A thrilling round of Champions League soccer, packed with goals, dramatic comebacks and stunning results, brought the second round of matches to a close. The spotlight was on Real Madrid's remarkable 4-3 victory over Roma, as Los Blancos came from 3-1 down at the Stadio Olimpico to score three times in the final eight minutes and snatch an extraordinary win.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain recorded their first-ever victory at the Etihad Stadium, beating Manchester City 4-2 despite Erling Haaland's late brace. Aston Villa produced an emphatic 6-0 demolition of Fenerbahce, while Bodo/Glimt pulled off another surprise in Norway with a 1-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain made history at the Etihad Stadium, claiming their first-ever win at Manchester City's home ground with an emphatic 4-2 victory over the Premier League leaders. The result ended City's eight-match winning streak in all competitions and extended PSG's unbeaten run in the Champions League to 12 games. The match was also attended by Pep Guardiola, who watched his current team from the stands.
The French side delivered a superb first-half performance, racing into a 3-0 lead through Desire Doue (13), Ousmane Dembele (15) and Vitinha (32). Erling Haaland attempted to spark a City comeback with goals in the 53rd and 75th minutes, but Maghnes Akliouche's spectacular strike in the 63rd minute restored PSG's three-goal cushion and ultimately secured the victory. PSG could have added a fifth, but substitute Ferran Torres missed a penalty in the 90th minute. For City, who had opened their campaign with a 2-0 win over Porto, it was a particularly painful defeat at a ground where they had lost only once in their previous 25 home matches in the competition's group or league phase.
Match report
13th minute: Goal! PSG lead 1-0. After Manchester City had enjoyed a promising spell, Doue caught Gianluigi Donnarumma off guard with a powerful, low shot from around 20 meters. The goalkeeper failed to cover his near post, and the ball found the back of the net.
15th minute: Goal! PSG double their lead. Just two minutes later, Dembele changed direction and passed to Doue, who crossed the ball back toward him from inside the box. The move culminated in Dembele heading home to make it 2-0.
31st minute: Achraf Hakimi found himself unmarked in the middle of the box and headed against the post, giving City a reprieve.
32nd minute: Goal! PSG make it 3-0. Warren Zaire-Emery played a backheel to Vitinha, who took one touch before curling the ball into the near corner. Donnarumma was beaten for the third time.
45+2nd minute: Jeremy Doku raced down the left and found himself in a promising position against Matvey Safonov, but his weak shot went straight into the goalkeeper's hands.
53rd minute: Goal! Manchester City pull one back to make it 3-1. Iliman Ndiaye crossed from the left, and Haaland redirected the ball with a header. Safonov managed to get a touch on it, but could not prevent it from crossing the line.
63rd minute: Goal! PSG restore their three-goal advantage at 4-1. Akliouche unleashed a stunning shot into the top corner. Donnarumma dived and managed to get a hand to the ball, but it bounced off the turf and crossed the line.
70th minute: Josko Gvardiol appeared to have beaten Safonov, but his header was cleared off the line.
75th minute: Goal! Just half a minute after heading against the crossbar, Haaland completed his brace. Left unmarked in the center of the box, the Norwegian fired home with a first-time finish to make it 4-2.
88th minute: Penalty to PSG! Matheus Nunes fouled Nuno Mendes inside the box, and the referee upheld the decision following a VAR review.
90th minute: Penalty missed! Torres stepped up to take the spot kick, but his weak effort rolled straight into Donnarumma's hands.
Roma 3-4 Real Madrid
What a dramatic round at the Stadio Olimpico! Jose Mourinho returned to the stadium where he had led Roma to victory in the UEFA Europa Conference League, receiving a warm welcome from supporters of his former club. By the end of an extraordinary evening, however, it was Real Madrid celebrating a 4-3 victory after completing a stunning comeback from 3-1 down in the final eight minutes.
Marten de Roon put Roma ahead in the 20th minute, but Kylian Mbappe equalized five minutes later with a long-range strike in his 100th Champions League appearance. Donyell Malen restored the Italian side's lead in the 51st minute before completing a quickfire brace in the 57th, putting Roma 3-1 ahead and seemingly in control.
Real Madrid intensified their search for a way back into the game, and just when their chances appeared to have all but disappeared, Los Blancos once again showed why they should never be written off. The substitutes made the difference: Espi pulled one back in the 83rd minute after Endrick's header was parried, and two minutes later Endrick headed home the equalizer from an Arda Guler cross. Real were not finished. In the 90th minute, Antonio Rudiger, himself a former Roma player, rose to head in the winner and secure Real Madrid's second consecutive victory at the start of their European campaign.
Match report
10th minute: Roma supporters had already dedicated at least three banners and a series of chants to Mourinho. The bond between "The Special One" and the Roman crowd remained as strong as ever, and perhaps had grown even stronger.
20th minute: Goal! Roma lead 1-0. Marten de Roon waited around 18 meters from goal, received a pass from Matias Soule and unleashed a powerful first-time shot. The ball took a deflection and beat Thibaut Courtois.
25th minute: Goal! Mbappe showed that he, too, could strike from distance. Making his 100th Champions League appearance, the Frenchman shot from around 20 meters. The ball deflected off Gianluca Mancini on its way into the net, leveling the score at 1-1 at the Olimpico.
31st minute: Marc Cucurella had a chance to complete the turnaround but fired wide from a promising position inside the box. Mbappe was furious that he had not passed him the ball.
45+2nd minute: Real Madrid launched a quick attack, with Vinicius Junior cutting the ball back to Jude Bellingham. The Englishman came close to sending Los Blancos into halftime ahead, but his shot toward the far corner narrowly missed the post.
51st minute: Goal! Malen restores Roma's lead. Vinicius Junior lost possession in midfield, allowing Roma to launch a counterattack that ended with the Dutchman finishing comfortably in a one-on-one situation against Courtois.
57th minute: Goal! Roma go 3-1 ahead! Soule played a through ball that sent Malen clear against Courtois, and the Dutchman appeared to complete a quickfire brace. The assistant referee initially raised his flag for offside, but a VAR review showed that Federico Valverde had kept Malen onside. The goal stood, sending the Olimpico into a frenzy.
82nd minute: Goal! Real Madrid pull one back to make it 3-2. Two substitutes combined to bring Los Blancos back into contention. Endrick's header was parried by Pierluigi Gollini, and Espi reacted quickest to the rebound to score. The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but a VAR review established that there had been no infringement, and it was allowed to stand.
85th minute: Goal! It's 3-3 at the Olimpico! Guler delivered a precise corner to Endrick, who rose to head the ball into the net and complete Real Madrid's comeback.
90th minute: Goal! Real Madrid complete the turnaround! Guler delivered another pinpoint cross into the box, and Rudiger rose high to head home the winner and seal a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Aston Villa 6-0 Fenerbahce
Aston Villa celebrated their first home win of the season in emphatic fashion, thrashing Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park. Unai Emery's side maintained their perfect start to the Champions League campaign, moving to six points from two matches after their 3-2 win over Club Brugge. They also extended their impressive record to 15 victories in their last 17 matches in UEFA competitions.
Fenerbahce, featuring Mason Greenwood as he returned to play in England for the first time in more than 1,000 days, struggled throughout and were ultimately overwhelmed by the English side.
Johan Manzambi marked his 21st birthday by scoring on his Champions League debut in the 12th minute, while Nicolas Jackson struck twice before halftime, in the 31st and 39th minutes. Villa continued their assault after the break, with Ross Barkley scoring twice in four minutes, from the penalty spot in the 68th minute and again in the 72nd. Substitute Tammy Abraham completed the rout in the 90th minute.
For Villa, who had begun the season with two home defeats and a league draw, the emphatic result was a particularly satisfying way to claim their first victory in front of their own supporters this season.
Bodo/Glimt 1-0 Borussia Dortmund
Bodo/Glimt returned to winning ways in the Champions League after suffering two consecutive 5-0 defeats, edging Borussia Dortmund 1-0 on home soil. The Norwegian side, which had won 19 of its previous 20 home matches in all competitions, added another impressive result to its collection after previously springing surprises against Inter Milan, Manchester City and Sporting CP at home.
Fredrik Sjovold settled the contest in the 52nd minute, turning in a low cross from Sondre Auklend from close range. Dortmund, who had opened their campaign with a 3-2 victory over Villarreal, were once again unable to deliver a convincing away performance in the competition.
Other results:
- LASK Linz 3-6 Liverpool
- Feyenoord 3-2 Como
- Real Betis 3-2 Porto
- Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 AEK Athens
- Slovan Bratislava 0-3 Stuttgart
Next round of matches
October 20:
- Fenerbahce vs. Slavia Praha
- Sabah vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Roma vs. Slovan Bratislava
- Porto vs. PSV Eindhoven
- Liverpool vs. Villarreal
- Manchester City vs. AEK Athens
- Napoli vs. Bodo/Glimt
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Barcelona
- Stuttgart vs. Atlético Madrid
October 21:
- Como vs. Manchester United
- Lille vs. Galatasaray
- Aston Villa vs. Viking
- Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal
- Real Betis vs. Feyenoord
- Club Brugge vs. Lens
- Inter Milan vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
- Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig
- Sporting CP vs. LASK Linz