The UEFA Champions League kicked off on Tuesday with the start of the group stage, highlighted by a masterclass effort from Lionel Messi and a stunning come-from-behind win by Inter Milan.
Here are three winners and three losers from Matchday 1.
WINNERS
Lionel Messi
With Cristiano Ronaldo having to wait until Wednesday to make his Champions League debut for Juventus, Lionel Messi had the spotlight squarely on him on Tuesday, and the Argentine ace took full advantage.
Barcelona romped to an easy 4-0 win over visitors PSV Eindhoven, with Messi scoring three times – he now holds the record for most hat tricks in the history of the competition, with eight. Messi’s second goal came on a pass played into the box by Ivan Rakitic, and he completed his first hat trick of the season after Luis Suarez set him up on a counterattack.
“What Messi does is normal because we always see it from him,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters afterwards.
“It wouldn’t be normal if it was anyone else, but he does extraordinary things and makes them seem routine. It was a magisterial free kick and we’re getting tired of repeating it, although some never do.”
Milan Borjan
Red Star Belgrade marked its Champions League group stage debut by earning a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Napoli, thanks in large part to Canadian international goalkeeper Milan Borjan.
Napoli dominated the game, with 73 per cent possession and outshooting the hosts by a 20-3 margin. The Italians registered eight shots on target, but Borjan was equal to the task. He made a smart, reflex save on Arkadiusz Milik from close range in the first half. Borjan also quickly smothered a Piotr Zielinski effort on the 60-minute mark while Napoli was surging and threatening to opening the scoring.
Borjan kept the Italians at arm’s length, earning his 13th clean sheet in European competition (a record for Canadian goalkeepers) to help Red Star earn a valuable point.
The fans at Anfield
Tuesday’s tilt between Liverpool and PSG was touted as the marquee fixture of the day and it didn’t disappoint. Anfield has witnessed many classic European evenings over the past 50 years and this was another one, as Liverpool and PSG played to a wildly entertaining, five-goal thriller.
After coughing up a two-goal lead, Liverpool pulled out the win when substitute Roberto Firmino scored the winner in injury time to sink the French champions in dramatic fashion. Firmino’s goal was just one of several highlights in a pulsating game, though.
Defender Thomas Meunier scored on a sublime finish just before half time to put PSG on the board, and Daniel Sturridge scored his first goal as a starter for Liverpool during his five years at the club, nodding home an exquisite cross played into the box by Andrew Robertson. The fans at Anfield were treated to yet another magical European night on Tuesday.
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LOSERS
Tottenham
The London club had the game won at San Siro. Christian Eriksen’s shot took a fortunate deflection and looped into the net in the 53rd minute to give Spurs a 1-0 lead, and knock the air out of the home crowd. Inter looked completely lifeless and uninspired after that, with manager Luciano Spalletti not making any tactical adjustments to tip the game in his favour.
But then, out of nothing, Mauro Icardi equalized with a gorgeous volley in the 86th minute to equalize before Matias Vecino headed home the winner in injury time as San Siro erupted.
Full credit to the Italians for coming from behind the way they did. But Tottenham should have won this game based on the balance of play, letting three valuable points slip through its hands because it couldn’t close things out and kill off its opponent when it had the chance.
Harry Kane
While we’re on the subject of Spurs and not being able to finish off Inter: What has happened to Harry Kane?
Top scorer at the World Cup in Russia this summer, the English forward has only scored one goal since the start of the season – last month in Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Manchester United in the Premier League.
On Tuesday, Kane had a pair of scoring opportunities in the first half. He beat the offside trap and managed to get on the end of Eriksen’s ball over the top, but he couldn’t find the proper angle to shoot after being forced out wide by goalkeeper Samir Handanovic. The goal drought continues.
Naldo
Schalke’s Brazilian defender didn’t have the best of outings against visitors FC Porto. He was called for a foul on Moussa Marega – despite what appeared to be minimal contact – and Otavio converted from the penalty spot in the 75th minute, allowing Sporting to earn a 1-1 draw in Germany.
Naldo was also at fault for the first penalty of the game after being called for hand-ball in the 12th minute. Fortunately for him, Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann came up big in diving to his right to push Alex Telles’ spot kick around the post.
