Champions League Matchday 1: PSG Rolls Behind Star Trio; Messi Beats Buffon Twice
The Champions League is back–and it returned in a big way.
The opening day of the group stage featured eight games and some heavyweight matchups, with PSG not disappointing in a 5-0 rout of Celtic, while Lionel Messi finally beat Gianluigi Buffon–twice–in leading Barcelona over Juventus 3-0. Bayern Munich and Manchester United were also 3-0 winners, while Chelsea routed upstart Qarabag 6-0.
Here are all the results, followed by the top highlights of the day:
Barcelona 3-0 Juventus
Celtic 0-5 PSG
Manchester United 3-0 Basel
Benfica 1-2 CSKA Moscow
Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag
Roma 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Bayern Munich 3-0 Anderlecht
Olympiakos 2-3 Sporting CP
KIMMICH ICES BAYERN'S WIN
Joshua Kimmich followed up his assist to Thiago with a goal of his own in the 90th minute, giving Bayern Munich a comprehensive 3-0 lead over Anderlecht. Bayern will end the day second in the group based on goal differential compared to PSG.
PSG DESTROYS CELTIC'S GOAL DIFFERENTIAL LATE
At 3-0, Celtic was having a disappointing, if not manageable day, but a late own goal and Edinson Cavani's second of the game extended PSG's advantage to 5-0 in the 85th minute. It'll be an expected uphill battle in a group that also has Bayern Munich.
RASHFORD SECURES THE THREE POINTS
Marcus Rashford finished off the job for Manchester United, scoring in his Champions League debut–it's what Rashford does, after all–to make it 3-0 in the 84th minute.
BATSHUAYI SENDS CHELSEA CLEAR
It's been all Blues at Stamford Bridge, with Michy Batshuayi scoring twice to become the fifth Chelsea goalscorer on the day and extending the lead to 6-0.
MESSI'S SECOND INCREASES BARCELONA'S EDGE
Lionel Messi found paydirt for a second time, burying Juventus in the 69th minute on a sensational play.
BAKAYOKO GETS HIS FIRST FOR CHELSEA
It's been a Chelsea free-for-all against Qarabag, with new signing Tiemoue Bakayoko scoring his first for the club on a deflected chance, making it 4-0 to the Blues.
CSKA GETS ITS FIRST LEAD
After an early deficit, CSKA battled back to take the lead, with Timur Zhamaletdinov scoring the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute–four minutes after he had come off the bench–thanks to this gift on the rebound.
THIAGO STRETCHES BAYERN'S ADVANTAGE
Bayern made good on its man advantage, with Thiago Alcantara doubling the club's lead over Anderlecht in the 55th minute after finishing off Joshua Kimmich's pinpoint cross. The goal came after Anderlecht had nearly found an equalizer but hit the post earlier in the half.
CSKA PULLS EVEN
Vitinho leveled from the spot for CSKA Moscow after Andre Almeida conceded the penalty that provided the chance. Benfica 1, CSKA 1.
RAKITIC DOUBLES BARCELONA'S LEAD
Lionel Messi created the danger for Barcelona, carrying down the right channel, before his cross was pushed into Ivan Rakitic's path. The Croatian didn't miss his clear look from the center of the box, facing an empty net, doubling Barcelona's lead over Juventus just before the hour mark.
AZPILICUETA MAKES IT THREE
Chelsea coasted to a 3-0 lead over Qarabag with Cesar Azpilicueta scoring the third a few minutes into the second half. The goal was a peach, with Cesc Fabregas's trivela cross meeting Azpilicueta, who made like a center forward with his flicked-on header toward goal
Making matters better for Chelsea, Eden Hazard made his return to the field, replacing Pedro soon after the goal.
LUKAKU ADDS TO UNITED'S LEAD
After watching countryman Marouane Fellaini open the scoring, Belgium star forward Romelu Lukaku got into the scoring act as well, doubling United's lead with a header of his own in his first Champions League game with the club.
MESSI HITS THE POST
After beating Gianluigi Buffon before halftime, Lionel Messi nearly did it again minutes into the second half, ripping a shot from 18 yards by the Juventus goalkeeper but off the right post.
BENFICA BREAKS DEADLOCK
Benfica and CSKA Moscow played to a 0-0 draw through the first half, but Haris Seferovic changed that with his 50th-minute strike in Portugal.
MESSI FINALLY BEATS BUFFON
Conquering Gianluigi Buffon is no long on Lionel Messi's very tiny "needs-to-do" list. The Barcelona star broke through against his Italian counterpart at last, working a beautiful combination with Luis Suarez and new signing Ousmane Dembele, giving Buffon no chance by finding the far corner just before halftime to give Barcelona a 1-0 lead over Juventus at Camp Nou.
A THIRD FOR SPORTING
It's been a walk in the park at Olympiakos, with the Portuguese side easing to a 3-0 lead behind Bruno Fernandes, who scored just a couple of minutes before halftime.
CAVANI NOT LEFT OUT FOR PSG
After watching Neymar and Kylian Mbappe score, Edinson Cavani got one of his own, converting from the penalty spot to give PSG a massive 3-0 lead 40 minutes in at Celtic.
FELLAINI OPENS SCORING FOR MAN UNITED
He might not be everyone's favorite player, but Jose Mourinho loves Marouane Fellaini, and he'll love him even more after his header off of Ashley Young's cross gave United the 1-0 lead over Basel 35 minutes in at Old Trafford.
MBAPPE PILES ON FOR PSG
After Neymar's earlier goal, it was the "other" PSG summer signing's turn to get in on the action. After six goals in the Champions League knockout stage last season, Mbappe picked up where he left off, just wearing a different uniform, and taking assists from Neymar.
ZAPPACOSTA DOUBLES CHELSEA'S LEAD
Davide Zappacosta scored on his full debut for Chelsea, with the deadline-day arrival giving Chelsea a comfortable 2-0 advantage over Qarabag with a sensational strike from a wide area.
BUFFON STILL HAS IT
Gianluigi Buffon denied Luis Suarez with a sensational save after a Lionel Messi free kick from 20 yards and straightaway was hit directly into the wall. The Uruguayan was ready on the rebound, but Buffon never lost his focus, either, tipping it over the bar.
NEYMAR BREAKS THROUGH FOR PSG
It had to be Neymar. The record summer signing gave PSG its first lead in the Champions League at Celtic, finishing off a breakaway to make it 1-0 and continue his scorching form since changing clubs.
POGBA EXITS INJURED
Manchester United's return to the Champions League did not go as it scripted, with Paul Pogba exiting in the 19th minute vs. Basel with an apparent left hamstring injury and United locked in a 0-0 battle at Old Trafford.
SPORTING DOUBLES ITS LEAD
Sporting CP is wasting no time going for the three points in Greece. Sporting Gelson Martins doubled the club's advantage over Olympiakos 13 minutes in, with earlier goal-scorer Seydou Doumbia setting him up on a brilliant counterattack.
BAYERN LEADS FROM THE SPOT
Robert Lewandowski has been the subject of transfer controversy with recent comments made–and acknowledged by the club's CEO–about the club's transfer business, and he was at the center of Bayern's opener vs. Anderlecht. After drawing a penalty, the Poland star converted from the spot in the 12th minute to give Bayern a 1-0 lead.
The early red card to Sven Kums does not bode well for Anderlecht and its goal differential, with the club down to 10 men for the remainder of the day.
CHELSEA OFF AND RUNNING
Chelsea is the heavy favorite against Azerbaijan's Qarabag, and it's in no mood for an upset. Pedro scores five minutes in for the Premier League champions on a brilliant curling strike.
A QUICK START IN GREECE
Seydou Doumbia has scored just two minutes in with the header for Sporting CP at Olympiakos! Not the start the hosts were looking for. 1-0 Sporting!
The lineups are in across the continent, and the big names are present as expected:
The Champions League slate picks up steam on Wednesday, with Tottenham vs. Dortmund and Liverpool vs. Sevilla headlining the action, while Real Madrid commences another title defense against APOEL.
