Thank you very much for joining me for all the fun and games.
What a night at Villa Park (such a shame they made the match tickets so expensive). Anyway, Ben Fisher was there.
Arne Slot: “It wasn’t an easy one, Bologna made it difficult, they man-marked all over the pitch. you have to wait for the right moment. The last pass could have been better.
“The players and the staff I inherited have been great from the start. It helps that we have not changed a lot but they have really bought into it.
“Overall a good result but I wouldn’t say I am delighted.
“I see when we lose the ball that heads go down. That happened a bit too much in the first half, second half we pressed better and had more control.”
Who cares about Prince William celebrating Villa goals? An incredible result for the club and supposedly his presence is interesting …
It really has been a bad day for Atletico Madrid.
Full-time: RB Leipzig 2-3 Juventus
What a comeback victory for the 10 men of Juve.
RB Leipzig 2-3 Juventus: It is all Leipzig in the closing stages but they cannot find an equaliser. Backs against the wall time for Juve.
Full-time: Dinamo Zagreb 2-2 Monaco
Monaco fight back to earn point.
Andy Hunter’s report from Anfield is already in!
Full-time: Benfica 4-0 Atletico Madrid
The most comprehensive victory for Benfica.
Full-time: Lille 1-0 Real Madrid
What a night for Lille. David’s penalty is the difference.
Sam Trenery says: “Great result for Liverpool, but we have to talk about the ref (unfortunately)- a series of frankly bizarre decisions culminating in a yellow for Tsimikas for what was a really good tackle. Thankfully Liverpool weren’t punished for it but I have to feel for the Montenegrin teams that have to deal with him every week...”
Full time: Aston Villa 1-0 Bayern Munich
A dramatic end at Villa Park but the hosts hold on. TNT needlessly scan to Prince William at full-time.
GOAL! Dinamo Zagreb 2-2 Monaco (Zakaria, pen, 89)
Monaco look like they’ve salvaged a point late on.
Full time: Sturm Graz 0-1 Club Brugge
A fine goal wins it for the Belgians.
Full-time: Liverpool 2-0 Bologna
Job done for Arne Slot’s men.
Lille 1-0 Real Madrid: Gurler gets the wrong side of the defence but his header is straight at the goalkeeper.
Lille 1-0 Real Madrid: OFF THE LINE! Tiago Santos makes up for giving the ball away by blocking a Rudiger header on the line.
GOAL! RB Leipzig 2-3 Juventus (Conceição 83)
Juve turn defence into attack, concluding with Conceição showing some quick feet in the box before producing a calm finish to put the 10 men ahead.
Updated
GOAL! Benfica 4-0 Atletico Madrid (Kokcu, pen, 84)
A glorious capitulation from Atletico Madrid as the penalty is slammed home by Kokcu.
Updated
Kári Tulinius emails: “It’s premature to come to a conclusion about the new format when the second matchday isn’t done yet, but so far it feels like the superclubs play with the intensity of a pre-season friendly, while the teams in the rungs below treat these matches like cup finals. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a bunch of surprises.”
GOAL! Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 Monaco (Salisu 74)
Salisu heads a corner home to give Monaco hope after a mistake from the goalkeeper.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Bayern Munich (Duran 79)
A direct pass up the pitch finds Duran around 30 yards from goal. The Colombian spots Neuer off his line and sends the ball over his head at the first time of asking.
Updated
Liverpool 2-0 Bologna: The visitors claim they should have a penalty after Mac Allister makes a clearance from inside his own box, while simultaneously kicking a Bologna player. No penalty given.
GOAL! Benfica 3-0 Atletico Madrid (Bah 75)
Done and dusted after Bah heads home a corner.
GOAL! RB Leipzig 2-2 Juventus (Vlahovic 68)
Ten men? No problem. Vlahovic curls one into the top corner to level things up.
“Ooh did you say Cambiasso?” asks Charles Antaki. “That made me sit up and wonder whether, like today’s Wojciech Szczęsny, he’d recanted his retirement and come back into The Fray. I looked harder, though and it seems that there’s an errant S in there somewhere, and it’s not the old warhorse at all. Shame.”
Sorry to build up you hopes.
Liverpool 2-0 Bologna: GOAL! Alexander-Arnold slips a pass to Salah on the right wing. The Egyptian cuts in and takes aim for the top corner to make the crowd erupt.
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GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Bologna (Salah 75)
A stunning goal to settle the nerves.
GOAL! Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 Monaco (Baturina 66)
A cracking strike from 18 yards to double the lead.
GOAL! RB Leipzig 2-1 Juventus (Sesko, pen, 64)
Perin is still to touch the ball as Sesko scores.
Updated
RB Leipzig 1-1 Juventus: PENALTY! The resulting free-kick pings newly arrived sub Douglas Luiz in the arm in front of his face. A VAR check result in a pen. I would argue it is harsh.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: More changes for Liverpool as Tsimikas and Gakpo ready themselves for action.
RB Leipzig 1-1 Juventus: RED CARD! Di Gregorio gets his marching orders after handling outside the box. A VAR check is required to make sure. Perin comes off the bench to go in goal for 10-man Juve.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Nunez off, Jota on. In other news, Salah flashes a shot wide from the edge of the box.
Lille 1-0 Real Madrid: Ancelotti send on Modric and Mbappe to try and turn things around.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: A Bologna head flicks a Robertson corner just wide. A very close to being an own goal.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Robertson joins Van Dijk and Konate in the book.
GOAL! RB Leipzig 1-1 Juventus (Vlahovic 50)
Cambiasso swings in a wonderful cross and it is a fine first-time finish from the Vlahovic.
Updated
GOAL! Benfica 2-0 Atletico Madrid (Di Maria, pen, 52)
Sends Oblak the wrong way.
Updated
Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid: PENALTY! Pavlidis goes down under pressure in the box but the referee gives nothing. After being sent to the screen he points to the spot but it is very soft.
Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid: Simeone has sent Gallagher on at the break. Atletico were not at their best in the first half, that’s for sure.
Second half
Here we go again!
A fine pitch.
Dinamo Zagreb take the lead against Monaco just before half time 💪
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024
Look at this counter attack 👀
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/M40vMY4X5v
Got a lemon and ginger tea, so I am primed for the second half.
Joe Pearson emails: “While I agree with Mary Waltz that sometimes Paramount’s studio show is a bit much, Meeks and Carra in particular, we as Americans bear some of the blame. The show is intentionally modeled after TNT’s Inside the NBA, with resident clowns Charles Barkley and Shaq. And anyway, Mary and I are not their target audience. It’s for the kids, you know?”
Catch up with what happened in the earlier games during the break.
Half-time scores
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna
Lille 1-0 Real Madrid
Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Monaco
Sturm Graz 0-1 Club Brugge
Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid
RB Leipzig 1-0 Juventus
GOAL! Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Monaco (Sucic 45+3)
An impressive break considering the conditions concludes with a lovely dink from Sucic.
Updated
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Monaco: The main update is that the pitch looks tricky to play on. The ball is holding up a bit.
GOAL! Lille 1-0 Real Madrid (David, pen, 45+2)
David sends Lunin the wrong way.
Updated
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: PENALTY! A Lille free-kick pings into Camavinga on the edge of the wall. His arm is out a little and VAR has a bit of interest. The referee is having a look and gives it!
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Van Dijk goes down in the box amid a corner but the referee is not interested in the complaints.
RB Leipzig 1-0 Juventus: Archie Rhind-Tutt says the difference between the two teams is that the hosts are using the ball better.
Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid: OFF THE BAR! Lino looks to be aiming a cross for the back post but instead see the ball bounced off the bar.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Alisson produces a decent save after Liverpool lose the ball inside their own box. Urbanski is the man who shoots and probably should do better against the Brazilian. There is now some tension inside Anfield.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Ndoye pings the base of the post from close range. A let-off for Liverpool.
GOAL! RB Leipzig 1-0 Juventus (Sesko 30)
The Germans go from one end to the other. Gulacsi makes a save and they break up the pitch. Openda gets it and chips to Sesko who takes an incredible touch and thrashes the ball in off the bar. A very satisfying watch.
Updated
Mary Waltz emails: “Will, Greetings from California. Paramount has given us the Benfica match so I appreciate the wraparound coverage of the other fixtures. I don’t know if anyone else shares my opinion but the Pre and post game coverage by Scott, Henry, Carragher, and Micah is fine when they stick to soccer but the forced comedy routine where every joke elicits over the top laughter from the crew is cringe to say the least.”
I am pleased to not be watching.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: At some point Liverpool will wonder how they have not added a second. Nunez has a decent chance from the edge of the box but whacks it well over.
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: Two chances for David as he heads a cross straight at Lunin and can’t do better with the follow up. Two decent reaction saves from the goalkeeper.
Updated
GOAL! Sturm Graz 0-1 Club Brugge (Tzolis 23)
What a finish! The winger controls on the ball on the left wing, takes a touch and curls the ball into the top corner.
Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich: NO GOAL! Pau Torres pokes home but play is brought back for an earlier offside.
Updated
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: A direct ball over the top reaches Nunez, who controls it with his head before sending a weak volley straight at the goalkeeper.
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: Endrick drives forward, beating a few defenders before shooting from 15 yards but the goalkeeper blocks his effort.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: It is all Liverpool at Anfield. Szoboszlai comes close to adding a second but his shot flashes just wide.
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Monaco: A good chance for Minamino but the goalkeeper comes out quickly. The pitch in Croatia looks awful after heavy rain.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: NO GOAL! Nunez goes too early to reach an Alexander-Arnold pass and is ruled offside after finding the back of the net.
GOAL! Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid (Aktürkoğlu 13)
Atletico play themselves into trouble and Aursnes finds Aktürkoğlu in space on the edge of the box, from where he does the necessary.
Updated
RB Leipzig 0-0 Juventus: Nico Gonzalez has been taken off with an injury, too. Not a good start for the Italians.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: GOAL! Salah dinks a cross from the edge of the box over the Bologna defence to find Mac Allister and Diaz in space, with the former tapping home from close range.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Bologna (Mac Allister 11)
Form one end to the other, the Argentinian gets things going at Anfield.
Liverpool 0-0 Bologna: NO GOAL! Dallinga gets the wrong side of the Liverpool defence before producing a fine finish. He runs off to celebrate but the flag is rightly erected.
Girona 2-3 Feyenoord
David Lopez scored Girona’s first ever Champions League goal but the Spanish side lost 3-2 at home to Feyenoord on Wednesday in a pulsating contest in which both teams missed a penalty and there were two own goals.
Lopez put Girona ahead midway through the first half, but a Yangel Herrera own goal and a strike from teenager Antoni Milambo swung the contest in the favour of the Dutch visitors.
Ayase Ueda missed a penalty for Feyenoord and Bojan Miovski likewise for Girona, before former Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek drew the home side level at 2-2.
That joy was short-lived though as Ladislav Krejci turned the ball into his own net to give Feyenoord the lead again and this time they held on to ensure a second consecutive defeat for Girona in their maiden Champions League campaign. Reuters
RB Leipzig 0-0 Juventus: A blow for the Italians as Bremer is forced off with an injury. Gatti is on for him.
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: It is a lively night in France with a low-lying level of smoke above the pitch. Pyro galore.
Updated
Liverpool 0-0 Bologna: The hosts are completing dominating proceedings. I am not sure Bologna have made it out of their own half yet.
Liverpool 0-0 Bologna: Almost a very early goal for Liverpool as Gravenberch sends a low cross into the six-yard box but no one in red can convert. Posch does his best to put it into his own net but recovers to clear.
Peter Oh brings his own brand to my inbox: “Alisson has looked razor-sharp of late. He’s clearly capable of a world-class shave I mean save.
“If you ask me, the new Even Bigger Cup format is a bunch of baloney I mean Bologna.”
Looks like the goalkeeper has a midnight shadow to me.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! We are under way around Europe.
I’ve been at four of Liverpool’s six league games this season, it’s almost strange to not be at Anfield tonight. Naturally, Ryan Gravenberch has made headlines for his impressive run in a new role but I’ve enjoyed watching the front three, regardless of combination. Mohamed Salah looks close to his very best.
Arne Slot: “It is an opportunity, we hope we are going to take the opportunity but we face a tough opportunity. They had a very good season last season but it is not an easy one.
“Jota didn’t train for two days but I am happy he is still available.
“It is difficult if you play every three or four days, it is never easy to play in Champions League or Premier League.
“We need to be more aggressive without the ball and press more.”
Full-time scores
Here are the results from the 5.45pm BST kick-offs:
Girona 2-3 Feyenoord
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Atalanta
Oh …
3 - After just two games, Girona have already equalled the record for most own goals conceded in a single @ChampionsLeague campaign (3, same as Fenerbahçe in 2007-08). Calamity.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 2, 2024
GOAL! Girona 2-3 Feyenoord (Krejčí og 79): As soon as they were back in it, Girona score a second own goal of the match.
Jurgen Klopp is never far away.
GOAL! Girona 2-2 Feyenoord (Van de Beek 73): The former United has drawn the Catalans level.
We also have some pure Aston Villa v Bayern for you.
Get in the mood for tonight with some preview material.
Starting lineups: Lille v Real Madrid
Supporters du LOSC, voici votre composition d'équipe pour affronter le @realmadrid ce soir à la maison 💪
— LOSC (@losclive) October 2, 2024
Comme annoncé, Ayyoub Bouaddi est titulaire, le jour de ses 17 ans 😍
Allez les gars, tout un peuple est derrière vous ⚜️#LOSCRMA pic.twitter.com/vPhayl1c6k
📋✅ ¡Nuestro XI inicial!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) October 2, 2024
🆚 @LOSClive#UCL pic.twitter.com/KSKv2mpd6i
Starting lineups: RB Leipzig v Juventus
Mit dieser Elf gehen wir rein #RBLJUV 💪 Unsere 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐗𝐈 für das Duell mit Juventus 👀 pic.twitter.com/YPWJZmQ3Bb
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) October 2, 2024
Gli 1️⃣1️⃣ titolari per #RBLJuve 🏆 📜 #UCL pic.twitter.com/og8cWE7JjU
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) October 2, 2024
GOAL! Shakhtar 0-3 Atalanta (Bellanova 48): Very much game over.
Nunez starts as the central striker after missing the weekend trip to Wolves. Jota is deemed fit enough for the bench after picking up a knock at Molineux.
Starting lineups: Liverpool v Bologna
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez.
Subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Jones, Gakpo, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah Morton, Bradley, Nyoni
Bologna: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumí, Miranda; Moro, Freuler, Urbanski; Orsolini, Dallinga, Ndoye
Subs: Bagnolini, Ravaglia, Holm, Erlic, Castro, Iling-Junior, Casale, Corazza, Aebischer, Odgaard, Lykogiannis, Fabbian
Half time scores from the early kick-offs:
Girona 1-2 Feyenoord
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-2 Atalanta
This is what the sport needs!
Spot the difference 👀
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024
The assistant referees for Girona v Feyenoord are identical twins Marco Zurcher and Benjamin Zurcher!
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/LExeN8m4on
Summary
After a fine opening night win in Italy against Milan, this contrived new format means Liverpool are playing Italians again. This time, however, they are at home. Bologna are in town, having secured one victory in six Serie A games this season, offering little cause for optimism. Both teams had new coaches arrive over the summer but while Arne Slot has looked promising, Vincenzo Italiano is yet to make his mark.
Lille are hosting Real Madrid and I think Benfica v Atletico Madrid will be fun, while RB Leipzig v Juventus will be worth keeping half an eye on. Dinamo Zagreb face Monaco and Sturm Graz welcome Club Brugge. We will also carry out a quick roundup of the early matches.
Here is to a fun night!
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