Champions League

Step forward for Barcelona and City at the close of Champions League matchday 1

Published New:19/09/2025 - 03:26h

Updated New:19/09/2025 - 03:33h

Barça, City, Frankfurt, Sporting and Brugge closed matchday 1 of the Champions League with victories, in the case of Germans, Portuguese and Belgians with tremendous thrashings over Galatasaray, Kairat and Monaco

Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League closed with six matches in a 'Super Thursday' that left a balance of five victories and only one draw, with a balance of 24 goals scored and a first leader in the general classification of the league phase.

Eintracht Frankfurt crushed Galatasaray (5-1) in Germany despite starting losing with a goal from Akgün in the 8th minute. However, an own goal by Davinson Sánchez in the 37th minute started the disaster for the Turks. Can Uzun made it 2-1 in the 45+2' and, before the break, another own goal by Singo left Galatasaray KO.

In the second half, Burkardt and Knauff closed the 'manita'. FC Barcelona and Manchester City had much more work against Newcastle and Napoli in England, respectively.

Barça and City win by the minimum in their European debut

At St. James' Park, the Blaugrana team won thanks to a double by Marcus Rashford (1-2). Anthony Gordon scored for the locals in stoppage time, but Barça deservedly took the three points. Hansi Flick's team had 65% possession and 19 shots, 9 more than the 'magpies'.

In Manchester, Pep Guardiola's team took advantage of Giovanni Di Lorenzo's early expulsion to take the victory (2-0). In Kevin De Bruyne's return to the Etihad Stadium, the 'sky blue' team had to wait until the second half to define the match. Erling Haaland and Jérémy Doku scored in the 56' and 65'.

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Eintracht, Sporting and Brugge thrashed in the 'Super Thursday' of Champions League

Ritsu Doan celebrating a goal in the Frankfurt-Galatasaray (5-1)

In addition to Eintracht's 'manita', Sporting CP and Brugge also recorded thrashings at home in their debut. The Portuguese crushed debutant Kairat (4-1), boosted by a double from former Barça player Francisco Trincao. Alisson Santos and Geovany Queda closed the score, while Edmilson scored for the Kazakhs.

In Belgium, Brugge did the same against Monaco (4-1). Tresoldi, Onyedika, Vanaken and Diakhon crushed the team from the Principality, which before the break was already losing 3-0. Ansu Fati, in his debut, scored the goal of honor for the French.

Finally, in the only draw of the day, Copenhagen and Bayer Leverkusen signed a draw in a great match in Denmark (2-2). The locals started winning with a goal from Larsson in the first half, but Grimaldo equalized for the Germans in the 82'. Robert Vinicius gave the Danes the advantage again in the 86', but central defender Pantelis Hatzidiakos, in his own goal, decreed the draw in stoppage time.