UEFA Champions League: 40 Goals in 9 Games as PSG End Barcelona’s Perfect Run
Nine UEFA Champions League games produced 40 goals on the first night of Matchday 3, as PSG beat Barcelona 4-2 and Manchester City, Liverpool, Napoli and Roma all scored four or more.
A Night Full of Goals
Fans saw plenty of goals on the first night of Matchday 3 in the UEFA Champions League league phase. Nine games produced 40 goals, an average of more than four per match. Five big clubs from Europe’s top leagues scored at least four goals each.
PSG Beat Barcelona in Top-of-the-Table Clash
The biggest game of the night was in Paris. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain hosted Barcelona, who had won all 11 of their games this season. Many fans saw it as an early final.
Both teams attacked from the start and took 40 shots between them, 22 for PSG and 18 for Barcelona. PSG won 4-2 to end Barcelona’s perfect start.
Foden Hat-Trick and Liverpool Comeback
Manchester City scored the most goals of the night. Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as City beat AEK Athens 5-1.
Liverpool also put on a show. They fell 2-0 behind against Villarreal but scored four goals to win 4-3. Alexis Mac Allister scored Liverpool’s first goal. It was the second Champions League game in a row in which Liverpool let in three goals. They won both, but their defence remains a worry.
Other Results
Italian clubs Roma and Napoli also won. Roma beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0 at home, while Napoli edged Porto 4-3. Fenerbahce drew 2-2 with Slavia Prague, and Borussia Dortmund beat Sabah FK 2-1.
Draws have been rare this season. Only five of the 45 Champions League games so far have ended level, and two of those involved Fenerbahce.
PSG and Liverpool Stay Perfect
After the first night of Matchday 3, PSG and Liverpool lead the table with three wins from three games. Aston Villa, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Real Betis and Sporting can also keep their perfect records in the next set of games. The biggest match of the next night is Bayern Munich at home to Arsenal.