LaLiga pacesetters Real Madrid and Barcelona will aim to bounce back from midweek Champions League setbacks as they return to LaLiga action this weekend, looking to rebuild confidence ahead of a two-week international break.

Leaders Real, who have 30 points after 11 matches, hold a five-point lead over second-placed Barcelona.

However, inconsistency against stronger opponents has led to criticism of manager Xabi Alonso’s rotation policy, and the team will look to steady the ship when they visit local rivals Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas on Sunday.

Real suffered a humbling 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday, with Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois delivering a stellar performance to prevent a heavier loss.

Despite his heroics, the defeat highlighted concerns about Real’s ability to compete at the highest level in Europe. The result dampened the optimism generated by their hard-fought 2-1 El Clasico victory over visiting Barca two weeks ago.

Alonso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti in May, has guided Real to 18 wins in 21 matches across all competitions.

However, defeats by Paris St Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool, coupled with tactical decisions such as the sparing use of high-profile signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Endrick, have led to questions over Alonso's approach.

“It was a very demanding, high-paced match and we lacked a bit more threat to cause damage in the final third,” Alonso said after the loss to Liverpool following Alexis Mac Allister's header just past the hour mark following a free-kick.

“Thibaut held firm but that goal gave them the advantage and then we struggled a bit. There's nothing to reproach the team for. It's still November. (On Tuesday) there were things that were working and others that needed improvement.”

BARCA DEFENSIVE FRAILTIES EXPOSED

Barcelona's own defensive frailties were again exposed as they were held to a dramatic 3-3 draw at Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Hansi Flick’s side have won only three of their last seven games in all competitions, conceding 14 goals in that period. They have kept just three clean sheets since the start of the season, with the last one coming in mid-September.

Barca travel to 12th-placed Celta Vigo on Saturday. The Galicians are in fine form, having won their last four matches in all competitions and remaining unbeaten for over a month.

Barcelona will be bolstered by the return of Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo from injury, after they came on just before the hour mark in Bruges, while teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is regaining form after a spell out with a groin issue.

However, they will still be without key players such as Raphinha, Pedri, Gavi and goalkeepers Joan Garcia and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, all of whom remain injured.

“We have to analyse everything, talk to the players and try to do better,” said coach Hansi Flick after the draw in Belgium.

“But we want to play with our own ideas. A 3-3 isn't the best result for us of course, we need to talk about this, but the positive thing about the match is that we managed to come back after they took the lead three times.”

Villarreal will look to recover from a shock 1-0 defeat at Cypriot side Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday. They visit Espanyol on Saturday aiming to maintain third place which they occupy on 23 points, one point ahead of Atletico Madrid.

Atletico host lowly Levante also on Saturday.

English clubs are taking the Champions League by storm this season, powered by mighty spending muscle, with all six clubs riding high in the 36-team group phase at the halfway stage.

This week, for the second time in four rounds of fixtures, five Premier League clubs won, something no country had managed in a single game week before this season.

Four of the six reside in the top-eight which would provide automatic qualification for the last 16, while all six sit in the top 12. Of the combined 24 games they have played, 17 have resulted in wins with only three defeats.

Arsenal are second with 12 points, behind Bayern Munich on goals scored, and are the only club yet to concede a goal.

Manchester City's 4-1 thrashing of Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday lifted them into fourth place, while Liverpool beat Real Madrid on Tuesday to sit eighth, two places below Newcastle United who beat Athletic Bilbao to record a third successive win since an opening defeat against Barcelona.

Unbeaten Tottenham Hotspur are 10th after a 4-0 hammering of FC Copenhagen, a win illuminated by a Micky van de Ven goal already being tipped as a 'goal-of-the-season' contender.

Chelsea are 12th after surprisingly being held to a 2-2 draw away to Azerbaijan outsiders Qarabag on Wednesday but both of those London clubs look in good shape for at least a playoff place even if they finish outside the top eight.

It would be no surprise to have all six English clubs in the last 16, beating the record five of 2017 when Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham all reached that stage - the first time five clubs from a single nation had advanced to the Champions League knockout phase.

Impressive as it is, some argue that the Premier League onslaught of Europe's top-tier club competition is inevitable.

PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS SPLASH THE CASH

This summer's transfer window closed with Premier League clubs' cumulative spend smashing the £3 billion ($4.03 billion) barrier for the first time.

It was more than Germany's Bundesliga, Spain's LaLiga, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1 combined.

With clubs from the same national association kept apart in the group phase which concludes in January, England's record half-dozen contingent have perhaps enjoyed an advantage.

Once the knockout phase begins, they could be drawn against each other, although should all of them finish the group phase in the top eight they would avoid each other in the last-16.

There is also the fact that in two-legged games the superiority of English clubs is less pronounced as last season showed when Paris St Germain knocked out Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal en route to winning the trophy and Manchester City lost in the last-16 playoff to Real Madrid.

Only three English teams, despite their financial clout, have won the Champions League in the last 13 editions with Spain (seven) leading the way. And, judging by last season, performances in the group phase are not necessarily an indication of success in the knockouts.

Liverpool topped the league phase last term but fell to PSG in the last 16, while the Paris side flirted with early elimination before finding their form and winning their last three group games to finish in 15th place and a playoff spot.

Several of Europe's big teams will need a PSG-style revival this time if they are to make the knockout rounds.

Benfica and Ajax Amsterdam are both without a point after four rounds while Juventus are below the cut-off line of 24th having failed to win any of their games so far.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said he was happy to see Lamine Yamal back in form but cautioned that he must continue to manage his groin injury after the teenager inspired a 3-3 Champions League draw with Club Brugge on Wednesday.

After weeks with a lingering groin injury, the 18-year-old built on Sunday's LaLiga form, which brought his first league goal since August, with another lively display in Belgium as Barca equalised three times to earn a point.

Nicolo Tresoldi and Ferran Torres traded early goals but Carlos Forbs restored the hosts' lead before the break. Yamal levelled a minute after the hour mark with a composed finish following a superb defence-splitting run.

"I'm happy that Lamine is back at this level. (But) we don't know what will happen tomorrow or next Sunday. The important thing is that he manages his situation, because it's not easy," the German said.

Lamine Yamal's individual brilliance 💪⚽

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/Ewn7qJfECm

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) November 5, 2025

"He has to be really focused on how he has to train, and also on the treatments and hopefully it (the pain) goes away."

Receiving a pass outside the penalty area, Yamal surged through two defenders, laid the ball off to Fermin Lopez and continued his run, collecting Lopez's deft back-heel pass before slotting in from close range.

"I try to do the best I can. The move went really quick and Fermin's left me with the ball with a nice flick and I finished it," Yamal said after the game.

However, Brugge winger Forbs put the hosts ahead again in the 63rd minute, and later Yamal's other effort diverted in off Christos Tzolis to seal a 3-3 draw through an own goal.

Yamal added that speculation surrounding his groin injury, and suggestions it had affected his state of mind, had been overblown and fuelled by false reports.

"A lot has been said about my pubalgia, that I was sad, but it was all lies. I've been the same as always, very happy, focused on my work, trying to get back to training and play at this level, which is where I feel best and enjoy myself the most," he said.

Yamal's goal drew comparisons with Barcelona great Lionel Messi, but the Spain international said he was not getting carried away with the praise.

"Messi has scored thousands of goals like that. I have to make my own way and hope to score many more goals like that," he added.

Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen scored a second-half hat-trick to ensure a comfortable 3-0 away win over Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Two of the three goals came from the penalty spot as the Nigerian international took his competition total this season to six with the Turkish club moving up from 16th to ninth place in the standings with nine points from four games.

Ajax, who have been European champions four times, remain rooted at the bottom of the 36-team table without a point.

Osimhen stooped to head home Leroy Sane’s cross in the 59th minute to open the scoring and then tucked away a 66th-minute penalty after a clumsy handball by defender Youri Baas.

Ajax gave away a second spot kick when Gerald Alders, on his European debut, inadvertently handled the ball in the box while trying to block a shot, with Osimhen stroking home the resultant penalty in the 78th minute.

Ajax came closest to a goal after an error from Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir allowed Mika Godts a shot at an empty net but he missed out on the opportunity.

Bayer Leverkusen's Patrik Schick came off the bench to grab the only goal of the game in a 1-0 away win over Benfica on Wednesday that condemned Jose Mourinho's side to their fourth straight defeat in this season's Champions League group stage.

The Portuguese hosts dominated the first half, hitting the woodwork twice through Dodi Lukebakio and Nicolas Ottamendi as they racked up chance after chance, and they came to rue their wasteful finishing in the 65th minute.

Benfica thought they had averted the danger when keeper Anatoliy Trubin parried Schick’s initial shot, but defender Samuel Dahl inexplicably headed the ball back across the goal to the Leverkusen substitute striker who broke the deadlock with a looping header.

The defensive error provoked an angry response from Mourinho, and three minutes later he made a triple substitution to shake things up, with Dahl replaced by Norwegian winger Andreas Schjelderup.

The switch gave a much-needed boost to the left side of the Benfica attack and Schjelderup teed up Lukebakio for another excellent chance in the 86th minute, but the Belgian completely mistimed his effort and it was easily saved.

A first win of the campaign for the Bundesliga side lifted Leverkusen to 21st in the table on five points, while Benfica are second from bottom having failed to earn a point, with only goal difference keeping them above Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam.

Olympique de Marseille’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League took a major hit when they slumped to a last-gasp 1-0 defeat at home against Atalanta in painful fashion on Wednesday.

Lazar Samardzic netted the only goal in the last minute with a superb strike from outside the box at the end of a counter attack while Marseille players were screaming for a penalty for an Ederson handball.

The result left Roberto de Zerbi’s team with three points from four games in the elimination zone in 25th place in the 36-team league, while Atalanta moved up to 16th on seven points.

Atalanta imposed their rhythm early on with crisp combinations and relentless pressing, but Charles De Ketelaere’s 14th-minute penalty — awarded after Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli brought down Nikola Krstovic in the box — was saved.

Marseille dominated the second half and thought they would be awarded a penalty when Ederson handled the ball in the box while trying to bring it under control.

On the ensuing counter attack, Samardzic curled a superb kick into the top corner, leaving De Zerbi fuming on the touchline, trying to show a replay of the handball to referee Jose Maria Sanchez.

Newcastle secured a third successive Champions League win as Dan Burn's thunderous header inspired a cathartic 2-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

Burn struck in eye-catching style in the first half at St James' Park and Joelinton netted after the interval to wrap up Newcastle's fifth successive home win in all competitions.

Newcastle's dismal 3-1 defeat at lowly West Ham on Sunday left the Magpies languishing in 13th place in the Premier League and prompted a painful bout of soul-searching on Tyneside.

But although they have struggled domestically, Eddie Howe's side have three wins from four games in the Champions League this season, with their only loss coming in the opening match against Barcelona.

Ahead of trips to Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen in their next two league phase fixtures, sixth-placed Newcastle are firmly in the hunt to secure the top-eight place that guarantees automatic qualification for the last 16.

Howe will hope Newcastle's European success serves as a springboard for a winning run in the Premier League, starting at Brentford on Sunday.

"Really pleased with today. It was an important response to West Ham. I don't think it was us at our best but we're in a good position now in this competition," Howe said.

"It's been good to have a game off the back of West Ham. We've put that away now. But it's a bigger test when you return to the Premier League."

Saluting Burn's goal, Howe said it reminded him of the defender's header in last season's League Cup final win against Liverpool.

"It was very reminiscent of the cup final. It was from distance. It was a training ground move so well done to all the coaches involved in that," he said.

"Across the board, it's about consistency in our performance wherever we play. Now we go away in the Champions League. Marseille will be incredibly difficult."

Newcastle's lacklustre loss at West Ham had sparked accusations that Howe's team are developing a habit of playing down to the level of their opponents.

BURN MAKES HIS POINT

Burn added to that perception this week when he said "everybody knows we will turn up" against Bilbao.

The England centre-back was true to his word as he put Newcastle ahead in the 11th minute.

Kieran Trippier's free-kick picked out Burn in space in the penalty area and he punished Bilbao's slack marking with a superb header that curled into the far corner from 10 yards.

Even legendary Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, watching with a broad grin in the stands, would have been proud of such a sublime finish.

Bilbao briefly mounted a determined response to that blow and twice came close to drawing level as sloppy Newcastle conceded possession too easily.

Unai Gomez raced clear of the flat-footed Newcastle defence and fired against the near post.

With Newcastle on the ropes, Adama Boiro lashed a ferocious strike off the woodwork from 18 yards.

Howe's men squandered a chance to increase their lead when Nick Woltemade climbed highest for a header that whistled wide from Harvey Barnes' cross.

Newcastle suffered a blow when England winger Anthony Gordon limped off with a recurrence of a hip injury late in the first half.

But they ignored that setback to double their advantage in the 49th minute.

Barnes cleverly worked space on the left side of the Bilbao area and lofted a cross into the six-yard box, where Joelinton thumped his header past Unai Simon for his first goal in nine games.

Last year's finalists Inter Milan had to battle before beating Kairat Almaty 2-1 at the San Siro on Wednesday, with the Italians keeping their perfect record in this season's Champions League despite conceding their first goal of the competition.

Inter are on 12 points after four games, alongside Bayern Munich and Arsenal, while Kairat remain on one point.

After a poor first period from Inter, Lautaro Martinez put the hosts ahead on the stroke of halftime but the San Siro was stunned 10 minutes after the break when Ofri Arad equalised with a header from a corner.

Carlos Augusto put Inter back in front in the 67th minute and while the home side were unable to find another goal to kill off the brave Kazakhs, their sluggish performance was still rewarded with the three points.

Spanish giants Barcelona needed to come from behind three times to earn a 3-3 draw at Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Teenage winger Lamine Yamal was back to his best for Hansi Flick's side to help them earn a point in a gripping clash in Belgium.

Barca's defence was shredded on multiple occasions by the hosts as Brugge winger Carlos Forbs struck twice and set one up for Nicolo Tresoldi.

Ferran Torres, Yamal and a Christos Tzolis own goal saved Barcelona from what would have been a humiliating defeat, even though they have several players out injured.

Tough game. We keep going. pic.twitter.com/dkMtweVy1q

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 5, 2025

Barcelona have been in shaky form in recent weeks, including a Clasico defeat by rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga.

The hosts took an early lead at the Jan Breydel stadium through Tresoldi, who was set up by the electric Forbs.

With Forbs rampaging in behind Barcelona's high defensive line, Brugge set an early blueprint for how they could consistently hurt the Catalans.

Flick's side hit back quickly through Torres, who produced a clever finish after Fermin Lopez played him in.

Midfielder Lopez struck the woodwork before Forbs netted Brugge's second in a relentless battle between two sides determined to attack.

The Portuguese winger played a one-two with Tzolis, to burst into space behind Barca's defence once more before finishing with aplomb past Wojciech Szczesny.

Barca defender Jules Kounde crashed a shot against the bar at the other end as last year's semifinals sought a leveller.

Yamal, who was once again his side's key player after some recent flat displays, created a fine chance for Torres to score before the break but the striker nudged the ball past goalkeeper Nordin Jackers and wide.

Szczesny saved well from Joaquin Seys at the near post as Brugge continued to attack in the second half, showing no intention of trying to protect their lead.

Eric Garcia almost scored from long range but became the third Barca player to hit the frame of the goal, as his effort slapped against the crossbar.

Barcelona eventually pulled level with a brilliant goal, as Yamal combined with Lopez superbly to break through.

Lopez backheeled the ball into the teenager's path and Yamal flicked it past Jackers and into the bottom corner.

Lamine Yamal's individual brilliance 💪⚽

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/Ewn7qJfECm

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) November 5, 2025

Forbs wasted a fine chance to put his team ahead again but given another chance minutes later, took it with a stylish finish.

Hans Vanaken played him through on goal and he delicately dinked it past Szczesny for his second and Brugge's third.

Forbs was awarded a penalty when he went down after a collision with Barca's Alejandro Balde in the box but it was cancelled after a VAR review showed he had actually bumped into the Spaniard.

Jackers produced a superb save to tip away a Yamal effort bound for the top corner, but could do nothing about Barca's equaliser, which arrived in similar fashion.

Yamal's curling effort from the right deflected off Tzolis's head and beat the goalkeeper.

Brugges thought they had won it in stoppage time when veteran goalkeeper Szczesny tried to turn in his area but lost the ball as Romeo Vermant slid in on him.

Vermant rolled the ball into the empty net but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, after the Belgian forward was ruled to have fouled the relieved Szczesny.

Lamine Yamal's individual brilliance 💪⚽

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/Ewn7qJfECm

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) November 5, 2025

Erling Haaland came back to haunt Borussia Dortmund with a clinical finish against his former team, while Phil Foden bagged a brilliant brace as Manchester City cruised to a 4-1 victory in the Champions League on Wednesday to climb to fourth in the table.

Pep Guardiola's men have 10 points after four of the eight league-phase games, while Dortmund fell to 14th on seven points.

City were dominant from the outset and England international Foden opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when he collected a pass from Tijjani Reijnders and finished with a crisp left-footed strike from just outside the box and past goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Haaland, who has 27 goals in 17 games for club and country, doubled the lead seven minutes later, finishing coolly from the centre of the box after a blistering run and assist from Jeremy Doku. Foden completed his double in the 57th minute in almost identical fashion to his first, latching on to a pass from Reijnders before bending a curling shot just inside the far post.

Waldemar Anton pulled one back for the Bundesliga club from a free kick in the 72nd minute to the delight of Dortmund's famous "yellow wall" of travelling supporters, but Rayan Cherki put the game well out of reach with a goal in injury time.

Villarreal fell to a humbling 1-0 defeat away to Pafos on Wednesday, as their dismal Champions League campaign continued after Derrick Luckassen scored to give the Cypriot side their first win of the competition.

The Spanish club may be riding high in third place in LaLiga, but remain on one point in Europe, while Pafos move on to five points.

Given both clubs' campaigns so far, a goal fest was never likely.

Villarreal scored twice in three games, both coming in a 2-2 draw with Juventus, while Pafos had netted only once, which came in a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich.

The hosts created an early chance with Quina making a mazy run into the area and curling a shot just over the bar before Villarreal wasted a couple of opportunities to take the lead.

Georges Mikautadze completely missed the ball when Ayoze Perez squared a headed pass to him all alone in front of goal and Pape Gueye put his effort straight at the keeper when sent through on goal.

The visitors were rocked in the opening minute after the break when Pafos won a corner and unmarked defender Luckassen powered a header into the net.

Villarreal's search for an equaliser lacked any real conviction to leave the home fans celebrating a famous win.

Alejandro Garnacho ensured Chelsea returned from Azerbaijan with a point as he came off the bench to equalise in their 2-2 draw away to Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The former Manchester United forward fired a sweetly-struck left-foot effort into the net after 53 minutes of an enthralling contest which had slipped from Chelsea's grasp.

Brazilian teenager Estevao put the visitors ahead with a neat finish in the 16th minute but after a slow start Qarabag came alive in the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.

Leandro Andrade steered home a rebound in the 29th minute to cancel out Chelsea's lead after Camilo Duran had shrugged off Jorrel Hato and cut in to send a shot against the upright.

Things went from bad to worse for the London side before halftime as Marko Jankovic converted a penalty awarded for a handball by the inexperienced Hato.

A first-half to forget for Chelsea 😲

Qarabag put two past the World Champions ⚽⚽

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQWD1K pic.twitter.com/Tx3KCajJqJ

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) November 5, 2025

Halfway through the 36-team group phase, Chelsea have seven points while Qarabag, who lost to Chelsea by an aggregate of 10-0 in the Champions League in 2017-18, also have seven.

Garnacho opened his account for Chelsea last month and was impressive after being one of three halftime substitutions for a youthful visiting side in which Enzo Maresca rang the changes.

With Chelsea's expensively-assembled team in danger of a humiliating loss, manager Enzo Maresca sent on Garnacho, Liam Delap and Enzo Fernandez for the second half in place of young trio Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens and Tyrique George.

And it was Delap who began the move that ended with Garnacho burying a low shot past Qarabag keeper Mateusz Kochalski.

The Argentine almost won it at the death for Chelsea with an overhead volley but an intrepid Qarabag also came close to a first win against English opposition with Oleksii Kashchuk firing straight at keeper Robert Sanchez.

It ends level in Baku. #CFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/7ICeEyLSDx

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 5, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain are set to be without Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes for several weeks after the trio sustained injuries in Tuesday's Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

Ballon d'Or winner Dembele came off after just 25 minutes before Moroccan star Hakimi had to be helped from the field in tears following a challenge by Luis Diaz that led to a red card for the Bayern Munich forward.

PSG on Wednesday said Dembele had picked up a calf injury and would require a "few weeks" of treatment. The France international was starting for just the second time since suffering a hamstring injury while playing for his country at the start of September.

Hakimi was diagnosed with a severely sprained left ankle and faces several weeks out, the club said. He could also be in a race against time to be fit for hosts Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on December 21.

Nuno Mendes played the full 90 minutes of the 2-1 loss to Bayern but sprained his left knee and will join Dembele and Hakimi on the sidelines.

Their absences add to a growing injury list at PSG that already included Desire Doue, who was stretchered off with a thigh problem in a Ligue 1 game at Lorient last week.

More than a first Champions League defeat of the season, Paris St Germain's 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday deepened the club's mounting injury concerns, extending a pattern that has hindered the European champions since the start of the campaign.

Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi both limped off during the match, continuing a run of fitness problems that has prevented Luis Enrique from having a full squad at any point this season.

"I can't remember a single match with the whole squad fit. It's a different kind of season, and we have to manage that. I'm calm and confident we'll recover our players and our level," the Spaniard said.

The latest setbacks came just as the squad was beginning to stabilise.

Dembele, who missed seven games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, was making his first Champions League start of the campaign but was forced off after 25 minutes with what appeared to be a calf problem.

"The injury has nothing to do with the previous one," Luis Enrique told reporters. "He played the time you saw — it's not a relapse."

Shortly before halftime, Hakimi also had to leave the field after a dangerous tackle from Bayern's Luis Diaz, who was sent off for the challenge.

The Moroccan full back, one of the few PSG regulars to have avoided injury this season, left the pitch in tears and was later seen exiting the Parc des Princes on crutches with a protective boot on his left foot.

"For Hakimi, that's football — it's a contact sport," Luis Enrique said. "It's unfortunate, but these are actions that happen with a bit of bad luck."

The injuries add to a long list of absentees that has already included Marquinhos, Joao Neves, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Fabian Ruiz — all sidelined at various points since August. Doue is currently out with a right thigh muscle injury that will keep him unavailable for several more weeks.

After an exceptional 2024-25 season that stretched across 65 matches and yielded four trophies — the Champions League, Ligue 1, French Cup and Trophee des Champions — PSG now appear to be paying the physical price.

Their extended campaign ended only in mid-July after the Club World Cup, leaving little time for rest before the new season began.

"When you recover injured players, they're not at 100 per cent. That's something I need to manage better," Luis Enrique conceded. "It's a long season, and it's about how you handle these moments."

Despite the disruptions, PSG remain top of Ligue 1 and third in the Champions League's league phase with nine points from four games.

Luis Enrique's tone remained measured as he looked ahead. "I'm calm and relaxed because I know we'll overcome all of this," he said. "We'll get our players back and we'll find our level again."

Juventus failed to pick up a victory in their fourth straight Champions League game on Tuesday after drawing 1-1 with Sporting but new manager Luciano Spalletti said he was impressed by his side's heart and desire and is confident the wins will come.

Spalletti's predecessor Igor Tudor was sacked last month following of an eight-game winless run in all competitions.

The new coach, who accepted a short-term deal to rescue the struggling side, picked up a Serie A win over Cremonese in his first game in charge but was unable to steer them to a win on home soil that would have reignited their European campaign.

The Italians, who have three points from their four games, fell behind to Maximiliano Araujo's early opener before Dusan Vlahovic equalised with a header in the 34th minute.

"I'm pleased with the performance of the team. We showed that we have character, and the guys showed their desire to win the game," said former Italy boss Spalletti. "If we play like this going forward, we'll win plenty of matches.

"The reaction we got right from the start gave me hope, it seemed as though the whole stadium understood the team's approach well, and that's a good sign."

 

FT |⌛️| Termina in pareggio la sfida dell’Allianz Stadium ⚪️⚫️#JuveSCP #UCL pic.twitter.com/cjjMG4nahQ

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) November 4, 2025

 

Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners said they showed a lot of good things against Sporting but there were areas they had to improve on. The Dutchman was deployed in a deeper role against Sporting and said he felt more comfortable there.

"I feel much better in this position, because I am not a forward who plays with his back to goal, where I played in other games," he told Sky Sports Italia. "I told Spaletti and the representatives of the club that too."

Juventus will travel to Bodo/Glimt on 25 November for their next Champions League game.

Match Week 4 of the UEFA Champions League kicks off on Wednesday night with nine thrilling encounters, all broadcast live on SuperSport.

The spotlight falls on two headline fixtures, Shandre Campbell’s Club Brugge v Barcelona and Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund as Europe’s elite battle for crucial group stage points.

Here's a look at what the stats reveal ahead of all nine matchups on the night.

Pafos v Villarreal

This will be the first time that Pafos – managed by a Spaniard in Juan Carlos Carcedo – have faced a Spanish opponent in European competition.

The only Cypriot opponent that Villarreal have previously faced in Europe is Apollon Limassol, who they beat home (4-0) and away (2-0) in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2014-15.

The last UEFA Champions League match between Cypriot and Spanish sides was a 6-0 win for Real Madrid against APOEL Nicosia in November 2017. Indeed, the last six matches between teams from those nations in the competition have been won by the Spaniards for an aggregate score of 22-2.

Pafos are on their longest winless run in major European competition (four games – D2 L2), and have failed to score in three of those four matches. They are yet to lead at any point of a UEFA Champions League match this season; one of only five sides to fail to do so across the opening three matchdays.

Villarreal have lost 11 of their last 16 matches in the group/league phase of the UEFA Champions League (W3 D2), while their only clean sheet across those games came in a 2-0 home win versus Young Boys in November 2021.

Pafos have faced 66 shots across their three UEFA Champions League match this season (five goals conceded); the most of any side. Although they have not led at any point in a game so far, they’ve spent the longest per centage of their match time level (73 per cent - 211 minutes overall).

Villarreal have been trailing on the scoreboard for 71 per cent of their game time in the UEFA Champions League this season (losing for 204:39 in total). Through the first three matchdays of this season’s tournament, only Ajax (86 per cent) were behind for a higher per centage of their matches.

 

🇨🇾 Pafos v Villarreal 🇪🇸
🇦🇿 Qarabag v Chelsea 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
🇳🇱 Ajax v Galatasaray 🇹🇷
🇵🇹 Benfica v Leverkusen 🇩🇪
🇧🇪 Club Brugge v Barça 🇪🇸
🇮🇹 Inter v Kairat 🇰🇿
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Man City v Dortmund 🇩🇪
🇫🇷 Marseille v Atalanta 🇮🇹
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Newcastle v Athletic Club 🇪🇸

Which game will you watch tonight? pic.twitter.com/8px1WrkN9C

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 5, 2025

 

Pafos have recorded the fewest high turnovers (7) of any side in the UEFA Champions League this season, while opponents Villarreal had the joint-fourth fewest (14) across the opening three matchdays.

Defender David Luiz has had the most shots inside the box (4) and touches in the opposition box (5) of any Pafos player in the UEFA Champions League this season, as well as leading the Cypriot side for expected goals (0.79).

Nicolas Pépé has created 11 chances for Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League this season, with only Real Madrid pair Kylian Mbappé (16) and Arda Güler (12) creating more across the opening three matchdays of the current edition.

Qarabag v Chelsea

The previous two meetings between Qarabag and Chelsea were also in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, with the Blues winning 6-0 at home and 4-0 away in the 2017-18 edition.

Chelsea have scored 10 goals in two games against Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League, with this their joint-most in their first two matches against an opponent in the competition (also 10 v Nordsjælland).

Qarabag have lost all seven of their games against English sides in Europe, conceding 21 goals and only scoring once themselves. Indeed, their only goal came via a penalty versus Tottenham in September 2015, and have failed to score in all six matches against English opposition since then.

Including the FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea have won 20 of their 23 games in international competition under Enzo Maresca (excluding qualifiers), scoring at least once in all 23 matches and averaging 2.9 goals per outing (66 scored in total).

After beating Copenhagen in their previous UEFA Champions League home match (2-0), Qarabag will be looking to win back-to-back home games in the same season in major European competition for the first time ever.

Chelsea have lost each of their last three away games in the UEFA Champions League, and have only once previously lost four in a row on the road in the competition (between December 2004-May 2005).

Qarabag have taken six of nine points available in the UEFA Champions League this season (W2 D1), after only winning two of 18 available in their previous appearance in this tournament (P6 D2 L4 in 2017-18). The Azerbaijani side have also already tripled their goal haul from the 2017-18 edition (2), netting six goals in three games this term.

Chelsea have already handed appearances to 25 different players in the UEFA Champions League this season, more than any other team in the first three matchdays. The Blues also had the second youngest starting XI in terms of average age in this period (23y 339d), only behind Paris SG (23y 261d).

Estêvão scored his first UEFA Champions League goal last time out against Ajax. Should he find the net in this game, the Brazilian would become the first South American player to score in consecutive appearances while aged 18 or younger.

Qarabag’s Leandro Andrade has scored three goals in five appearances in major European competition in 2025, as many as he managed in 22 European outings for the club prior to this year (three goals).

Moisés Caicedo has completed 92.9 per cent of his passes under high-intensity pressure in the UEFA Champions League this season (65/70); the third-best completion rate by a central midfielder across the opening three matchdays (min. 50 attempted), behind Arthur Vermeeren (93.3 per cent) and Aleix García (93 per cent).

Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund

This will be the seventh time Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund have faced each other in the UEFA Champions League, with the German side only managing one win in the previous six (D2 L3).

Manchester City have conceded the opening goal in four of their six UEFA Champions League games against Borussia Dortmund, but have only lost one of those four (W2 D1) and come back to win in each of the last two when going 1-0 down (2-1 in April 2021 and September 2022).

Borussia Dortmund have netted the opening goal in two of their three away matches against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, but have been denied a victory on both occasions by goals conceded from the 80th minute onwards (drew 1-1 in October 2012 and lost 2-1 in September 2022).

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is unbeaten in his last 10 games against Borussia Dortmund across all competitions (W6 D4), with his last defeat against them coming in the 2014 German Super Cup final. All three of his defeats in 15 total matches against Dortmund (W8 D4) came between 2013 and 2014 during Jürgen Klopp’s reign.

 

What is your score prediction for tomorrow night's #UCL clash? 👇

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 4, 2025

 

Borussia Dortmund have scored 12 goals in the UEFA Champions League, despite having an expected goals total of just 4.5. Indeed, across the opening three matchdays this season, the Germans had the biggest positive differential against their expected goals (+7.5), as well as the highest shot conversion rate (37.5 per cent) of any side.

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 22 home matches played in the group/league phase of the UEFA Champions League (W19 D3), since a 2-1 defeat to Lyon in September 2018. The only team to stop the Citizens scoring across these 22 games was Internazionale in September 2024 (0-0), who finished as runners-up in last season’s edition.

Borussia Dortmund have scored four goals in each of their last three UEFA Champions League matches (4-4 v Juventus, 4-1 v Athletic Club and 4-2 v Copenhagen). They could become the first team in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history to score 4+ goals in four consecutive games here.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland could become the first player to score in five consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for as many as three different teams, having previously done so for RB Salzburg (November 2019, five games) and Borussia Dortmund (March 2021, six games). Haaland has netted in his last four outings in the competition for the Citizens, netting six goals in total.

Across the first three matchdays of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League campaign, the two defenders with the most line-breaking passes were Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol (51) and Borussia Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini (47).

Man City’s Bernardo Silva is looking to score in consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for the first time since April 2024. An appearance in this game will see him become the fourth Portuguese player to hit 100 games in the competition, after Cristiano Ronaldo (183), Pepe (120) and Luis Figo (103), all three of whom were on the winning side in their 100th games.

Newcastle United v Athletic Club

Newcastle and Athletic Club have faced twice before in European competition, with the Basque side eliminating the Magpies from the last 32 of the UEFA Cup in 1994-95 (3-3 on aggregate over two legs, progressed on away goals).

Athletic Club’s previous away match at Newcastle came in a 3-2 defeat in the first leg of their last 32 UEFA Cup tie in October 1994. Overall, Athletic have only won one of their 10 matches away to English sides in Europe (D1 L8), with that victory coming at Manchester United in March 2012 under Marcelo Bielsa (3-2 in the UEFA Europa League – first leg of a last 16 tie).

Athletic Club have lost all three of their games against English teams in 2025, losing twice to Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League semifinals last season and versus Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League opener this term. Only one Spanish side has previously lost four games against English sides in a single calendar year in major European competition: Atlético de Madrid in 2021 (L2 v Chelsea and Liverpool).

MD2 and MD3 saw Newcastle record first their biggest ever win (4-0 v Union Saint-Gilloise) and then joint-biggest home win (3-0 v Benfica) in the UEFA Champions League – the Magpies could now win three games in the row in major European competition for the first time since March 2007 in the UEFA Cup.

Athletic Club are winless in each of their five European away games in 2025 (D1 L4), losing three of those matches by the same 4-1 scoreline – no Spanish club has ever lost three consecutive major European games and conceded more than three times in each defeat.

Newcastle have already eclipsed their points tally from their previous UEFA Champions League season in 2023-24 (5, 6 this season) and a win in this match will see them pick up as many as nine points in a group stage campaign for only the second time, previously doing so in the 2002-03 first group phase (W3 L3).

Anthony Gordon has scored four goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, becoming the first Newcastle player to score in three consecutive outings in the competition in the process. Prior to 2025-26, he had played seven matches in major European competition without scoring once.

Gorka Guruzeta has scored three goals in three UEFA Champions League appearances this season, netting in each of his last two games. If he finds the net here, he would be the first Athletic Club player to score in three consecutive outings in the European Cup/Champions League.

Jacob Murphy has provided an assist in three of his five UEFA Champions League appearances, averaging an assist every 59 minutes in the competition – Bukayo Saka (4) and Aaron Lennon (3) are the only other English players to register at least three assists through their first five appearances in the competition.

Athletic Club’s Unai Simón has conceded seven goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, despite facing an expected goals on target total of 3.75. Excluding own goals, this was the biggest underperformance by a goalkeeper across the first three matchdays of the current edition (-3.25).

Ajax v Galatasaray

Ajax and Galatasaray’s only previous meeting came earlier this year, in a 2-1 win for the Dutch side in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League. This was the first of three European away defeats for the Turkish side in 2025, who have lost every game on the road in Europe this year.

Galatasaray have never won in Europe away to a Dutch team, losing in six of their seven attempts to date (D1). Three of those seven games were played last season (D1 L2), with defeats to Ajax and AZ both coming since the turn of the year.

Ajax have lost each of their last six major European games, the joint-longest losing streak of their history along with six defeats between April 1988 and September 1989 (2 in Cup Winners’ Cup, 4 in UEFA Cup).

Following wins over Liverpool and Bodø/Glimt on MD2 and MD3 respectively, Galatasaray are aiming to win three consecutive matches in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since December 2012 under Fatih Terim – Gala had won just one of their previous 18 matches in the competition (D5 L12).

Only Bayern Munich (86 per cent winning) have spent a greater proportion of their total match time in one game state in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League than Ajax have losing (78 per cent); they have conceded with either their first (MD2) or second (MD1 & MD3) shot on target faced in each of their three games this season.

 

📍 Amsterdam#AJAvGS #UCL pic.twitter.com/qlpNOFzQRn

— Galatasaray SK (@GalatasaraySK) November 4, 2025

 

Galatasaray recorded 23 shots on MD3 in victory against Bodø/Glimt, their most in a UEFA Champions League game since having 32 v Arsenal in December 2014; 11 of those hit the target, the outright most on record (since 2003-04) by Cimbom in the competition.

No team has scored fewer goals than Ajax in the UEFA Champions League this season (1 – level with three other teams coming into MD4), while their five shots on target are also the lowest by any side in the current tournament.

John Heitinga has lost each of his three UEFA Champions League games in charge of Ajax and the only managers to lose at least each of their first four with a Dutch club in the competition are Giovanni van Bronckhorst with Feyenoord (first 5 in 2017) and Co Adriaanse with Willem II (first 4 in 1999)

Wout Weghorst scored in Ajax’s 5-1 loss to Chelsea last time out, only his third goal in major European competition since 2020 – only in one of his previous five campaigns in Europe has he scored more than once, netting twice for Wolfsburg in the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League.

Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen has scored in each of his last seven appearances in major European competition, with Robert Lewandowsi the last to go on a longer run between November 2020 and 2021 (9 for Bayern Munich).

Club Brugge v Barcelona

Club Brugge are winless in their four matches against Barcelona in Europe (D1 L3), although this will be their first meeting since a 1-0 win for Barcelona in October 2002 (UEFA Champions League).

Barcelona were beaten in their last away game against a Belgian side, losing 3-2 at Royal Antwerp in the UEFA Champions League in December 2023. Indeed, they have lost (5) more often than they have won (4) across their nine away matches against Belgian sides in Europe.

Of the 28 matches played between Belgian and Spanish sides in the UEFA Champions League, only five of them have been won by the Belgians (D8 L15). However, they have won the last two they have hosted: Club Brugge 2-0 Atlético Madrid in October 2022 and Royal Antwerp 3-2 Barcelona in December 2023.

Club Brugge are unbeaten in each of their last four group/league phase home games in the UEFA Champions League (W3 D1), their best ever run in the competition. That includes a 4-1 win over Monaco on MD1.

Barcelona beat Newcastle 2-1 on MD1 and will be aiming to win both of their first two away games in a UEFA Champions League campaign for the first time since 2020-21 under Ronald Koeman (first three).

 

FCB v FCB. ✨🔵⚫️ pic.twitter.com/5j8BksoPfE

— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) November 5, 2025

 

Club Brugge have lost four of their last five matches in the UEFA Champions League (W1), as many defeats as they suffered across their previous 15 major European games (W8 D3) – they could lose three straight in the same edition for the first time since December 2021 (4).

Since the start of last season Barcelona are the leading goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League with 52 goals and have scored 3+ goals in 11 different games, more often than any other side.

18-year-old Pau Cubarsí could make his 20th UEFA Champions League appearance in this game – the Barcelona defender would be only the third player to hit that milestone before turning 19, along with teammate Lamine Yamal (17 years, 270 days) and PSG’s Warren Zaïre-Emery (18 years, 277 days).

Only Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise (7) and Sporting CP’s Luis Suárez (6) have recorded more shots following a carry of 5+ metres than Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis (5) so far in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.

Marcus Rashford has scored four goals in three UEFA Champions League appearances for Barcelona, after going goalless in his 12 outings in the competition prior (8 for Manchester United, 4 for Aston Villa). The only player to score five goals for the club within four appearances is Robert Lewandowski in 2022-23 (5 in 4).

Benfica v Bayer Leverkusen

Benfica have only lost one of their six games against Bayer Leverkusen (W2 D3) in European competition, while they’re unbeaten in their three home matches against them (W1 D2).

Bayer Leverkusen have only won one of their four away games against Portuguese sides in the UEFA Champions League, going winless and failing to score in the three (D2 L1) since a 2-0 win over Sporting CP in October 1997.

Benfica manager José Mourinho’s only previous meetings with Bayer Leverkusen came in the semifinals of the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League, where his Roma side eliminated them 1-0 on aggregate to reach the final. Mourinho’s side kept a clean sheet in both legs against a Xabi Alonso-led Leverkusen, winning 1-0 at home and drawing 0-0 in Germany.

Benfica have lost each of their last five UEFA Champions League games, their longest run in major European competition since an eight-game streak in the same competition between March 2017 and September 2018; 2025 is only the third calendar year in which they have lost 6+ times in Europe after 2017 (7) and 2008 (6).

When losing 7-2 to PSG on MD3, Bayer Leverkusen conceded seven goals in a European game for only the second time ever (284th game), also doing so in a 7-1 loss at Barcelona in March 2012 in the UEFA Champions League – that was as many goals as they conceded across the whole of last season’s league phase.

Benfica are one of just two teams to have suffered three defeats in this season’s UEFA Champions League along with Ajax – the Eagles have lost each of their opening four games of a major European campaign just before: the 2017-18 (first six) and 2023-24 (first four) Champions League seasons.

Bayer Leverkusen have suffered the most build up attacks against in the UEFA Champions League this season (20 – 11 on MD3, 6 on MD2, 3 on MD1), with only the opponents of Napoli (15.3s) and Eintracht Frankfurt (14.9s) averaging longer open sequences than Leverkusen’s (14.7s).

Bayer Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand remains winless in nine UEFA Champions League games, conceding 32 goals across six defeats and three draws. In fact, his average of 3.6 goals against per game is the highest of any manager with at least nine games.

Vangelis Pavlidis has scored five goals in his last four UEFA Champions League appearances at the Estádio da Luz. Of the nine goals that Benfica have scored in home matches in the competition in 2025, the Greek striker has been directly involved in 67 per cent of them (6/9 – five goals, one assist).

As well as completing the most passes of any Bayern Leverkusen player (42) on MD3, Aleix García scored twice against PSG; more than he netted across his first 12 outings in the competition (1).

Internazionale v Kairat

This will be Internazionale’s first meeting with Kairat, as well as the first ever between sides from Italy and Kazakhstan in any European competition.

Internazionale have won nine of their last 10 UEFA Champions League games when meeting an opponent for the first time, with the exception being their 5-0 defeat to PSG in last season’s final.

Internazionale have won nine of their last 10 UEFA Champions League group stage games without conceding (0-1 v Bayern Leverkusen on 2024-25 MD6 the exception), and are the only team to keep 10 clean sheets in group/league phase games since the start of last season.

Kairat remain winless across their first three UEFA Champions League games (D1 L2), scoring just once and conceding nine times – the only teams to score one or fewer and concede more than 10 goals across their first four matches in the competition are Levski Sofia in 2006 (1F 13A), MSK Zilina in 2010 (1F 15A) and FC Nordsjælland in 2012 (1F 11A).

Internazionale have won each of their last three UEFA Champions League games without conceding, scoring 2+ goals in each win – only three teams have ever won four straight matches to nil while also scoring more than once each time: Bayern Munich in 2012-13, Borussia Dortmund in 2014-15 and PSG in 2017-18 (Arsenal could also do so on MD4).

On MD3, Kairat’s opponents Pafos received a fourth minute red card but the game still finished 0-0 – it was the longest a side has played against 10-men in the competition without scoring. The Kazakh club have recorded the worst conversion rate in the UEFA Champions League this season (2.4 per cent - 42 shots, 1 goal).

Internazionale’s 4-0 win at Union Saint-Gilloise on MD3 was their joint-biggest victory in the UEFA Champions League – their nine goals this season is their most through three games in an edition of the competition since 2010-11 when they were the holders (10).

Internazionale manager Cristian Chivu is aiming to be the first manager to win each of their first four UEFA Champions League games since Hansi Flick in 2020, and the first ever to do so without conceding.

Internazionale’s Lautaro Martínez has scored 24 goals in the UEFA Champions League and the only Argentinian players with more in the competition are Lionel Messi (129), Sergio Agüero (41) and Hernán Crespo (25). He has scored 11 goals in his last 10, with no player scoring more times in major European competition this calendar year (Harry Kane also 11).

Making five saves against Pafos on MD3, Kairat’s Temirlan Anarbekov (22y 7d) become the fourth youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on their UEFA Champions League debut across the last 20 seasons, after Atlético de Madrid’s Sergio Asenjo in September 2009 (20y 79d), Sturm Graz’s Daniil Khudyakov in November 2024 (20y 323d) and Porto’s Diogo Costa in December 2020 (21y 81d).

Marseille v Atalanta

The previous two meetings between Marseille and Atalanta came in the semifinals of the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League. After a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg, Marseille were eliminated from the tournament following a 3-0 defeat in the return leg in Italy (lost 4-1 on aggregate).

Atalanta haven’t won any of their four games against French sides played outside of Italy (D2 L2), drawing against Lyon (September 2017) and Marseille (May 2024) in the UEFA Europa League, along with two defeats to Paris SG in the UEFA Champions League (August 2020 and September 2025).

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has lost seven of his nine matches against Atalanta across all competitions (W1 D1); his joint-most defeats against an opponent in his managerial career (also seven versus Juventus).

Marseille are unbeaten in each of their last eight home games in major European competition (W7 D2) and could go nine without loss for the first time this century – only between 1989 and 1999 have they have gone nine or more without loss overall in such competitions at home, setting the second longest such streak by a French Side (23, behind PSG’s 31, 2006 – 2015).

Atalanta have lost only two of their 11 UEFA Champions League group/league phase games since the start of last season (W5 D4), while only Internazionale (10) and Arsenal (8) have kept more clean sheets than the Italian side in round one matches in that same period (6).

Marseille have spent just nine per cent of their UEFA Champions League match time this season in a losing position (28 minutes), the lowest proportion of any side to have suffered multiple defeats in the competition in 2025-26. The French side do average the third worst xG difference per 90 while drawing however (-1.8, 114 minutes), behind only Eintracht Frankfurt (-2.4) and Kairat (-2.2).

Atalanta are one of only three teams to both record and face at least 45 shots in the UEFA Champions League this season (49 for, 45 against); on MD3, La Dea’s 0-0 draw with Slavia Prague saw the most shots on record (since 2003-04) in a match that finished goalless in the competition (38 – 22 for, 16 against).

Marseille’s Igor Paixão has scored three goals in the UEFA Champions League this season with André Ayew in 2011-12 the last player to net more times in a campaign for the club (4) – the only other non-French players to net more than three times in a single edition of the Champions League for the French side are Didier Drogba in 2003-04 (5) and Alen Boksic in 1992-93 (4).

Against Slavia Prague last time out, Charles De Ketelaere created six chances for the second time in a UEFA Champions League game for Atalanta (also v Club Brugge in February), the only player to do so in more than one game for the club in the competition.

Marseille pair Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (1 goal) and Igor Paixão (2 goals) have combined to score three goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, more than any other teammates in 2025-26.

Alexis Mac Allister scored the only goal as Liverpool beat Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Luis Diaz grabbed a brace as Bayern Munich sunk title-holders Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the French capital.

Premier League leaders Arsenal won 3-0 at Slavia Prague as rising star Max Dowman came off the bench to become the youngest player in the competition's history, at just 15 years and 308 days old.

Leaders Bayern and second-placed Arsenal remain the only teams with a perfect record in the competition – alongside Inter Milan, who play their fourth match on Wednesday against Kazakh newcomers Kairat Almaty.

At Anfield, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a stellar performance to frustrate six-time champions Liverpool.

Statement W secured 🔒

Bayern München's perfect start to 2025/26 continues 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/r18R8fAFzy

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 4, 2025

In a performance reminiscent of his match-defining display in the 2022 final against the same opposition – which the Spaniards won 1-0 – Courtois produced eight saves to keep back the hosts.

"He is a fantastic 'keeper – we all know," Mac Allister told Amazon Prime. "But today I think we were better and deserved to win."

The Argentinian eventually broke Courtois' resistance shortly after the hour with a header from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick in an encounter which saw former Liverpool hero Trent Alexander-Arnold return to his hometown amid a hail of boos when he emerged from the Madrid bench late on.

Arne Slot will be hoping the result marks a turning point for his side after they had come into the match with six defeats in their previous eight outings.

For previously unbeaten Madrid, it was first defeat in any competition since September's 5-2 reversal at Atletico Madrid.

"It's a tough blow to take because we came from a run of good games, but the important thing is to move forwards," Real's Fede Valverde told Movistar.

 'JUST THE BEGINNING' 

PSG welcomed Bayern to the Parc des Princes for a fixture which midfielder Vitinha had said would bring together "the two best teams in Europe".

And it was the Bundesliga champions who emerged victorious as they made it 16 wins from 16 outings in all competitions this season.

"I know the Champions League winner is not decided now, otherwise PSG would not have won it last season," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.

"But this was a very important three points."

Summer signing Diaz claimed the headlines as he netted a brace before being sent off for a dangerous tackle on Achraf Hakimi, all in the opening 45 minutes.

Hakimi had to be helped from the field in tears, following recent Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele who came off after just 25 minutes.

Bayern took the lead inside five minutes and then overwhelmed PSG's usually unflappable midfield and defence with their intense pressing game.

Diaz grabbed a second when he robbed Marquinhos of possession and slotted home after the half-hour.

His dismissal then changed the game as PSG fought back in the second period but Joao Neves' 74th-minute header was not enough to stop the Ligue 1 champions falling to a first defeat in this year's league phase.

Bayern, on the other hand, sit top with a perfect 12 points.

Arsenal lie just behind them after a Mikel Merino-inspired win in the Czech Republic earned them a fourth win from four.

The Spaniard netted twice in the second period to seal victory against Slavia Prague, after Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from 12 yards in the 32nd minute.

Another cleansheet meant Mikel Arteta's side are still yet to concede in the competition this year.

"We are a very strong team, we are performing in an amazing way with a lot of clean sheets," Merino said.

"But we know that this is just the beginning and we have to keep up this good work in the future to win big things."

Elsewhere, Micky van de Ven scored a stunning solo effort as Europa League winners Tottenham won 4-0 at home to FC Copenhagen.

Atletico Madrid got back to winning ways following a heavy defeat to Arsenal last time out by seeing off Belgium's Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1.

Serie A sides Napoli and Juventus both endured frustrating draws as the league champions played out a goalless stalemate at home to Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon held Juventus 1-1 – the Old Lady's third draw so far this campaign.

Monaco earned a first win, 1-0 at debutants Bodo/Glimt of Norway, and PSV Eindhoven drew 1-1 at Olympiacos.

On Wednesday, Inter Milan will seek to rejoin Bayern and Arsenal atop the standings, while Manchester City host Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao travel to Newcastle's St James' Park.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said the English champions must build from the back after producing their best performance of the season to beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Prior to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool had lost six of their previous seven games and gone 10 matches without a clean sheet.

Madrid arrived in Merseyside in free-scoring form, but were limited to very few opportunities as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois prevented an embarrassing score for the 15-time European champions.

"It is easy to say now because we won twice in a row. In a world of chaos you have to stay calm and see perspective of things," said Van Dijk.

"We all know how football works – it can change overnight."

Arsenal lead Liverpool by seven points at the top of the Premier League and have also won their opening four Champions League games thanks to a run of eight consecutive clean sheets.

Liverpool face another huge test of their title defence on Sunday when Van Dijk faces Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who has struck 26 times this season for club and country.

"You can see at the moment Arsenal are flying, and it is down to clean sheets and not conceding chances," added Van Dijk.

"We have the quality to hurt anyone on the break – it starts with the defending. Today you saw the hard work.

"We have to keep going. Sunday is going to be another difficult one."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot highlighted the importance of a return to Anfield for his side's upturn in fortunes over the past week.

Of the Reds six defeats this season, only two have come at home, one of which was when Slot fielded a much-changed side against Crystal Palace in the League Cup last week.

"It helps if you can play in front of these fans and you can play in front of Real Madrid because I think that brings the best out of my players and out of our fans," said Slot.

"A great performance against a team that only lost once all season. It could have been a bit more maybe."

Trent Alexander-Arnold was given a hostile reception on his return to Anfield as a late Madrid substitute.

The England international was once a hero of the Liverpool crowd after winning seven major trophies during his time with his hometown club.

Conor Bradley has struggled to nail down his place as Alexander-Arnold's successor at right-back in an inconsistent start to the season.

But the Northern Irishman was outstanding in locking down the threat of Vinicius Junior, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate kept the prolific Kylian Mbappe quiet.

"I said before the game that they have scored 26 goals in LaLiga, and Mbappe and Vinicius together have 24 goal contributions (goals or assists)," added Slot.

"If you want to win this game you have to make sure that these two are not on the scoresheet.

"Conor was outstanding. To be up against Vinicius so many times one against one is not for everyone. He did outstanding today."

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said the reigning European champions would have to wait to learn the extent of injuries suffered by star duo Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi in Tuesday's Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

Recent Ballon d'Or winner Dembele came off after just 25 minutes before Moroccan star Hakimi had to be helped from the field in tears in first-half stoppage time as Bayern won the game 2-1 in Paris.

"We will have to wait until tomorrow to see the results of the tests to find out the extent of the injuries, but Ousmane's injury has nothing to do with his last one," said Luis Enrique.

France forward Dembele was starting for just the second time since suffering a hamstring injury playing for France at the start of September.

Hakimi, meanwhile, was taken off after his left ankle twisted awkwardly under a Luis Diaz challenge which led to the Bayern player being sent off.

"That's football, it's a contact sport," Luis Enrique said, recalling the leg fracture suffered by Bayern's Jamal Musiala during the Club World Cup quarterfinal between the same teams in the United States in July.

"It's a shame because it is complicated for the players but I remember the injury Musiala got in the summer and it is just one of these moments of bad luck."

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany added: "All that matters is that Hakimi recovers quickly.

"What can I say. The intensity levels were massive. It is an unfortunate moment and that can happen. He didn't mean to injure him."

Diaz had scored twice for Bayern in a first half they completely dominated, and the German giants held on in the second half with 10 men despite Joao Neves pulling one back for PSG.

'DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE'

Bayern have now won 16 straight games in all competitions since the start of this season and are top of the Champions League standings with the maximum 12 points halfway through the league phase.

"It is great that we managed to get a result like that holding on as a team," said Kompany, who played down the significance of his side's winning run.

"For me the main thing I tell my players is that when there is hype, please don't believe it, you're not that good, and if you lose, you're not that bad.

"Now we have won 16 but from tomorrow onwards it is back to zero. I know the Champions League winner is not decided now, otherwise PSG would not have won it last season.

"Now it is about getting to the next round and this was a very important three points."

Despite the defeat, PSG have nine points from four matches and remain very much on course to advance to the knockout phase before hosting Tottenham in their next game.

"I think in the first half they were superior to us. They created more chances than us and we gifted them goals," Luis Enrique said before returning to the issue of player fitness which has hampered his team's start to the season.

"I can't recall any game this season where we have played with everyone fit, but this is a different season and we have to handle that. I am not making any excuses."

Luis Diaz scored twice and was sent off as Bayern Munich maintained their perfect record this season with a statement 2-1 win away to title-holders Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday in a glamour Champions League tie marred by a first-half injury to Achraf Hakimi.

The Colombian gave Bayern a fourth-minute lead at the Parc des Princes and then pounced on slack defending to score again just after the half-hour mark.

However, the former Liverpool winger was then shown a red card in first-half stoppage time following a rash challenge on Hakimi which forced PSG's Moroccan star off in tears.

Joao Neves pulled one back for PSG but Bayern held on despite playing the entire second half a man down, and despite Harry Kane failing to add to his 25 goals for club and country this season.

1️⃣6️⃣ 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗔 𝗥𝗢𝗪!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1n1wnap3BJ

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 4, 2025

That in part illustrates the impact on PSG of losing the attacking thrust of all-action right-back Hakimi.

The German side's sensational start to the campaign has seen them win all 16 games in all competitions, including their first four in the Champions League – they have scored 56 goals altogether and are one of only two clubs with 12 points in the 36-team standings in Europe's elite competition alongside Arsenal.

As Vincent Kompany's men march on, it remains to be seen what the consequences for PSG will be of the injury to Hakimi, who is due to lead Morocco into the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil next month.

PSG also saw Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele come off in the first half, cutting short just his second start in two months after a hamstring injury.

Luis Enrique's team, who won last season's Champions League final in style against Inter Milan in Munich, have been hampered by fitness issues in this campaign – Desire Doue, the best player in that final, was already missing here due to injury.

The actual consequences of losing this encounter may be less problematic than the injuries, however. PSG came into this midweek on top of the Champions League standings and they remain well placed to qualify for the knockout rounds halfway through the league phase.

This was a heavyweight meeting of the Champions League's top two after the first three games, and a repeat of the 2020 final, won 1-0 by Bayern in Lisbon.

HAKIMI TEARS

It was also a rerun of the Club World Cup quarterfinal won 2-0 by PSG in Atlanta in July, and that remains the German giants' last competitive loss.

This was a massive test of their credentials but the visitors scored from their first opening, as Michael Olise was denied by goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier only for the loose ball to fall to Diaz to fire in.

 

The hosts had not created anything before momentarily thinking they were level midway through the first half when Dembele chested in a Fabian Ruiz shot from close range.

However the effort was disallowed for offside and Dembele was replaced shortly after, making way for Lee Kang-in and heading straight down the tunnel in what PSG fans will hope was just a precautionary move.

A whirlwind spell around the half-hour saw Bradley Barcola come close for Paris and Serge Gnabry try a shot at the other end that hit one post and grazed the other on its way out.

Then Bayern scored again on 32 minutes as Diaz robbed a hesitant Marquinhos just outside the area and slotted in.

A Josip Stanisic strike for Bayern was ruled out before Diaz went from hero to villain on the stroke of halftime when he clumsily chopped down Hakimi, and the Moroccan's left ankle twisted awkwardly under the challenge.

As Hakimi sobbed and was helped off, being replaced by Senny Mayulu, the referee gave Diaz a yellow card and then upgraded it to red after a review.

PSG struggled to make the extra man count in the second half before substitute Neves fired in from close range from Lee's deflected cross on 74 minutes. That set up a grandstand finish, but Bayern held out.

𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗥!! ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/yL0gltvtUP

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 4, 2025