The UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in Europe, is back with the group stage matches that started on September 12, 2023. The fans were treated to some exciting games and unexpected results as the 32 teams battled for the top two spots in their respective groups.
Some of the highlights of the first round of matches were:
- Paris Saint-Germain defeated Manchester City 3-1 at the Parc des Princes, with goals from Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. The star-studded PSG team showed their attacking prowess and dominated the game against the English champions, who scored a consolation goal through Raheem Sterling.
- Bayern Munich thrashed Barcelona 4-0 at the Camp Nou, with a brace from Robert Lewandowski and goals from Thomas Müller and Leroy Sané. The German giants exposed the weaknesses of the rebuilding Barcelona team, who were without their talisman Lionel Messi for the first time in 17 years.
- Sheriff Tiraspol, the surprise package of the tournament, stunned Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, with goals from Jasurbek Yakhshiboev and Sebastian Thill. The Moldovan champions, who are making their debut in the Champions League, shocked the 13-time winners with a spirited performance and a late winner.
- Liverpool edged past AC Milan 3-2 at Anfield, with goals from Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Jordan Henderson. The Reds came back from a 2-1 deficit at half-time to secure a dramatic victory over the Italian giants, who scored through Ante Rebić and Brahim Díaz.
UEFA Europa League features competitive groups and intriguing clashes
The UEFA Europa League, the second-tier club competition in Europe, also kicked off its group stage matches on September 14, 2023. The 48 teams were divided into 12 groups of four, with each group containing one team from each of the four pots based on their coefficients.
Some of the notable matches and results of the first round were:
- Leicester City beat Napoli 2-1 at the King Power Stadium, with goals from Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans. The Foxes held on to a narrow win over the Serie A leaders, who scored a late penalty through Lorenzo Insigne.
- West Ham United drew 2-2 with Dinamo Zagreb at the Stadion Maksimir, with goals from Michail Antonio and Declan Rice. The Hammers came back from a 2-0 deficit to salvage a point against the Croatian champions, who scored through Mislav Oršić and Bruno Petković.
- Lazio defeated Galatasaray 3-1 at the Türk Telekom Stadium, with goals from Ciro Immobile, Felipe Anderson and Pedro Rodríguez. The Biancocelesti overcame a hostile atmosphere and a resilient opponent to secure a comfortable win over the Turkish giants, who scored through Halil Dervişoğlu.
- Monaco lost 1-0 to Sturm Graz at the Stade Louis II, with a goal from Kelvin Yeboah. The Ligue 1 side suffered a shock defeat to the Austrian underdogs, who scored a late winner to stun the hosts.
UEFA Europa Conference League offers opportunities for smaller teams and new markets
The UEFA Europa Conference League, the third-tier club competition in Europe, also commenced its group stage matches on September 16, 2023. The 32 teams were split into eight groups of four, with each group containing one team from each of the four pots based on their coefficients.
Some of the interesting matches and outcomes of the first round were:
- Tottenham Hotspur won 3-0 against Rennes at the Roazhon Park, with goals from Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura. The Spurs cruised to an easy win over the French side, who had two players sent off in the second half.
- Roma beat CSKA Sofia 5-1 at the Stadio Olimpico, with goals from Tammy Abraham, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Borja Mayoral, Carles Pérez and Gonzalo Villar. The Giallorossi, coached by José Mourinho, showed their class and quality against the Bulgarian outfit, who scored a consolation goal through Ali Sowe.
- Union Berlin drew 1-1 with Slavia Prague at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, with goals from Max Kruse and Jan Kuchta. The Bundesliga side, who are making their debut in European competitions, earned a respectable draw against the Czech champions, who had a player sent off in the first half.
- Feyenoord lost 2-0 to Maccabi Haifa at the Sammy Ofer Stadium, with goals from Omer Atzili and Nikita Rukavytsya. The Eredivisie side, who have a rich history in Europe, suffered a disappointing defeat to the Israeli champions, who defended well and took their chances.
