Bayern Munich Shatters Records with 9 Goal Haul; Real Madrid and Liverpool Triumph in Champions League Opener
Bayern Munich became the first side in the modern era to score nine goals in a single game with a thrilling opening to the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League season.
Bayern Munich’s 9-2 victory over Dinamo Zagreb at the Allianz Arena was an incredible exhibition of attacking skill that created a new standard in Europe’s top club championship.
As the new Champions League format began on Tuesday, Bayern Munich became the first side in history to score nine goals in a single match. Real Madrid and Liverpool, the current champions, were also among the victors. At the Allianz Arena, Vincent Kompany’s Bayern crushed Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 thanks to four goals from Harry Kane, including three penalties.
On his Champions League debut, Michael Olise netted twice, while the German national side also had goals from Raphael Guerreiro, Leroy Sane, and Leon Goretzka.
After falling behind 3-0 at the interval, Dinamo responded twice in two minutes, thanks to goals from Bruno Petkovic and Takuya Ogiwara, to give the hosts a scare. However, Bayern scored six goals in the 57th and subsequent minutes.
Kane called the match “an amazing game, a bit of a crazy game” to broadcaster DAZN. “I’ve never scored three penalties in a game before. Really, that hardly ever occurs.”
When Bayern defeated Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Champions League, they became the last team to score eight goals in a single match.
It was an incredible way to celebrate the first night of the new Champions League, which replaced the previous group stage with 36 clubs pooling together in one enormous league.
Each participant now plays eight games against eight different opponents. At the conclusion of the league round, the top eight teams automatically advance to the round of 16.
The teams that place ninth through twenty-fourth will go to the play-off stage, where the bottom twelve will be eliminated, and the remaining teams will compete in the round of sixteen.
The new system was created by UEFA, the body that oversees European football, in an attempt to prevent the biggest clubs from forming their own Super League. However, the organization also hopes that the modifications would give the tournament fresh life.
Mbappe on target for Real
Tuesday’s action generated a lot of excitement across the continent. At the Santiago Bernabeu, reigning champions Real Madrid had to work hard to defeat VfB Stuttgart 3-1.
Shortly after the break, Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in his first competitive match with Real. But midway through the second half, Stuttgart, playing in the Champions League for the first time since 2010, equalized through Deniz Undav.
Despite this, Real Madrid won because, seven minutes from the end, Antonio Rudiger headed them back ahead against his former team, and Brazilian rookie Endrick scored the third goal in stoppage time.
New signing Mbappe told broadcaster Movistar, “I know I can do more, each game I feel better and now I’m scoring goals, and I’m happy here.”
“What we know is that the Champions League has changed and it’s important to win quickly to see if we can qualify quickly or not.”
Liverpool defeated seven-time champion AC Milan 3-1 on the road in Italy to celebrate their return to the top division of European sports.
Milan took an early lead thanks to Christian Pulisic, but before the half, Virgil van Dijk headed the opposition ahead and Ibrahima Konate tied the score. At San Siro, Dominik Szoboszlai sealed the win for Liverpool.
Villa back in the big time
Forty-one years after their last appearance in the old European Cup, Aston Villa played their first-ever match in the contemporary Champions League, winning 3-0 away to Swiss champions Young Boys in Bern.
The 1982 European winners scored goals in the first half through Youri Tielemans and Jacob Ramsey, and late goals from Amadou Onana sealed the triumph.
As a memorial to the club’s late striker Gary Shaw, who was a part of the European Cup-winning team and passed away on Monday at the age of 63 after being hurt in a tumble, Villa manager Unai Emery wants his team to gain three points.
“They succeeded in winning the Champions League 42 years ago. “We aim to emulate the accomplishments of that team,” Emery declared.
Somewhere else In Turin, Juventus defeated PSV Eindhoven 3-1. Kenan Yildiz opened the score in spectacular fashion, and further goals came from Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez. Ismael Saibari gave a backhand.
Sporting, the Portuguese champions, defeated Lille 2-0 at home, with a goal from the outstanding Swedish attacker Viktor Gyoekeres and a piledriver from Zeno Debast. The French team substituted Angel Gomes. Wednesday’s events include a replay of Manchester City and Inter Milan’s 2023 championship encounter.
