Lamine Yamal and Florian Wirtz Shine in Champions League 2024 with Mixed Results
Lamine Yamal and Florian Wirtz, two of the brightest young talents in football, showed off their skills in an entertaining Champions League 2024 match, but the results were different.
After defender Eric Garcia was sent off after less than 11 minutes, Barcelona had an uphill battle ahead of them. With mixed fortunes, however.
In the Champions League on Thursday, 10-man Barcelona lost 2-1 to Monaco, capping the Spanish team’s undefeated season. Teenage Lamine Yamal’s goal could not salvage the victory.
Florian Wirtz, meanwhile, scored his first goal in the Champions League in less than five minutes during his first game in Europe’s top club competition. At Feyenoord, Bayer Leverkusen dominated, winning 4-0, and Wirtz added another goal.
“I’ve been eagerly anticipating this game for the past few days, and I also approached it in that manner. But I believe it was the case for everyone,” Wirtz remarked.
“I had two chances, and I just took advantage of them, but I didn’t plan on ending with two goals. After that, you can just expand on it, and I can just try to win every game by taking my opportunities.
After winning the Bundesliga and German Cup, Leverkusen’s sole loss of the incredible season came in the Europa League final in May. The Atalanta club, who defeated Leverkusen four months prior, drew 0-0 at home with Arsenal after having a penalty saved.
Benfica defeated Red Star Belgrade 2-1, Atlético Madrid defeated Leipzig 2-1, and Brest triumphed 2-1 over Sturm Graz in their inaugural European campaign. It was the third night of the Champions League, the new structure that took the place of the old group stage.
In order to determine which teams move on to the knockout stage, 36 teams will now face eight different opponents each through January and will be rated in a single league table. Teenage celebrity
Unusually for the bright 17-year-old, Lamal’s objective was not to set yet another record. Lamal, who has scored many goals for both Barcelona and Spain, made history this summer by being the youngest goal scorer at the European Championship while also assisting Spain in winning the competition.
However, after colleague Ansu Fati, who scored his first goal in December 2019 at the age of 28, he became the second youngest goalscorer in the competition with his first Champions League goal.
Yamal’s equalizer in the 28th minute negated Maghnes Akliouche’s first goal. And it was another brilliant goal, as Yamal entered the area from the left and inserted the ball between two opponents to find the bottom right corner.
Barcelona midfielder Pedri stated, “He gave us a lot of breathing room; it was a different game at 1-1.” “A fantastic objective, and I’m glad to have him.”
After 18-year-old attacker George Ilenikhena scored a beautiful goal for Monaco in the 71st minute and defender Eric Garcia was sent off with less than 11 minutes gone, Barcelona had an uphill battle ahead of them.
On October 1, Barcelona will host Young Boys. With three goals in as many Bundesliga games this season, Wirtz is off to a fantastic start.
And on Thursday in Rotterdam, the 21-year-old carried on with that run. After Robert Andrich deflected a mishandled pass from Feyenoord, Wirtz charged forward and fired into the bottom right corner.
At the half-hour mark, Leverkusen increased their lead when Jeremie Frimpong was released on the right by Victor Boniface’s deft pass from the edge of the penalty box, and Alejandro Grimaldo tapped in his cross at the far post.
Six minutes later, Wirtz volleyed in another Frimpong cross. Although Leverkusen didn’t really require assistance, it did at the end of the first half when German goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther of Feyenoord made a mistake and allowed Edmond Tapsoba’s header to cross the line. Despite all the hype of youth, Atlético’s star player was a veteran.
In addition to scoring in the Champions League for the eleventh consecutive season, 33-year-old Antoine Griezmann also set up José María Giménez’s last-second header victory. Leipzig had taken the lead in the fourth minute through Benjamin Šeško. Raya comes to the aid.
After Ederson was tripped by Thomas Partey in the 51st minute, David Raya saved Arsenal’s bacon with a double save.
The Spain international stopped Mateo Retegui’s penalty effort, but the ball returned to the striker, whose header was cleared off the line by a scurrying Raya.
With their main creative player, Martin Odegaard, sidelined due to injury, Arsenal struggled offensively and had to rely on Raya and their usual obdurate defense to salvage a draw in Bergamo. Arsenal will host Paris Saint-Germain in the next round.
Hugo Magnetti, a midfielder for Brest, scored the team’s first goal in European competition at home, however it was not in the stadium.
The club’s European home games were moved to Guingamp’s Stade de Roudourou, which is some 114 kilometers (71 miles) away, because Brest’s stadium did not match UEFA’s regulations.
Last season, Brest achieved an impressive third place in the French league. Sturm’s record of 10 straight Austrian championships was broken, and this is his first appearance in the Champions League proper in 24 years.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Orkun Kökçü, both Turkey internationals, scored goals to help Benfica, under new coach Bruno Lage, make it two wins from two. Kökçü’s goal was very exquisite; from 25 yards out, he curled a free kick into the upper right corner.
Felicio Milson gave the home team a late lead. On October 2, Benfica will host Atlético in Lisbon.
