Bayern Munich made history on Tuesday by becoming the first team to score nine goals in a single game in the modern Champions League, as Europe's elite competition debuted a new format. Defending champions Real Madrid, Liverpool and Juventus also won their group matches on a thrilling night of football.
Harry Kane led the charge with four goals, including three penalties, as Bayern Munich dismantled Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb 9-2. Kane's dominance was complemented by goals from Michael Olise, who netted twice on his Champions League debut, as well as strikes from Raphael Guerreiro, Leroy Sane, and Leon Goretzka.
Dinamo Zagreb, trailing 3-0 at halftime, gave Bayern a brief scare after Bruno Petkovic and Takuya Ogiwara scored within two minutes of each other just after the break. However, the Bavarians regained control, scoring six more times to seal a comprehensive victory. "An amazing game, a bit of a crazy game," Kane reflected in a post-match interview with DAZN. "It's the first time I've scored three (penalties) in a game. That doesn't happen at all really."
Bayern's nine-goal haul broke their own record for the most goals scored in a single Champions League match, previously set when they defeated Barcelona 8-2 in the 2020 quarterfinals.
The emphatic victory came on the opening night of the new-look Champions League, which now features 36 teams in one giant league, replacing the traditional group stage format. Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents, with the top eight sides advancing directly to the last 16, while teams finishing 9th to 24th will enter a play-off round. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated from the competition.
UEFA's revamp of the tournament was introduced to fend off the looming threat of a breakaway Super League, while also aiming to add fresh excitement to the competition.
MBAPPE-LED MADRID WIN
Elsewhere, reigning champions Real Madrid were made to work hard at the Santiago Bernabéu as they overcame a spirited VfB Stuttgart 3-1. Kylian Mbappé, playing his first Champions League match for the Spanish giants, broke the deadlock early in the second half, announcing his arrival in Europe's top-tier competition with a well-taken goal.
Stuttgart, appearing in the Champions League for the first time since 2010, equalized through Deniz Undav midway through the second half. However, Real regained the lead when former Stuttgart defender Antonio Rudiger headed home seven minutes from time, before Brazilian youngster Endrick added a third in stoppage time to seal the win.
"I know I can do more, each game I feel better, and now I'm scoring goals," said Mbappé to Movistar after the game. "The Champions League has changed, and it's important to win quickly to see if we can qualify early."
LIVERPOOL TROUNCE MILAN
Liverpool returned to the Champions League in style, coming from behind to beat seven-time champions AC Milan 3-1 at San Siro. Christian Pulisic gave the hosts an early lead, but Liverpool responded with goals from Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk before halftime. Dominik Szoboszlai added a third to secure a memorable win for the Merseyside club.
Aston Villa, playing their first Champions League match in over four decades, cruised to a 3-0 victory against Swiss champions Young Boys in Bern. Goals from Youri Tielemans and Jacob Ramsey in the first half set Villa on their way, before Amadou Onana completed the win with a late goal.
The victory was particularly poignant for Villa as they honored Gary Shaw, a member of their 1982 European Cup-winning squad, who tragically passed away on Monday at the age of 63.
"Forty-two years ago, they achieved winning the Champions League," Villa boss Unai Emery said after the match. "We want to try and follow what that team achieved."
JUVENTUS WIN
In other matches, Juventus secured a 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven in Turin. Kenan Yildiz opened the scoring with a stunning goal, while Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez also found the net for the Italian side. Ismael Saibari scored a consolation goal for PSV.
As the new Champions League format takes hold, fans across Europe can expect more exhilarating encounters in the coming weeks, as the continent’s top clubs battle for supremacy in a fresh and exciting setup.
Source: India Today