The Champions League has already produced big moments and shocking results.
European elite competition often does that.
The heavyweights from European competition battling it out in eight League Phase matches is certainly a highlight of the year and always exciting.
The new structure of the tournament has given the so-called smaller clubs in the mix a better chance to put points on the board and earn money for winning matches.
This season, the likes of Bodo/Glimt, Celtic slayers Kairat Almaty and Pafos get the chance to take on the continent’s biggest clubs, often delivering big shocks and interesting matches.
Matchday four of the Champions League brought big moments
But sometimes it’s the known giants of the game who put on a clinic and/or suffer at the hands of their opponents.
The first round of matchday four this week produced some intriguing results and individual performances.
And there were one or two unexpected finishes and a few red cards thrown in for good measure.
We at FootballBlog have chosen to start with the current holders…
Bayern stuns host PSG
PSG had a season to remember last season, with their superstars finally winning the big time with a whopping 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final of this match.
It is a trophy they will be keen to retain this year and their defense has been excellent until matchday four with three wins from the top three.
They defeated Bayer Leverkusen, Barcelona and Atalanta and found the net thirteen times in three games.
But they came into action against Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening and were defeated on home field in front of a stunned, silent home support.
Luis Diaz scored a brace within the first 30 minutes of the first half before Joao Neves reduced the deficit. PSG had a whopping 25 shots on target, 10 of which were on target, but they couldn’t get the job done.
Even after being reduced to ten men, Munich found a way to win, taking as many as three points on the road.
Ballon d’OR winner Ousmane Dembele had equalized in the first 45, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Luis Diaz night of chaos
As mentioned, Bayern went back to 10 men at halftime after goalscorer Diaz received a straight red card for a high challenge on Achraf Hakimi.
The full-back tried to get away from his opponent only to see the Colombian frontman knock him down and get his leg caught in his own scissoring challenge.
Initially this was deemed a yellow by the referee, but a lengthy VAR check – around five minutes of checks and double checks – would eventually result in a straight red.
It looked painful and Diaz’s night took a turn.
The forward had scored a double for his team and put them on their way to the three points, but he then set up a nerve-wracking second half that the Bundesliga giants would eventually pull through.
Liverpool wins the big one
Liverpool’s form has been poor so far this season, with manager Arne Slot’s tactics receiving some criticism.
But on Tuesday it was the Reds who defeated Real Madrid at Anfield, taking three points and moving up to sixth in the League Phase table.
Liverpool appear to have turned a corner at just the right time with Manchester City on the horizon and wins over Los Galacticos and Aston Villa last weekend built momentum for the club.
Their star players have not always delivered this season and it was up to Alexis MacAllister to find the winner on Merseyside when his header sailed into the net just after the hour mark.
Madrid’s big guns fired blanks all evening, but an interesting storyline saw former Red Trent Alexander-Arnold leave his former stomping ground empty-handed, with a bit of booing from the home crowd, which added insult to injury for the defender.
Mikel Arteta’s winning percentage continues to improve
Arsenal did what they do best this season: get another win, this time on the road.
Despite not being a recognized striker, it was Mikel Merino who was the match winner against Slavia Prague with a double to complement Bukayo Saka’s opener in their 3–0 defeat.
Manager Mikel Arteta has a fantastic European Championship record and is one of English football’s winningest coaches competing in Europe.
He may not have a trophy yet, but he has a better record than Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola.
The Gunners stand proudly alongside Bayern as the only side to have won all four of their opening games with twelve points at the top of the division.
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