The second batch of gameweek one games from the group stages of the Champions League produced goals galore, with some big victories and defeats for some of the biggest teams in the European game. Here is a roundup of Wednesday night’s games:
Di Maria comes back to haunt Real Madrid
PSG playmaker Angel Di Maria came back to haunt former club Real Madrid in Paris, as the Argentinian grabbed a brace in a comprehensive 3-0 win for the home side. Despite the absence of the suspended Neymar, and injured pair Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani, the home side were simply too good for Los Blancos.
The opening goal on 14 minutes seemed so simple in its construction. Spanish full-back Juan Bernat found space down the left and found Di Maria in the area. The experienced midfielder then poked the ball past Thibaut Courtois at his near post.
PSG continued to look the sharper of the two teams and doubled their lead on 33 minutes. Former Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye did well to find Di Maria on the edge of the area, he took a touch before curling an effort superbly into the bottom right-hand corner of the visitor’s net.
Then came another major talking point, this time at the other end of the pitch. Welsh forward Gareth Bale thought he had scored a superb lobbed goal after some brilliant control.
However, the referee Anthony Taylor had to stop the game for a VAR check. The check ruled that the former Spurs star had controlled the ball with his hand before firing his effort on goal. The decision was the correct one, but arguments over the new handball rule are likely to rumble on.
Real Madrid just could not find a way back in the game. Striker Karim Benzema saw another goal disallowed in the second half, this time for offside. The home side sealed the victory in stoppage-time, as full-backs Juan Bernat and Thomas Meunier broke on the counter-attack, with the latter volleyed home.
The victory will give the Parisians the belief that they can top the group ahead of the Spanish champions, who were lacklustre.
Atletico fight back to draw with Juventus
Atletico Madrid came back from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw against reigning Italian champions Juventus at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Following a goalless first period, the visitors took the lead just three minutes into the second half, as former Chelsea winger Juan Cuadrado produced a fantastic curling effort to beat the Atletico goalkeeper. The Bianconeri doubled their lead on 65 minutes, as French midfielder Blaise Matuidi headed home.
As the game reached its latter stages, Atletico got a lifeline on 70 minutes, through a Stefan Savic header. Just as it looked like Juventus were heading home to Turin with all three points. However, Mexican midfielder Hector Herrera, on his Champions League debut for Atletico, struck a 90th-minute equaliser.
The equaliser could prove crucial in the make-up of this group, as these two teams are the favourites to make the knockout stages. The draw means that the reverse fixture in Turin will be even more vital now. However, despite the draw, Juventus remain favourites to win the group.
Wednesday’s other Champions League results
Club Brugge 0-0 Galatasaray
Olympiakos 2-2 Tottenham
Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Lokomotiv Moscow
Bayern Munich 3-0 Crvena Zvezda
Dinamo Zagreb 4-0 Atalanta
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Manchester City
Can PSG finally make a big impact on the Champions League this season?
