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The Champions League group stage is underway and Matchday 1 is wrapped up as Actual Madrid defend their title and 31 different golf equipment vie to assert the honour of being Europe’s finest group. After an exhilarating first spherical of video games, we requested our writers James Olley, Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens to reply a few of our burning questions.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)
– O’Hanlon: Ranking every Champions League team this season (E+)
What caught your consideration from Matchday 1?
Marcotti: So many storylines … Shakhtar Donetsk, whose group was gutted as so many gamers had been granted permission to go away the membership because of the warfare however won 4-1 at RB Leipzig. Robert Lewandowski‘s hat trick. Atletico Madrid‘s One hundred and first-minute winner from “Mister half hour,” Antoine Griezmann. Liverpool, who lost 4-1 and will have conceded six in Naples and, after all, Thomas Tuchel getting sacked after that horrible show in losing 1-0 at Dinamo Zagreb.
Laurens: I cherished the truth that a number of the supposed weakest sides within the teams put up nice performances on this first week. Sporting CP, Dinamo Zagreb and Club Brugge are usually not favorites to undergo and but all of them began with well-known wins. Sporting rode their luck first at Eintracht Frankfurt earlier than winning 3-0. Dinamo created an enormous upset by beating Chelsea and bought Tuchel sacked, whereas Brugge poured extra distress on Gerardo Seoane and Bayer Leverkusen with an awesome 1-0 victory at house in an incredible environment! Properly executed to all of them and let’s examine if they’ll proceed like this.
Olley: Tuchel loved such outstanding success with Chelsea within the Champions League, profitable the competitors in 2021, that it nearly feels an insult to the 49-year-old that his remaining look within the competitors with the Blues was a dismal defeat in Zagreb. There was discontent behind the scenes for a while previous to Wednesday’s resolution to sack Tuchel however however, it is conceivable that he could have clung onto his job for a bit longer had Chelsea not been so wretched within the Croatian capital.
What was the largest shock outcome?
Marcotti: For me, it is Shakhtar profitable 4-1 at Leipzig. They misplaced greater than 10 gamers over the summer season as a result of FIFA, understandably, gave them the correct to develop into free brokers given the state of affairs in Ukraine with the warfare. And right here they’re beating Leipzig, full with Timo Werner, Andre Silva and Christopher Nkunku. Away from house, too. I do know Leipzig have been struggling (and sacked boss Domenico Tedesco the day after) however this was big and an awesome story.
Laurens: It must be Chelsea’s defeat in Zagreb in opposition to Dinamo. Their efficiency was a abstract of all the problems that the Blues at the moment have and every little thing they’re lacking proper now: lack of inspiration, lack of patterns of play with the ball, lack of effectivity once they truly handle to create one thing, lack of aggression, lack of cohesion, insecurity and lack of defensive solidity. They had been punished by Mislav Orsic, who all the time scores in opposition to English golf equipment and uncovered Chelsea’s issues.
Olley: Laborious to keep away from Liverpool right here. It’s getting more durable and more durable for Jurgen Klopp to clarify away Liverpool’s sluggish begin to the season as not symptomatic of one thing deeper. Their defending in Naples was shambolic whereas the midfield was typically overwhelmed, persevering with a normal theme of underperformance which raises questions on Liverpool’s capacity to achieve the identical spectacular ranges as in latest seasons. It’s only Matchday 1 — that is about the one good piece of reports for Klopp — however issues have to begin bettering rapidly and Ajax will probably present a stern take a look at of their resolve when visiting Anfield subsequent Tuesday.
Who’re the gamers that impressed?
Marcotti: Huge shout out to Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Victor Osimhen and, after all, Kvaradona (the nickname for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia) in Napoli‘s win over Liverpool. Not precisely information, however I really like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe persevering with their Subsequent Gen (or is it This Gen) rivalry with some super objectives for Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively. Cannot ignore Lewandowski’s hat trick (and the backheel) both. Additionally, how about Tottenham Hotspur Academy graduate Marcus Edwards, the previous “Enfield Messi,” scoring one and organising one other in a giant away win for Sporting?
Laurens: Neymar was excellent for PSG in opposition to Juventus on Tuesday. The 30-year-old touched the ball 92 instances and was so influential and arduous to play in opposition to. It was a pleasure to see him at this degree and having fun with his soccer. I used to be impressed with the efficiency of Mohammed Kudus, 22, for Ajax in opposition to Rangers. He scored his first Champions League purpose in model and was excellent all sport. Lastly, the identify of Mykhailo Mudryk was talked about rather a lot in England within the final days of the switch window and the Shakhtar winger confirmed in opposition to RB Leipzig why he was so coveted. He scored one purpose and assisted two extra and was unplayable at instances. At 21, the sky is the restrict.
Olley: Lewandowski doing Lewandowski issues. It was solely Viktoria Plzen at Camp Nou, however amid all of the monetary tumult and upheaval this summer season, the 34-year-old proved he’s as shut a factor to a bankable purpose scorer on this competitors. Within the course of, Lewandowski turns into the primary participant to attain a Champions League hat trick for 3 totally different groups (Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich had been the others) and this represents the right warm-up for a visit to face Bayern subsequent week. Bayern will palpably make it harder, however Lewandowski might be prepared.
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