The Barcelonawho thrashed 5-1 at Viktoria Pilsenand the Bayern Munichwho won 2-0 in Milan against Inter, impressed on their debut in the Champions League, on a day on Wednesday that saw Liverpool’s disaster.
Current finalist of the continental tournament and European champion in 2019, Liverpool was thrashed during their visit to Naples (4-1).
The Pole Piotr Zielinski (5 penalty, 47) the Cameroonian Andre Zambo Anguissa (31) and the Argentine Giovanni Simeone (44) knocked out the champion in 2019, who only reacted thanks to a magnificent shot from Colombian Luis Díaz from outside the area (49).
The result could have been more bulky, given the great chances of Napoli in the first half and, especially, the penalty missed by the Nigerian Victor Osimhen (18). With this result, the Italians become second in key A, only surpassed by the goal difference of Ajax Amsterdam, who thrashed Rangers (4-0), with the first goal scored by the Mexican Edson Álvarez .
Jürgen Klopp’s team, who are not going through a good moment in the domestic championship either (three draws, two wins and one loss) and who had full wins in the group stage of last edition, start the new season in the worst possible way. European campaign.
Liverpool thus stars in one of the great surprises of the first day of the Champions League, along with Chelsea’s defeat on Tuesday in Zagreb, which meant the dismissal this Wednesday of coach Thomas Tuchel with whom the ‘Bleus’ conquered the ‘Orejona’ in 2021 .
Barcelona crushes
The other title favorites who played this Wednesday lived up to expectations. At the Camp Nou, Barcelona destroyed the weak Viktoria Pílsen thanks to a hat-trick from Robert Lewandowskiwho already has 89 goals in the Champions League and is established as the third all-time top scorer in the competition, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (140) and Lionel Messi (125).
Viktoria could barely respond with a goal from Jan Sykora (43) to the barrage of Barça play that resulted in goals from Lewandowski (34, 45+3, 68), Ivorian Franck Kessié (13) and Ferran Torres (71) .
The azulgrana team could not have started their journey in a continental competition in a better way, which they abandoned last year in the group stage. “It was very important to start winning here, at home, to show that we are going for the Champions League and to start 5-1, it couldn’t be better,” captain Sergi Roberto told Movistar+, as soon as the match was over.
Barça leads group C tied on points with Bayern Munich, whom they will visit next week, and who won 2-0 against Inter Milan in the other key match, in a great collective performance in which the International Leroy Sane.
The German was the author of the goal that opened the scoring (25) and leaked the pass that ended in an own goal by Danilo D’Ambrosio (66).
“I am satisfied with the team, we played intensely for 90 minutes,” said Bavarian coach Julian Nagelsmann at the post-match press conference. At the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid there was a crazy ending between Atlético and Porto, which ended with the red and white victory by 2-1.
Griezmann saves Atletico
With no movement on the scoreboard during the 90 regulated minutes, Atlético took advantage of the expulsion in the final stretch of the Iranian striker Medhi Taremi for a double yellow card (82) to decide in their favor a duel in which the Portuguese dominated more and had more chances than the locals, saved by their goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Mario Hermoso put the rojiblancos ahead with a shot from inside the area (90+1), the Colombian Mateus Uribe equalized from a penalty (90+6) and the Frenchman Antoine Griezmann, who came out after the match hour, gave the victory to the locals with a header in a corner kick in the last breath (90 + 11).
“Scoring the winning goal is very nice, but I keep the three points,” Griezmann told Movistar+ after the match. Despite the fact that he can only play the last minutes due to his contractual situation, Griezmann stated that “I am very happy here and all I want is to play here and give everything for the club, for ‘Cholo’ (Simeone) and enjoy it”.
Griezmann “is giving us a lot when he comes in, it’s an important change for us because it generates hierarchy for us, he has to have a strong head,” said Simeone.
With this victory, Atlético is leader of group B with 3 points, the same as Bruges, who in the other key match defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1-0, whom Atlético will visit next week.
Finally, group D is led by Sporting Lisbon, who defeated 3-0 Eintracht Frankfurtand Tottenham, who won 2-0 at Marseillesboth scored by the Brazilian Richarlison.
AFP
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