Champions League round-up: Liverpool pass acid test as Bayern Munich thrash Atlético Madrid

A comical own-goal by Nicolás Tagliafico was enough to seal victory for Liverpool over Ajax while the reigning European champions, Bayern Munich, put four past Atlético Madrid to kickstart their title defence in ominous fashion.

📸 Liverpool take the lead via Tagliafico own goal…#UCL pic.twitter.com/uYkWAfKe6F

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 21, 2020

The 2020-21 UEFA Champions League season started off with a host of matches, with Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City all featuring.

Here’s the full round-up of Wednesday’s action.

Bayern Munich thrash Atlético Madrid

European Champions Bayern Munich were in imperious form as they went through the gears to put Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid side to the sword at home at the Allianz Arena.

This was the game to watch and the most highly anticipated match for neutrals. After a quiet half-hour, Bayern Munich banished any thoughts of a close-run contest as their quick inter-pass and positional play left the Atlético Madrid players chasing shadows.

Kingsley Coman opened the scoring after fine work by teammate Joshua Kimmich on the wings. The lead was soon doubled as Leon Goretzka scored just five minutes before the break, leaving the away side with a mountain to climb.

Bayern made short work of Atlético after the break as Corentin Tolisso scored the third with a spectacular effort from 30 yards out. Coman completed his double soon after, finishing off a sweeping Bayern counterattack which cemented the club’s superiority with a scoreline that in no way flattered the hosts.

Liverpool show “fighting spirit” after derby woes

After a fierce derby at the weekend left Liverpool with arguably their most important player, Virgil van Dijk, sidelined by injury for the rest of the season, the Reds needed to show a response and they did so, scraping to victory away against a good Ajax side.

Liverpool went into the break in front in fortuitous circumstances as a Nicolás Tagliafico attempted clearance nestled comically into the back of his own net after he got his feet all tangled up.

Jürgen Klopp chose to take off his fearsome front three a few minutes after the break, which opened the game up.

Despite Ajax’s best efforts, however, they failed to break a resolute Reds defence and the game ended with a 0-1 win to the visitors.

Real Madrid shock defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk

New season, same old European woes. The record 13-time European champions, Real Madrid, fell to a shock defeat at home against a spirited Shakhtar Donetsk.

First-half strikes by Tetê and Manor Solomon and an own-goal by Raphaël Varane saw Madrid head into the break 0-3 down after just 45 minutes.

As if this were not enough, Shakhtar had gone into the match with ten of their first-team players sidelined because of COVID-19.

The away team’s show of character and belief, sprinkled with some lax defending from the hosts, ensured that they left the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium with more than they will have expected initially. Despite a much better second-half showing from Real Madrid, the damage had already been done in the first.

Gündoğan fires Manchester City past Porto

It was a winning start for Man City after an initial scare as they breezed past FC Porto.

After conceding a penalty in the 20^th minute, City kept their nerve to ensure there was to be no upset against a Porto side which started well but could not keep up with the quality of play of Pep Guardiola’s men, and finished 3-1 up.

Other results

Red Bull Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow drew 2-2 in Austria as Inter Milan also rescued a point at the death with a goal from Romelu Lukaku at home against Borussia Mönchengladbach, the game ending 2-2.

Atalanta put Midtjylland to the sword in an impressive 4-0 home win, with Duván Zapata proving unplayable on the day.

An under-par performance from Marseille saw them lose 1-0 away to Olympiacos at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Greece.

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