Upsets were in short supply on Wednesday in the Champions League


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It was a day with scoring from start to finish as Tuesday's Champions League action saw hat tricks and goals galore. Ferran Torres marked his first Champions League start for PSG with his first hat trick for the club, alongside Ousmane Dembele scoring a brace in a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava. PSG look to become the first club since Real Madrid, between 2015 and 2018, to win three consecutive Champions League titles, and this is a strong start to begin that push. You wouldn't think that they haven't won in Ligue 1 yet this season, but Luis Enrique knows that he can rotate his squad heavily while focusing on European play.

Stuttgart's Ermedin Demeriovic also secured a first-half hat trick over UCL debutants Viking in a 3-1 victory for the German side while Barcelona's strong scoring continued. Hansi Flick's men won 5-1 over Feyenoord, scoring five goals for the third consecutive game. In only the fifth game played of the season, it's the fourth time that they've scored five goals as Raphinha led the side with a brace and Lamine Yamal chipped in a goal and an assist of his own.

With Raphinha as a striker, Barcelona are among the contenders for a Champions League title, but Arsenal are still lurking after coming in as runners-up last season. The Gunners left it late, but eventually Martin Odegaard got the winner against Napoli as their defense led the way. Year after year, they've shown the fortitude to get results, and they'll still continue to be a tough out in this competition. Liverpool were also able to secure their first home victory under Andoni Iraola, and with back-to-back wins, the tide could be shifting for the Reds.

Champions League results
Liverpool 2, Atlético Madrid 1
Paris Saint-Germain 6, Slovan Bratislava 1
Sporting CP 3, Galatasaray 1
Napoli 0, Arsenal 1
Barcelona 5, Feyenoord 1
Stuttgart 3, Viking 1

They are who we thought they were
Only two days into Champions League action, and all of the top teams have done what you would've expected them to. Manchester City's midfield took the life out of their win over Porto, and Arsenal found a way to win a tough match over Napoli. Liverpool put some of their defensive issues in the rearview mirror and took care of Atletico Madrid while Barcelona and PSG put up crooked numbers in their games.

In the new Champions League format, it is clear how important a top eight finish is in the league phase, as it provides teams with much-needed rest and a direct place in the round of 16. Because of that, even when squads are struggling, it's critical to secure points as quickly as possible to rise up the table. The results so far have shown exactly that as even in tricky games, the favorites are doing what they'd be expected to. Bayern Munich will look to follow tomorrow, but so far, so good.

Are Liverpool on the upswing?
Two starts for Ronald Araujo at right back, two wins for Liverpool. The Reds didn't keep a clean sheet as Marcos Llorente continued his form against the team, scoring his fifth goal in only three games played at Anfield, but Araujo nabbed an assist while being part of a defense that allowed an xG of less than one in the match. It was a much more balanced build-up from Liverpool, and they also held Atletico Madrid to only four shots within the box despite Julian Alvarez returning to the XI.

Put him alongside Alexander Isak, showing why Liverpool splashed out for him in year two with the club, and this could be the start of a new trend for the club. The matches won't get any easier with Fulham, Tottenham, Bournemouth, Manchester City, and LASK on the horizon, but that's why it's so important for the Reds to get out of their funk to start the season quickly. While it's early, it seems like they're doing just that.

PSG set the tone
PSG haven't won in domestic play yet this season, and after losing to Monaco over the weekend, while Nuno Mendes was suspended, it was fair to question if this squad had taken a step back from last season. And while all the issues aren't solved, PSG reminded everyone that the club that can take over games is still there behind Ousmane Dembele. The French forward had a brace of goals and a brace of assists, while Ferran Torres stole the show with a hat trick of his own. It wasn't the toughest competition that they'd face, being pitted against Slovan Bratislava, but you can only face the team put in front of you, and despite rotation, like Dro Fernandez coming into midfield, PSG controlled the match from start to finish.

It would be understandable if PSG took their feet off the gas after winning back-to-back Champions League titles, but instead, this was a message that these are the reigning champions of Europe and they aren't done yet. With three points on the board, it's just about keeping the momentum going.

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Posted by Temmy
Thu, September 10, 2026 12:55am