Champions League

It’s not the Santiago Bernabéu, but nobody goes to the home of Real Madrid (temporarily Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano) and puts three past the 13-time European champions INSIDE 42 MINUTES!

After losing 1-0 to Cádiz last Saturday, many predicted a performance of pure vengeance from Los Blancos in the Champions League — a feeling that was amplified by the fact that Shakhtar’s starting lineup was rocked by a combination of injury and illness, including a positive coronavirus test for star forward Júnior Moraes.

PARIS — Manchester United triumphed at Paris St Germain again, but Tuesday's Champions League victory was not as euphoric as the previous one, according to coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United's previous trip to Paris in 2019 ended with Marcus Rashford scoring an injury-time penalty that secured qualification for the quarter-finals on away goals, while Tuesday's 2-1 win was just a stepping stone in Group H.

BARCELONA — Lionel Messi became the first player to score in 16 consecutive Champions League seasons as he guided 10-man Barcelona to a 5-1 victory over Hungarian side Ferencvaros in their Group G opener at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Messi netted from the penalty spot in the first half for his 116th career goal in the competition, before the lively Ansu Fati added a second.

LEIPZIG, Germany — Midfielder Angelino struck twice in four minutes to give RB Leipzig a 2-0 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday and help them to make a winning start in the Champions League group stage.

Leipzig, last season's surprise semi-finalists who are unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, went in search of a quick goal and after a few early chances Angelino put them in the driving seat in the 16th minute.

Imagine, for a minute, that you've been in one long sleep since the summer of 2018. You wake up, think about all the plot holes in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, listen to the yodeling Walmart kid and then see it’s Tuesday, October 20th, 2020.

“Holy shit!” you scream. “It’s Tuesday — the Champions League is on!”

With memories of the 2017-18 season and the Russia World Cup dancing through your head, you start by turning on Juventus vs. Dynamo Kyiv. 

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia — Club Brugge made a perfect start to their Champions League Group F campaign after a stoppage time goal by Charles De Ketelaere gave them a 2-1 win at Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday.

After a drab first half, Emmanuel Bonaventure fired the visitors ahead in the 63rd minute when he swept in a rebound from two metres after Yaroslav Rakitskyy twice cleared close-range efforts by De Ketelaere off the line.

Champions League and Europa League prize money will be cut over the next five seasons as Europe's soccer governing body UEFA grapples with the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Times has reported.

UEFA has informed its member associations that they lost 514 million pounds ($666.40 million) following the reduction in both television and sponsorship income after delays in the knockout stages last season, the report said.

Manchester United and Liverpool are in talks with Europe's elite clubs to join a new FIFA-backed tournament that would reshape the sport's global soccer landscape, Sky News reported on Tuesday.

Manchester United declined to comment on the report, Liverpool did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman believes his side are not among the favorites to win this season’s Champions League with the Catalans having made a stuttering start to the new season.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's visit of Hungarians Ferencvaros in their Champions League Group G opener, Koeman played down media talk that the Catalans could be European champions.

“When you’re at Barcelona you always want to be there fighting for trophies, be it in LaLiga or Europe. We aren’t the favorites, but we can go far,” he told a news conference.

Edinson Cavani's hopes of making his Manchester United debut against former club Paris St Germain in the Champions League were dashed after the Uruguayan striker was left out of the traveling squad on Monday.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed Cavani as well as captain Harry Maguire, Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly and Jesse Lingard have missed the trip to the French capital for Tuesday's opening group stage match. Solskjaer confirmed Cavani still needs to work on his fitness levels, while Maguire has sustained a minor knock.