Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz scores during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Feyenoord and Leverkusen in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Leverkusen won 4-0 on Sept. 19, 2024.Peter Dejong/The Associated Press
Shortly after lighting up the European Championship, two of the world’s most exciting young players shone on club soccer’s biggest stage.
With mixed fortunes, however.
Teenager Lamine Yamal’s goal couldn’t prevent 10-man Barcelona from falling to a 2-1 defeat at Monaco on Thursday in the Champions League – ending the Spanish club’s perfect start to the season.
Meanwhile, it took Florian Wirtz less than five minutes to score his first Champions League goal on his debut in Europe’s elite club competition.
Wirtz also netted another as Bayer Leverkusen romped to a 4-0 win at Feyenoord.
Leverkusen lost in the Europa League final in May, its only defeat in a remarkable season that saw it win the Bundesliga and German Cup.
Atalanta, the team that beat Leverkusen four months ago, had a penalty saved in a 0-0 draw with Arsenal at home.
Atletico Madrid beat Leipzig 2-1 and Benfica topped Red Star Belgrade 2-1, while Brest’s first-ever appearance in European competition ended in a 2-1 win over Sturm Graz.
It was the third evening of the new Champions League format which replaces the traditional group stage.
Now, 36 teams each play eight different opponents through January and are ranked in a single league table to decide which teams advance to the knockout phase.
Teenage superstar
Unusually, Lamal’s goal was not yet another record for the precocious 17-year-old. Lamal boasts a number of scoring milestones for Barcelona and for Spain and became the youngest scorer at the European Championship in the summer on the way to helping Spain win the tournament. But his first Champions League goal saw him become the second youngest goal scorer in the competition, behind teammate Ansu Fati, who was 28 days younger when he netted his first goal in December, 2019. Yamal’s 28th-minute equalizer cancelled out Maghnes Akliouche’s opener. Barcelona had faced an uphill struggle after defender Eric Garcia was sent off with less than 11 minutes played and 18-year-old forward George Ilenikhena scored with a fine finish for Monaco in the 71st. Barcelona plays host to Young Boys on Oct. 1.
Wonderful Wirtz
Wirtz has had a great start to the season, with three goals in as many Bundesliga games. And the 21-year-old continued that streak on Thursday in Rotterdam. Robert Andrich intercepted a poor Feyenoord pass and slipped the ball through to Wirtz, who surged forward before firing into the bottom right corner. Leverkusen doubled its lead on the half-hour mark as Victor Boniface’s clever pass from the edge of the penalty area released Jeremie Frimpong on the right and his cross was slotted in by Alejandro Grimaldo at the far post. Another Frimpong cross was volleyed in by Wirtz six minutes later. Leverkusen hardly needed any help but it was given it on the stroke of halftime when a howler by Feyenoord’s German goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther saw him turn the ball over the line after Edmond Tapsoba’s header.
Raya to the rescue
David Raya came to Arsenal’s rescue with a double save at a penalty in the 51st minute after Thomas Partey tripped Ederson. Mateo Retegui’s spot kick was saved by the Spain international but the ball came back out to the striker, whose header was clawed off the line by a scrambling Raya. Arsenal struggled in attack with the injured Martin Odegaard, its biggest creative force, and relied on its typically obdurate defence – and Raya – to preserve a point in Bergamo. In the next round, Arsenal plays host to Paris Saint-Germain.
Fairy tales
Brest’s first goal in European competition was scored by midfielder Hugo Magnetti at home, but far away from its own stadium. Brest’s stadium did not meet UEFA’s requirements and so the club’s European home games were relocated to Guingamp’s Stade de Roudourou – located roughly 114 kilometres away. Brest finished a remarkable third in the French league last season. It is Sturm’s first appearance in the Champions League in 24 years and came after it ended Salzburg’s run of 10 consecutive Austrian titles.
Stunning goal
New Benfica coach Bruno Lage made it two wins out of two thanks to goals from Turkey internationalsKerem Akturkoglu and Orkun Kokcu. Kokcu’s strike was particularly sumptuous as he curled a free kick into the top right corner from 25 yards. Felicio Milson scored late for the home team.