We’ve only just caught our breath, but the Champions League is well and truly back.
Here’s what went down on Wednesday night.
Rodrygo nets last-minute winner in Milan
Scorers: Rodrygo 90′.
Rodrygo scored a 90th-minute winner to earn Real Madrid a huge victory over Inter on Carlo Ancelotti’s return to Milan.
Éder Militão almost gave the visitors the lead in the 35th minute when he was found unmarked at a corner but his header flashed just wide of the post.
Inter reacted straight away with Marcelo Brozovic drilling a shot wide from the edge of the area.
But the tight contest was decided in the dying stages when the ball fell to the Brazilian who directed it home with a bouncing finish with his left-foot after being set up by Eduardo Camavinga.
Henderson stunner the difference in pulsating encounter
Scorers: Tomori (OG) 9′, Salah 48′, Henderson 69′; Rebic 42′, Diáz 43′.
Liverpool came from behind to win a pulsating game at Anfield courtesy of a stunning strike from captain Jordan Henderson.
Trent Alexander-Arnold linked up with Mohamed Salah before running into the box and seeing his cross deflect off Fikayo Tomori before evading Mike Maignan at the near post to give the hosts the lead before Salah saw a penalty saved by Mike Maignan.
Despite undergoing serious pressure the Serie A side turned the game around completely at the end of the first half with Ante Rebić slotting into the far corner to equalise before Brahim Díaz reacted to tap home after Alexis Saelemaekers’ shot was stopped on the line by Andrew Robertson.
But Salah has made up for the penalty miss by levelling the scores once again at the start of the second half, getting on to Divock Origi’s lofted pass to force the ball past Maignan from six yards out.
Henderson then fired home the winner with a well-struck first-time finish after the ball fell to him from a corner at the edge of the box.
Mbappé limps off as PSG held in Bruges on Messi’s first start
Scorers: Vanaken 27′; Herrera 16′.
Kylian Mbappé limped off with injury after 50 minutes as Paris Saint-Germain were held to a frustrating draw by Club Brugge.
Mauricio Pochettino started Mbappé alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar for the first time but it was Ander Herrera who have the visitors the lead, arriving into the box to fire into the bottom corner after being found by the Frenchman.
But PSG were pegged back by the Belgian champions when Hans Vanaken’s deflected shot beat Keylor Navas from just inside the area.
Grealish scores as City win nine-goal thriller
Manchester City6RB Leipzig3Full time
Scorers: Aké 16′, Mukiele OG 28′, Mahrez PEN 45+2, Grealish 53′, Cancelo 75′, Jesus 85′; Nkunku 42′, 51′, 73′.
Jack Grealish scored on his Champions League debut as Manchester City came out on top in a nine-goal thriller at the Etihad.
Nathan Aké rose highest to head home the first from Grealish’s corner before Nordi Mukiele turned Kevin De Bruyne’s whipped cross into his own net.
The Bundesliga side responded through Christopher Nkunku, who turned in Mukiele’s flick on before Riyad Mahrez restored the two-goal cushion from the penalty spot before half-time.
Nkunku looked to have got Leipzig back into it with another close-range header but Grealish netted two minutes later – cutting inside and producing a stunning curling effort into the top corner.
Leipzig still didn’t give up there and Nkunku completed his hat-trick with a drilled shot across Ederson 17 minutes from time but Joao Cancelo to blast into the top corner from 25 yards out to finally put the game to bed.
Angelino was then sent off on his return to the Etihad for a high challenge on Cancelo 11 minutes from the end, before Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to add a sixth with a tap in at the far post.
Controversial goal ruled out as stalemate in Madrid
Atlético Madrid0FC Porto0Full time
Atlético Madrid and Porto played out a stalemate at the Wanda Metropolitanmo although the visitors had a goal controversially ruled out.
Mehdi Taremi thought he’d given his side the lead when he cut out Renan Lodi’s poor back-pass before the ball rolled over the line after Jan Oblak had clattered into him.
However, the referee deemed the incident to be a foul on Oblak and dismissed the goal.
The visitors then had Chancel Mbemba sent off in stoppage time for a professional foul on Antoine Griezmann.
Haller nets FOUR on Champions League debut
Scorers: Paulinho 33′; Haller 2′, 9′, 51′, 63′, Berghuis 39′.
Sebastien Haller became the first player since Marco van Basten in 1992 to score four goals on their Champions League debut as Ajax ran riot in Lisbon.
The former West Ham man reacted first to Antony’s rebounded shot off the post to head into the empty net to give the 2019 semi-finalists the lead after two minutes before tapping home seven minutes later to add a second.
The hosts got back into the game courtesy of Paulinho, who snook a shot underneath the body of Remko Pasveer, before Steven Berghuis drove into the box and slotted home at the near post to restore Ajax’s two-goal cushion.
Haller then completed his hat-trick with a poked finish after being found by Antony for a third time before slotting home his fourth with his left-foot 12 minutes later.
Bellingham inspires Dortmund to victory
Besiktas1Borussia Dortmund2Full time
Scorers: Montero 90+4; Bellingham 20′, Haaland 45+3.
A Jude Bellingham-inspired Borussia Dortmund overcame a raucous atmosphere to fire their way to a 2-1 victory over Besiktas in Istanbul.
Michy Batshuayi almost came back to hurt his former club to give the hosts the lead but his powerful shot from outside of the area produced a stunning one-handed save from Gregor Kobel.
But the visitors have silenced the home crowd after 20 minutes with Jude Bellingham getting on to Thomas Meunier’s chipped pass before half-volleying past Ersin Destanoğlu into the bottom corner.
Dortmund silenced the home crowd after 20 minutes when Bellingham got on to Thomas Meunier’s chipped pass in the area before half-volleying past Ersin Destanoğlu into the bottom corner.
The teenager was heavily involved in the second goal, dribbling into the box before cutting the ball back for Erling Haaland to force home from inside the six yard box.
Besiktas did make it a hairy last few minutes for the Bundesliga side when Francisco Montero headed home from a free-kick but Marco Rose’s side held out to get their European campaign off to the perfect start.
Sheriff Tiraspol win on their Champions League debut
Sheriff2Shakhtar Donetsk0Full time
Scorers: Traore 16′, Yansane 62′.
Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol pulled off a stunning 2-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on their Champions League debut.
Adama Traoré got ahead of his marker to get on to the end of a lofted cross and produced a stunning half-volley into the top corner to give the hosts the lead after just 16 minutes.
Then midway through the second half, Momo Yansane was found unmarked by Cristiano and headed home to earn a historic victory for Yuriy Vernydub’s side.
