siro
The heavyweight contest of the night was in Italy – but despite an early scare, Liverpool breezed past AC Milan to pile the pressure on new manager Paulo Fonseca.
U.S. men’s national team star Christian Pulisic continued his recent good form (he had been player of the match with a goal and an assist against Venezia at the weekend), taking advantage of space vacated by Konstantinos Tsimikas to put Milan ahead in just the third minute with a fine goal.
But Arne Slot’s team, who had 23 shots to Milan’s eight, were dominant thereafter. They scored carbon copy goals from set pieces, with full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Tsimikas floating deliveries towards centre-backs Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk to head two goals before half time.
After the break Dominik Szoboszlai secured the victory after a dazzling run and pass from Cody Gakpo to make it 3-1. Liverpool also gave a late debut to Federico Chiesa so, like with Real, it was a satisfactory night’s work. But this one was much more convincing.
As for Milan, they were whistled off the pitch at full-time. New boss Fonseca was only appointed in the summer but with his team 10th after four Serie A matches, the early signs aren’t good.
“After we conceded the second goal, the team stopped playing, and it becomes difficult after that,” he said. Yes, quite.
The other Italian side on show, Juventus, made light work of Dutch champions PSV with a 3-1 victory in Turin. American midfielder Weston McKennie was on the scoresheet for the Old Lady.
Gyokeres continues flying start to 2024-25 — with ninth goal in six games
Fifteen months ago Viktor Gyokeres was still a Coventry City player in the English Championship.
He was hardly an unknown youngster – the Swedish striker was 25 when Sporting snapped him up for around £17 million – and since then, well…
Gyokeres scored 29 goals in 33 league games last season, plus five in nine in the Europa League.
So far this season he has notched eight in five games in the Portuguese league and, on his Champions League debut last night, obviously he scored again, giving Sporting the lead against Lille in the 38th minute, a true striker’s goal, hit on the turn in a crowded penalty area. That €100m release clause is looking cheaper by the day.
It just HAD to be him! 💥
Viktor Gyökeres gives Sporting the lead with a magnificent finish 😮💨🇸🇪
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Pkj2l62vAG
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 17, 2024
Viktor Gyökeres picks up where he left off! ⚽
The Swedish international stays hot for Sporting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vTwFqAVadD
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 17, 2024
Like Undav, Gyokeres was discarded by Brighton. That club just doesn’t know talent when it sees it…
Sporting went on to win 2-0, their cause helped by Lille playing for 60 minutes with 10 men after England newbie Angel Gomes was sent off for two yellow cards.
Sporting were also helped by scoring arguably the goal of the night, talking of which…
Debast’s rocket and Musiala’s sensual chest — and a comedy goal for Villa
If you’ve got a name as striking as Zeno Debast, you have to be great at hitting a football and even though he’s only a defender, 20-year-old Belgian Debast delivered with “de blast” of the opening round of Champions League fixtures. Pick this out…
WHAT A WAY TO SCORE YOUR FIRST-EVER GOAL! 🚀
Zeno Debast UNLEASHES ONE from distance for an unforgettable GOLAZO 😱 pic.twitter.com/aMVOLYWBst
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 17, 2024
WHAT A HIT! 😱
Sporting double their lead with a stunning strike from an unexpected hero, defender Zeno Debast! 💥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/m6faJYFjEc
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 17, 2024
You know a goal is good if not one but two team-mates instinctively put their hands on their heads in awe and disbelief after witnessing it.
But was it even the goal of the night? There were some ridiculously good goals on show.
Bayern Munich’s second goal by Portuguese defender Raphael Guerreiro was a thing of beauty, coming via a sensual chest pass from Jamal Musiala before Guerreiro unleashed a nonchalant rocket on the half volley.
Somewhat annoyingly, the goal didn’t get the celebration it deserved because the assistant referee rather inexplicably flagged for offside, before VAR did something good and intervened.
Raphael Guerreiro’s celebrations were cut short by the offside flag, but this wonderful strike put Bayern 2-0 up before Michael Olise added a third.#UCL
🎥 @footballontnt pic.twitter.com/8RgPKrFFwy
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) September 17, 2024
RAPHAËL GUERREIRO WITH A GOLAZOOOOO 🚀 pic.twitter.com/PYhCWJrEfG
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 17, 2024
From sublime goals to the ridiculous and a comedy caper from the Young Boys defence against Champions League new boys Aston Villa.
Quite what Mohamed Ali Camara was thinking when he paused, surveyed the scene and then still decided it was a good idea to pass the ball to his keeper is anyone’s guess.
Keeper David von Ballmoos almost certainly conceded a penalty as the tomfoolery continued before Villa’s Jacob Ramsey hurdled over his own player and stuck the ball in the net. It probably serves Camara right for wearing the number 13.
Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana also scored as Villa marked their return to top level competition for the first time in 41 years with a resounding 3-0 victory in Switzerland.
Very much a case of men against Young Boys.
Beckham announces watchalong show for final rounds of Champions League
Amid the drama and the goals, a member of footballing royalty tried to steal the show by announcing, well, a show.
David Beckham popped up as a surprise guest on CBS Sports Golazo to reveal that he’ll host alternate Champions League telecast on CBS.
Introducing Beckham and Friends 😍
The LEGEND David Beckham will host a #UCL altcast for the second leg of the semifinals and final on @ParamountPlus 📺💫 pic.twitter.com/X91SmbHOxg
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 17, 2024
Beckham & Friends will be a watchalong, ManningCast-type show which will be screened during the Champions League final and the semi-final second legs.
Beckham has promised to rope in some famous A-list friends. But not Gary Neville.
What’s next?
There are six more games to come on Wednesday.
And then another six on Thursday.
- Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen (5.45pm BST/12.45pm ET)
- Red Star Belgrade vs Benfica (5.45pm BST/12.45pm ET)
- Atalanta vs Arsenal (8pm BST/3pm ET)
- Atletico Madrid vs RB Leipzig (8pm BST/3pm ET)
- Brest vs Sturm Graz (8pm BST/3pm ET)
- Monaco vs Barcelona (8pm BST/3pm ET)
(Photos: Getty Images)
