The Champions Blog #1.5
The Champions Blog
Please Note: Original creation date was November 29th
The Champions League had more exciting action including late drama, vital wins and as well as that, more teams qualifying for the last 16 of the competition. There was also moments of controversy and amazement within Matchday 5 of the Champions League. This is the Champions Blog.
The week kicked of with Barcelona hosting Porto in a highly anticipated match for both sides. Barcelona failed to purchase Round of 16 tickets after a surprise defeat in the hands of Shaktar Donetsk who defeated the Blaugrana 1-0 while Porto with 9 points, are tied with Barcelona. Any team who would win in Catalonia, would secure their place in the last 16. The game started of with Barcelona having great chances before Porto would open the scoring with talisman, Mehdi Taremi, however, the goal was ruled for offside. However, it didn't take ages for Porto to find their first goal of the game and it was scored in the 30th minute by winger Pêpe after 2 previously saved attempts. Barca didn't take long for their breakthrough goal in left-back Joao Cancelo who netted home and out-of-box finish which beat the Porto goalkeeper to make in 1-1. The match score would remain that way until just over 10 minutes into the second half when forward, Joao Felix netted home a close range assisted by fellow Portuguese teammate, Joao Cancelo. The second half remained that way and in the end, Barca finally secured their tickets into the last 16 with that comfortable win over the Portuguese side. This win means that Barca qualified for the round of 16 for the first time since 2021, the last year of the Lionel Messi era.
Picture Above: Barcelona teammates Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo celebrating a goal.
Elsewhere in the Parisian capital, Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint Germain took on struggling, Newcastle. PSG entered the match having won and lost twice while Newcastle had only 1 win, 1 draw and 2 defeats. The match started off with PSG dominating large spells and even getting some shots on target. However, it was not until the 24th minute where a goal would've been scored, and it didn't come from PSG. It came from Newcastle as star forward Alexander Isak. After a couple of crucial interventions, Newcastle managed to keep a clean sheet in the first half. The second half resumed with numerous yellow cars and opportunities for both sides. Then came the 94th minute. Referee Szymon Marciniak indicated a "handball" in the Newcastle penalty area and awarded a penalty to the Parisians which was then scored by Kylian Mbappe. The game ended in a 1-1 draw which worsened Newcastle's chances of qualifying for the last 16. Newcastle's only hope now is if they win at home against AC Milan and if PSG lose away against Borussia Dortmund.
Elsewhere in Europe, Italian side Lazio punched their tickets into the last 16 with a home 2-0 win against Celtic. Goals for Lazio came from a Ciro Immobile brace within 3 minutes. Atletico Madrid also secured their place in the Round of 16 with a 3-1 victory over Dutch champions, Feyenoord. This means that Lazio and Atletico secure the top two places in the Round of 16. In Group F, Borussia Dortmund secured their place in the last 16 with a sensational 3-1 victory at the San Siro against AC Milan as things start getting heated in the Group of Death. Already qualified teams, Manchester City and RB Leipzig met in the Etihad in a match in which the home team could win the group. After Leipzig stormed into a 2-0 lead at half time, courtesy of a Lois Openda brace, City stormed back to create a phenomenal comeback and won 3-2 to win Group G. In Bern, Young Boys hosted Serbian side, Crvena Zvevda and won 2-0 to grab their first win of the season. Finally, Hamburg hosted a Group H encounter between Shaktar Donetsk and Antwerp in which the Ukrainian side were the victorious side.
Pictures Above: Atletico Madrid players celebrating after scoring against Feyenoord. Manchester City players Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez celebrating a goal scored against RB Leipzig. Borussia Dortmund players celebrating with their fans after their 3-1 win against AC Milan.
The following day, the Turkish champions, Galatasaray hosted Manchester United in a vital match for both sides. United could keep their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 alive if they were to win in Turkey. The match started off with United getting early chances before scoring in the 11th minute courtesy of a close-range finish from young prodigy Alejandro Garnacho which gave the 3 time winners an early lead. Things would only get better for United only a couple minutes later when Bruno Fernandes scored an absolute stunner from outside the box to double United's lead before the midway point of the first half. Only 9 minutes later however and Galatasaray would find a way back into the match thanks to a free kick from Chelsea-loanee, Hakim Ziyech. However, it would stay that way to the end of the first half with United taking control of their Group A destiny. The second half started off strong for the visitors as they immediately put their play into good use within the first 10 minutes of the second half thanks to a goal from a clinical counter attack finished off by Scott McTominay which believed to seal the deal for Manchester United. However, a howler mistake by United goalkeeper, Andre Onana from another Hakim Ziyech scored free kick would bring Galatasaray back into the game in Istanbul. Shortly after, the 6th goal of the game came from a Galatasaray equalizer which was scored by a sumptuous strike by Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu which saved a vital point for the Turkish side. In the end, it was another classic 3-3 draw in the Champions League which dampened United's hopes of a Round of 16 place.
Picture Above: Manchester United player, Scott McTominay dejected after his team’s 3-3 draw against Galatasaray.
Elsewhere in Europe, the record holders, Real Madrid hosted the reigning Italian champions, Napoli. Real have won all their matches so far while Napoli's only defeat came from the earlier fixture in Naples earlier in October. The visitors got off to a flying start with Giovanni Simeone capitalizing after just 9 minutes; however, it didn't take long for Real Madrid to break their deadlock because just after just 2 minutes from Napoli's opener, Brazilian youngster, Rodrygo smashed the ball into the back of Alex Meret's net to make it 1-1. Within the remainder of the first half, Jude Bellingham continued his impressive goal scoring form for Real Madrid by scoring a towering header coming from a cross by David Alaba. When the second half started, Napoli immediately found an equalizer which came from Cameroonian midfielder, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa who managed to tuck away a close range finish. Things would remain all squared between the two sides until teenager, Nico Paz managed to net his first senior goal for Real Madrid with a decent strike from out of the penalty area. Towards the end of the game, Joselu managed to cap of the win for Real Madrid and gave Madrid the win in Group C.
Picture Above: Real Madrid player Nico Paz celebrating his goal in Real Madrid's 4-2 home win against Napoli
Elsewhere in Europe, Bayern Munich were held by Copenhagen in their own backyard in a 0-0 draw at the Allianz Arena. In Group B, Arsenal sealed not just their place in the last 16 but top spot in their group with a thumping 6-0 win over Lens at the Emirates. Sevilla were knocked out of the competition with a surprising 3-2 home defeat in the hands of PSV Eindhoven who now managed qualify for the last 16 for the first time since 2016. In Group C, Braga were held at home against Union Berlin in a 1-1 draw which slightly could help them qualify for the last 16. In Group D, already qualified teams, Real Sociedad and Inter Milan were held with draws against eliminated sides, RB Salzburg and Benfica. Sociedad drew 0-0 against Salzburg at home while last season's finalists, Inter Milan drew 3-3 in a breath-taking match in the Portuguese capital after going 3-0 down at half time to produce a stunning comeback.
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Pictures Above: Arsenal players, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus celebrate after scoring one of their six goals against Lens. Inter Milan player Marko Arnautovic celebrating his goal in Inter Milan's 3-3 draw away to Benfica. PSV players Ricardo Pepi and Johan Bakayoko celebrating the winner against Sevilla.
Overall, Matchday 5 brought some thrilling encounters full of late drama, controversy and high scoring games. As well as that 6 more teams have qualified for the last 16 (Arsenal, PSV, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona). The Champions Blog will return on 17th December as the group stage wraps up for Matchday 6 with four more last 16 places up for grabs.
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