Two hat‑tricks, one in just 12 first‑half minutes, only hint at a night that delivered 25 goals across six ties.
PSG rolled on, crushing Slovan Bratislava 6‑1 in Paris. Ferran Torres debuted with a hat‑trick, while Ousmane Dembele added two goals and two assists.
Marcos Llorente kept his Liverpool habit alive, scoring early for Atlético. Yet Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister turned it around, giving Liverpool a 2‑1 win and Andoni Iraola his first Champions League triumph.
Barcelona kept the floodgates open, thrashing Feyenoord 5‑1 at a soggy Camp Nou. Raphinha, now a No 9, netted twice, and Lamine Yamal turned the pitch into his playground.
In Naples, Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard struck again, his fourth of the season, as the Premier League champions edged Napoli 1‑0.
Napoli were the lone goalless side while Sporting CP beat Galatasaray 3‑1 and Stuttgart downed Viking 3‑1, thanks to Ermedin Demirovic’s lightning‑quick first‑half hat‑trick.
Barcelona 5-1 Feyenoord
Stuttgart 3-1 Viking
Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid
Napoli 0-1 Arsenal
PSG 6-1 Slovan Bratislava
Sporting CP 3-1 Galatasaray
Yamal, Dembele… or Torres for the Ballon d’Or?
Did anyone mention the Ballon d’Or?
After Haaland and Mbappé opened the night, three other award hopefuls reminded us why they belong among the elite.
Yamal, captaining Barcelona, dazzled with a back‑heeled nutmeg, two assists, a free‑kick goal and silky footwork that left Feyenoord defenders tangled.
Otherwise, the teenager kept a low profile.
He finished second in last year’s Ballon d’Or behind Dembele, and his later display seemed a silent challenge to the French winger.
With 31 minutes elapsed, Dembele already had two goals and an assist, later adding a second assist for Ferran Torres as PSG surged to a 6‑1 lead.
Torres, a World Cup final substitute, scored his trio within 26 minutes around the break, the second a pinpoint strike from the edge of the box.
While Yamal and Dembele will likely duel again for the award, stronger rivals loom on the horizon. For my money, Dembele’s form outshines the rest.
Dembele named Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane as his top three Ballon d’Or contenders.
When asked about Dembele’s picks, Yamal replied, “He’s friends with Kylian. I don’t mind. I’m happy with my year.”
He added, “Whenever I face them, I win. They must dislike me. I get along with Ousmane, and I’m pleased with my season.”
Yamal logged 16 La Liga goals, 12 assists and the league title, earning player of the season, plus six Champions League strikes, bringing his European tally to 11 before turning 19. His twelfth came from a free‑kick versus Feyenoord.
Mac Allister is… right-footed?
That strike was worthy of any match‑winner and so crisp it reminded us that Mac Allister truly is right‑footed.
From just outside the box, Mac Allletter’s left‑foot effort against Atlético showcased his comfort with both feet, the ball bursting from his boot.
- UK readers can view the goal here, while those in the U.S. can view it here.
Fans rage at the term “weaker foot,” wondering how elite players earning six‑figure wages could have one.
In reality, truly two‑footed pros are rare; studies show most favor one side, with Rayan Cherki and Santi Cazorla as notable exceptions.
Sometimes players seem to avoid using the leg that’s supposedly just for standing.
Mac Allister, however, didn’t hesitate to unleash a 22‑yard strike that flew past Jan Oblak.
The goal suited Liverpool’s timing and echoed Mac Allister’s disappointment a day earlier over stalled contract talks.
He told reporters, “I see Szoboszlai and Gravenberch renewing – that makes me happy, but sad I haven’t got mine yet. I’ll give 100 % till my last day.”
“We’ll see what happens. Options existed, but I feel right here now.”
Torrential rain favors tackles, yet Raphinha’s dribble and feint in the box proved anything but sloppy.
At a soaked Camp Nou, Feyenoord’s Jeremiah St Juste and Charles Vanhoutte flailed like a water‑park ride as Raphinha glided past them.
The Brazilian collected the ball, left the defenders stranded and thundered home his seventh league goal.
Social media quickly mocked the duo, posting a doctored image of them in a two‑person canoe with a paddle.
- UK readers can view the goal here, while those in the U.S. can view it here.
Feyenoord were outmatched, while Barcelona, after 17 goals in four La Liga games, added five more to launch a dream Champions League start.
It begs the question why Barcelona chased Julian Alvarez to replace Lewandowski when Raphinha has already become a world‑class No 9, scoring twice to reach eight in five games.
Absent from the 30‑man Ballon d’Or shortlist, Raphinha’s form this season – 34 goals, 22 assists in 57 matches and three trophies – makes him a serious 2025 contender.
Flanked by Yamal on one side and Adeyemi or Gordon on the other, Barcelona’s revamped attack feels formidable; Adeyemi curled the second, Yamal added a free‑kick, and Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring after his Arsenal move.
Another rain‑soaked Barcelona goal followed.
Demirovic didn’t waste time; with just over half an hour left, his hat‑trick became the fifth‑quickest in Champions League history.
The Bosnian striker, previously on one goal in eight European outings, seized the match ball after 32 minutes, netting three in 12 minutes to seal a 3‑1 win over Viking.
Only four players have opened a game with a faster hat‑trick, Lewandowski holding the record with three in 23 minutes against Salzburg in 2022.
Remaining matchday 1 fixtures
Thursday September 10
Fenerbahce v RomaPSV v Shakhtar DonetskBayern Munich v Bodo/GlimtComo v RB LeipzigManchester United v SabahSlavia Prague v Lens