Ready for another round of European fireworks? The anthem roars, the Bernabeu whistles, and the season begins anew.
Without Pep for the first time in 13 years, the opening night still felt familiar: Haaland netted twice, Mbappé added one, and Mourinho glowered from the sidelines.
Mourinho could at least smile at Real’s 2‑1 win over Inter, even if the performance left the home crowd snarling, especially at Vinícius Junior.
Enzo Maresca’s debut kept Manchester City rolling, a fourth straight victory as they edged Porto 2‑0 with a familiar striker’s fresh haircut as proof.
Aston Villa reminded everyone that scoring is still an art they can master.
Villa broke a three‑game Premier League drought, turning a 3‑2 Europa win over Club Brugge into a showcase – Jackson, McGinn and Buendía all on target.
Dortmund’s Konstantinos Karetsas was rushed to hospital after “circulatory problems” during their 3‑2 triumph over Villarreal, club officials said he’s now stable.
Matchday 1 results on September 8
AEK 1-0 LASK
Club Brugge 2-3 Aston Villa
Dortmund 3-2 Villarreal
Porto 0-2 Manchester City
Lille 2-3 Real Betis
Real Madrid 2-1 Inter
Mbappé, Haaland: scoring feats, whistles and tussles
The Ballon d’Or shortlist dropped as the night’s stars took the stage.
Mbappé rattled home in Madrid, tying Raul González as the joint fifth‑all‑time Champions League scorer.
His 71st goal left only Benzema, Lewandowski, Messi and Ronaldo ahead – he already claimed the Golden Boot, and no one should doubt a repeat.
How soon will Haaland catch up? The Norwegian hit both City goals against Porto, reaching 59 in 59 matches and matching Aguero’s 36 for the club.
Bayern’s first Champions League clash arrives Thursday against Bodo/Glimt, with the World Cup’s top strikers set to appear. Over to you, Harry Kane.
Mixed night for the other Mbappé
Ethan Mbappé, Kylian’s younger brother, was sent off for elbowing during Lille’s 3‑2 loss to Real Betis.
At 19, he became the youngest French player ever to receive a Champions League red card, and replays weren’t kind to him.
What sparked the outburst? He’d set up Lille’s opener just minutes after his brother scored for Real Madrid.
Perhaps Lille’s lost leads fueled it – Betis led at 53 minutes, then Mbappé clashed off the ball, leaving Lille a man down for over half the game.
Who’d be a goalkeeper?
Yann Sommer, a two‑time Serie A winner with Inter, helped them reach the 2025 final before his erratic display for Club Brugge turned him into a convenient opponent for Villa’s attacks.
Now 37, his mis‑judged play gave Aston Villa the edge they needed.
Sommer’s bizarre moment came when a quick break saw him sprint through the box and accidentally carry the ball over the line.
He escaped punishment, but later mis‑timed a rush toward the centre circle, missing the ball entirely.
A 40‑yard clearance left him stranded as Jackson pounced and slotted into an exposed net.
Yet the night’s worst error belonged to Inter’s current keeper, Josep Martínez, once Sommer’s understudy.
Martínez’s lapse allowed Valverde to double Madrid’s lead after a sloppy roll‑under attempt inside his six‑yard box.
Mbappé had already exploited sloppy defending for the first goal, cementing his place among the competition’s elite scorers.
The carelessness escalated when Pavard’s pass found Martínez, and Valverde closed him down.
His first touch was fine, but the second – trying to roll the ball under his foot – was reckless inside his own area.
Valverde needed only a touch, not a shot, to redirect the ball for a 2‑0 lead.
Have we already seen the best Champions League free‑kick goal this season?
You might not know Razvan Marin, the 30‑year‑old AEK midfielder debuting in the Champions League.
He announced himself with a spectacular free‑kick – future opponents, take note.
LASK set a five‑man wall and even placed a player behind it, expecting a conventional ‘daisycutter.’
Marin’s strike, however, felt like the season’s best free‑kick on night one.
- UK viewers can watch the goal here while US fans can watch it there.
He aimed far right, seemingly wide of the wall, a move that fooled everyone.
Seriously, it looked off‑target, didn’t it?
Yet the ball curled impossibly, slipping into the top corner.
Lukas Jungwirth was in position, but the shot’s dip made any reaction futile.
If you crave the technique behind such curls, we’ve got the video and article you need.
Matchday 1 fixtures
Wednesday Sep 9Barcelona v FeyenoordStuttgart v VikingLiverpool v Atletico MadridNapoli v ArsenalPSG v Slovan BratislavaSporting CP v Galatasaray
Thursday Sep 10Fenerbahce v RomaPSV v Shakhtar DonetskBayern Munich v Bodo/GlimtComo v RB LeipzigManchester United v SabahSlavia Prague v Lens