The first matchday of the Champions League concluded on Wednesday with some entertaining matches (watch all the action on Paramount+). Several of Europe’s top teams secured important victories, including Bayern Munich and Arsenal. However, it was not smooth sailing for Manchester United and Real Madrid. With matchday one now behind us, the path to the final in the spring becomes even more intriguing.
Here are a few key takeaways from Wednesday’s matches.
Scoreboard
- Real Madrid 1, Union Berlin 0
- Galatasaray 2, Copenhagen 2
- Bayern Munich 4, Manchester United 3
- Benfica 0, RB Salzburg 2
- Braga 1, Napoli 2
- Arsenal 0, PSV 4
- Sevilla 1, Lens 1
- Real Sociedad 1, Inter Milan 1
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Arsenal Impresses in Champions League Return
Arsenal made a strong statement in their first Champions League match in six years with a dominant 4-0 victory. They controlled the game from beginning to end, starting their scoring early with Bukayo Saka’s first Champions League goal in the eighth minute. This win puts them at the top of Group B, ahead of Sevilla and Lens who drew their match. Arsenal continues their impressive form this season and aims to make their return to the Champions League a memorable one.
The match also highlighted David Raya’s second consecutive start in goal for Arsenal, following their 1-0 win over Everton on Sunday. Raya’s performances have raised questions about the team’s goalkeeper situation. However, manager Mikel Arteta has refrained from providing clear answers regarding Raya’s status as the first-choice goalkeeper over Aaron Ramsdale. Nevertheless, Raya’s appearance against PSV may provide some insights.
Real Madrid and Inter Milan Disappoint in Front of Goal
Real Madrid and Inter both managed to secure points and score goals in their Champions League matches, but their attacking performances left much to be desired. It was no surprise that Madrid’s Jude Bellingham found the back of the net, but the team’s talented attackers struggled to score until the 94th minute. Real Madrid had 32 shots in total but only seven on target. Their expected goals tally was 3.38, indicating a below-average attacking performance.
Madrid’s offensive output could be attributed to some bad luck. On the other hand, Inter Milan also had an underwhelming attacking display in their 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad. Last season’s finalists managed only one shot on target out of their seven attempts. Their expected goals total was 0.54, compared to Sociedad’s 14 shots, four on target, and expected goals tally of 1.38. The timing of Inter’s shots is also worth noting, with their first goal coming in the 18th minute and the second in the 86th minute. While they finished the match strongly and Lautaro Martinez scored a goal, the performance was a far cry from their 5-1 victory over AC Milan last weekend.
Manchester United’s Struggles Continue
With only two wins in their first five Premier League matches, Manchester United needed a strong performance against Bayern Munich to turn their season around. While there were some positives in their 4-3 loss, the much-needed result eluded them.
One glaring defensive mistake came from Andre Onana, who gifted Leroy Sane a goal in the 28th minute. However, it wasn’t the only defensive error for United. Their performance was marred by sloppy mistakes at the back, making it a concerning trend. United has now conceded three or more goals in their last three games.
Despite scoring three times against Bayern Munich, which is an improvement from their recent 3-1 losses to Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United’s defensive vulnerabilities remain a cause for concern. Manager Erik ten Hag is under pressure to deliver impressive performances after significant investment over the summer, but the team has yet to live up to expectations.
