If Liverpool won the first clash of the new Champions League format at AC Milan (3-1), the biggest impression was left by Bayern Munich who crushed Dynamo Zagreb (9-2) with four goals from Harry Kane on Tuesday.
The other big European teams won, such as Real Madrid against Stuttgart (2-1) and Juventus Turin against PSV Eindhoven (3-1).
Bayern, who dream of playing the final on May 31 in their home stadium, have made a perfect start to their quest. A double from new French international Michael Olise added to the quadruple from the England captain.
The Bavarian giant therefore takes the lead in this 36-team mini-championship on goal difference, pending the matches on Wednesday and Thursday, since UEFA had chosen to expose its new eight-match format as much as possible by spreading the first over three days.
The defending champion, Real, almost missed their entry when they were joined by VfB Stuttgart by a header from Deniz Undav (68). Kylian Mbappé had opened the scoring on a superb service from Rodrygo (46).
But his German defender Antonio Rüdiger secured victory with a header at the end of the match (83).
– Juventus beat PSV –
Liverpool also started well by winning at the San Siro against AC Milan (3-1) in the first night’s clash, before the Manchester City-Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid-RB Leipzig and Monaco-FC Barcelona matches on Thursday.
The “Reds” were revived by two goals from their hinge, Ibrahima Konaté (23) and Virgil van Dijk (41), to respond to the opening score from Christian Pulisic (2). The Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai (67) finished off the “Rossoneri”.
This victory is good for the new Dutch coach of LFC, Arne Slot, who was coming off a defeat at Anfield against Nottingham Forest (1-0).
In Milan, however, the new coach Paulo Fonseca is in difficulty, and he has lost his French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who went off with a left knee injury.
Sporting Portugal easily overcame Lille (2-0), with a goal from their Swedish gunner Viktor Gyökeres (38) and a powerful strike from Zeno Debast (65).
In the first two matches of the day, at the end of the afternoon, Juventus easily disposed of PSV Eindhoven (3-1), with a magnificent strike from its Turkish number 10 Kenan Yildiz, the first goal of the new formula.
Finally, Aston Villa, who are returning to the Champions League for the first time since the spring of 1983, achieved a fine victory in Bern against Young Boys (3-0).
