Thrilling Start to 2025/26 UEFA Champions League: Late Drama and Super Sub Goals Light Up the Pitch
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase kicked off with a bang on Tuesday, delivering non-stop action across Europe. From an eight-goal rollercoaster in Turin to Kylian Mbappe’s clutch penalties for Real Madrid, here’s how the big matches unfolded.
In a match that will go down as one of the wildest Champions League draws ever, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund shared the points in an 4-4 thriller at Allianz Stadium. The game exploded in the second half after a quiet start. Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute with a sharp finish, but Juventus hit back hard. Kenan Yildiz, Felix Nmecha, and Dusan Vlahovic fired in three quick goals in just four minutes to take a 3-1 lead. Dortmund fought back through Yan Couto’s rocket to make it 3-2, and it looked like they’d clinched it when Ramy Bensebaini converted a late penalty in the 85th minute. But Juventus weren’t done—Vlahovic equalized with a cool finish, and Lloyd Kelly headed in a dramatic equalizer in added time. What a way to match the record for the highest-scoring Champions League draw!
Over in France, Kylian Mbappe stole the show as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Marseille 2-1 in Xabi Alonso’s first Champions League game as manager. Marseille pressed hard early on and took the lead through Timothy Weah’s powerful strike. Real Madrid quickly leveled when Mbappe buried a penalty after Geoffrey Kondogbia fouled Rodrygo in the box. Things got tense for the visitors when Dani Carvajal picked up a red card in the 72nd minute, but Mbappe sealed the win with another spot-kick nine minutes from time— this one after Facundo Medina handled the ball. Mbappe’s double proved decisive, giving Real Madrid a strong start in the Champions League standings.
Arsenal fans had plenty to cheer as their team grabbed a solid 2-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao, marking the Spanish side’s first Champions League outing since the 2014/15 season. The game stayed goalless and low-key until Mikel Arteta’s smart subs changed everything. Gabriel Martinelli, fresh off the bench, scored almost instantly— he latched onto Leandro Trossard’s clever flick from midfield and sprinted through to slot home. Martinelli then turned provider, racing down the wing to set up Trossard for the second goal, which took a deflection on its way in. Arteta’s bench magic gave Arsenal the perfect Champions League opener and all three points.
Tottenham, the UEFA Europa League champions, made a winning return to the Champions League with a gritty 1-0 victory over Villarreal. The Spurs didn’t waste time— just five minutes in, Lucas Bergvall’s cross deflected off Villarreal keeper Luiz Junior into his own net for the only goal of the game. Villarreal pushed back with chances from Tajon Buchanan and Nicolas Pepe, but Tottenham held firm. It was a dream debut for manager Thomas Frank in Europe’s top club competition, easing any nerves for the north London side.
These results set the tone for an exciting Champions League season ahead, with top teams like Juventus, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Tottenham already making their mark. Stay tuned for more updates on fixtures, player performances, and the race for glory!
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