Champions League highlights and round-up: Paris rally to beat Man City, Feyenoord stun Bayern
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
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Paris Saint-Germain clambered back from 2-0 down to defeat Manchester City, on a night when Santiago Giménez struck twice to help Feyenoord see off Bayern München.
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Paris staged a stirring second-half comeback to beat Manchester City, Santiago Giménez was Feyenoord's hero against Bayern München and there were also wins for Milan, Real Madrid, Arsenal and Celtic as Matchday 7 concluded in dramatic fashion.
UEFA.com rounds up all the action.
Wednesday night's action
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 Brest
A cool finish from Kevin and Georgiy Sudakov's cheeky penalty enabled Shakhtar to claim their second win of the league phase. The Pitmen dominated proceedings early on and got the breakthrough 18 minutes in when Kevin kept his calm to beat the advancing Marco Bizot following a swift Shakhtar break.
Marino Pušić's side doubled their lead with half-time approaching when Sudakov chipped a stylish spot kick down the middle, with Bizot committed to diving low to his right after the goalkeeper had impeded Irakli Azarov.
Player of the Match: Georgiy Sudakov (Shakhtar)
Matchday 8
29/01: B. Dortmund vs Shakhtar, Brest vs Real Madrid
Leipzig 2-1 Sporting CP
Substitute Yussuf Poulsen's close-range finish gave Leipzig their first points of the campaign. Benjamin Šeško slid the hosts ahead from David Raum's inviting 19th-minute cross, but Viktor Gyökeres came off the bench to fire in a typically clinical sixth goal of his first seven Champions League appearances, levelling with 15 minutes remaining.
Poulsen pounced from Christoph Baumgartner's delivery three minutes later for the German side, who were already eliminated. The Lions remain on ten points.
Player of the Match: Benjamin Šeško (Leipzig)
Matchday 8
29/01: Sturm Graz vs Leipzig, Sporting CP vs Bologna
Milan 1-0 Girona
A piece of Rafael Leão brilliance sealed a fifth successive league phase victory for the Rossoneri. The Portuguese international powered an emphatic finish into the roof of the net with 37 minutes gone after turning Girona captain David López inside and out following Ismaël Bennacer's incisive through ball.
Having also struck the woodwork twice in the space of five minutes just before the half-hour via Theo Hernández and Yunus Musah, Milan then held on for their first clean sheet of the campaign thanks to Mike Maignan's save to deny Yangel Herrera on the stroke of half-time.
Player of the Match: Rafael Leão (Milan)
Matchday 8
29/01: GNK Dinamo vs Milan, Girona vs Arsenal
Sparta Praha 0-1 Inter
Lautaro Martínez's expertly taken winner took Inter to 16 points as they sealed their fourth 1-0 victory of the campaign. The three-time champions looked assured for long periods at Stadion Letná and went ahead through Martínez's 12th-minute volley from an acute angle, but Yann Sommer made fine reaction saves in either half from Sparta winger Veljko Birmančević.
At the other end, home goalkeeper Peter Vindahl turned substitute Davide Frattesi's long-range effort behind, but defeat means the reigning Czech champions remain on four points.
Player of the Match: Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
Matchday 8
29/01: Leverkusen vs Sparta Praha, Inter vs Monaco
Arsenal 3-0 GNK Dinamo
The Gunners earned their third consecutive win of the league phase with a domineering display in north London. Declan Rice's sweet half-volley handed the hosts a second-minute lead, the England international sweeping in after some electric Gabriel Martinelli wing play and a deft Kai Havertz set-up.
Though Arsenal continued to dominate possession, resolute Dinamo defending frustrated them until midway through the second half, when another precise Martinelli delivery was headed in by Havertz. Captain Martin Ødegaard then added a third in added time to seal the victory.
Player of the Match: Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
Matchday 8
29/01: Girona vs Arsenal, GNK Dinamo vs Milan
Celtic 1-0 Young Boys
Celtic ground out a hard-fought 1-0 victory courtesy of Loris Benito's late own goal. Before that, it had looked as if Swiss champions Young Boys were destined to get off the mark in the league phase thanks to a gutsy display, not least with Marvin Keller brilliantly saving Arne Engels' first-half penalty.
The only goal of the game came in fortuitous circumstances, as Keller denied Adam Idah before Benito bundled the ball into his own net. Brendan Rodgers' side ended the match with ten men after Daizen Maeda was sent off late on.
Player of the Match: Marvin Keller (Young Boys)
Matchday 8
29/01: Aston Villa vs Celtic, Young Boys vs Crvena Zvezda
Feyenoord 3-0 Bayern München
Feyenoord stunned Bayern on a famous night in Rotterdam to overhaul the six-time European champions in the standings. Gijs Smal's diagonal pass beat Minjae Kim on 21 minutes, allowing Giménez to race through before lashing high past Manuel Neuer.
The hosts then broke the length of the pitch from a Bayern corner to win a penalty seconds before half-time, substitute Raphaël Guerreiro fouling Calvin Stengs and Giménez finishing confidently from the spot. After the break, Justin Bijlow saved well from both Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala, before Ayase Ueda slotted in the third and Bayern's Sven Ulreich was dismissed late on.
Player of the Match: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord)
Matchday 8
29/01: Lille vs Feyenoord, Bayern vs Slovan Bratislava
Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Manchester City
All the key moments came in a frantic second half as Manchester City gave up a two-goal lead to a clinical Paris side. Jack Grealish lashed in the opener and Erling Haaland added a quick second to put the visitors in control – albeit briefly.
The hosts responded well, first when Ousmane Dembélé swept in from Bradley Barcola's cutback before Barcola himself made it 2-2 after Désiré Doué had hit the bar. Dembélé struck the woodwork too, with João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos winning it for Paris late on.
Player of the Match: João Neves (Paris)
Matchday 8
29/01: Stuttgart vs Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City vs Club Brugge
Real Madrid 5-1 Salzburg
Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior both scored twice as the defending champions put on a memorable attacking display in Madrid. Jude Bellingham assisted two first-half goals for Rodrygo – the first a close-range strike, the second a curling effort from distance.
Kylian Mbappé capitalised on a loose ball and the French forward turned deftly to slot into an empty net shortly after the interval. Vinícius Júnior then weaved through the Salzburg defence to score a superb individual goal before adding his second from Federico Valverde's lay-off. Mads Bidstrup volleyed a late consolation goal for Salzburg.
Player of the Match: Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
Matchday 8
29/01: Brest vs Real Madrid, Salzburg vs Atlético de Madrid
Tuesday night's action
Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa
Wilfried Singo's brave early header ensured Monaco claimed maximum points in an intriguing encounter. The centre-back was quickest to the rebound to nod in from close range with just eight minutes gone, after Emiliano Martínez could only parry Thilo Kehrer's emphatic effort following Lamine Camara's corner.
Unai Emery's men pressed hard for an equaliser but found home goalkeeper Radosław Majecki in inspired form, with the Polish international making smart one-handed stops to deny Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins late in the first half.
Player of the Match: Wilfried Singo (Monaco)
Matchday 8
29/01: Inter vs Monaco, Aston Villa vs Celtic
Atalanta 5-0 Sturm Graz
Atalanta earned a swaggering first home win of their campaign, taking a 12th-minute lead when Mateo Retegui prodded in his third league-phase goal. The hosts doubled their advantage on 58 minutes as Mario Pašalić volleyed in Juan Cuadrado's drilled cross, and Charles De Ketelaere stabbed in their third five minutes later.
Two added-time goals – the first an Ademola Lookman header, the second a Marco Brescianini strike – moved the Italian side to 14 points in style, leaving their opponents on three.
Player of the Match: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta)
Matchday 8
29/01: Barcelona vs Atalanta, Sturm Graz vs Leipzig
Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Julián Alvarez's superb double ensured ten-man Atleti secured a stunning comeback victory. The hosts, who had Pablo Barrios sent off midway through the first half, fell behind just before half-time via Piero Hincapie's emphatic header.
Alvarez took just seven minutes of the second half to level, latching onto a searching pass before finding the bottom corner. After Hincapie's dismissal for a second bookable offence with 15 minutes remaining, Diego Simeone's men went in search of a winner, and Alvarez completed the turnaround in the closing stages with a precise finish after rounding goalkeeper Matěj Kovář.
Player of the Match: Julián Alvarez (Atleti)
Matchday 8
29/01: Salzburg vs Atlético de Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen vs Sparta Praha
Bologna 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Bologna scored twice in two minutes against Dortmund to claim their first ever Champions League win. Serhou Guirassy's seventh goal of the campaign put the German side ahead, chipping in a 15th-minute penalty after Emil Holm was adjudged to have fouled Waldemar Anton.
The hosts dominated but could not capitalise until Thijs Dallinga fired in fellow substitute Jens Odgaard's cross on 71 minutes. A third replacement, Samuel Iling-Junior, swiftly slotted in to complete the comeback, putting Bologna on five points. Dortmund remain on 12.
Player of the Match: Thijs Dallinga (Bologna)
Matchday 8
29/01: Sporting CP vs Bologna, Borussia Dortmund vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Club Brugge 0-0 Juventus
Both sides stayed on course to remain involved beyond the league phase by cancelling each other out in a close contest. While the first half had few incidents of note, the second was much more open as each team chased the win which would have boosted their hopes even further.
Ferran Jutglà drilled wide and Gustaf Nilsson volleyed just over for the hosts, while a goalbound drive from Manuel Locatelli was palmed away by Simon Mignolet in the closing stages.
Player of the Match: Federico Gatti (Juventus)
Matchday 8
29/01: Manchester City vs Club Brugge, Juventus vs Benfica
Crvena Zvezda 2-3 PSV Eindhoven
PSV dug deep to hold off a second-half resurgence from Crvena Zvezda after being reduced to ten men shortly after the interval. The visitors were in control at half-time through three goals created by Joey Veerman corner kicks – Luuk de Jong heading two in seven minutes before Ryan Flamingo added a third with a first-time strike.
Flamingo received a red card five minutes into the second half and the hosts utilised their numerical advantage to get back into the game. Cherif Ndiaye nodded in the Serbian side's first before Mirko Ivanić's corner found the head of Nasser Djiga, setting up a nervy finale for the visitors.
Player of the Match: Luuk de Jong (PSV)
Matchday 8
29/01: Young Boys vs Crvena Zvezda, PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool
Liverpool 2-1 LOSC Lille
Liverpool edged out Lille at Anfield to remain top in the league phase with a game to spare. Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, racing onto Curtis Jones' through ball and scoring his 50th European goal for the Reds.
Despite Aïssa Mandi's red card for a second bookable offence, Jonathan David drew the visitors level on 62 minutes. However, Harvey Elliott's deflected strike soon after made it seven wins from seven for Arne Slot's side.
Player of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Matchday 8
29/01: PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool, LOSC Lille vs Feyenoord
Slovan Bratislava 1-3 Stuttgart
Stuttgart condemned Slovan Bratislava to a seventh league phase defeat and kept up their own hopes of knockout qualification. Jamie Leweling slid in to convert Deniz Undav's smart pass and was then in the right place to add a second after a good save initially from Dominik Takác.
Undav hit the post and Idjessi Metsoko briefly gave the home crowd hope when he poked in – only for Stuttgart to break clear and free Fabian Rieder to smash in.
Player of the Match: Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart)
Matchday 8
29/01: Bayern München vs Slovan Bratislava, Stuttgart vs Paris Saint-Germain
Benfica 4-5 Barcelona
Raphinha's late strike completed a roaring comeback in Lisbon as Barcelona protected second place in the league phase table. Vangelis Pavlidis' 29-minute hat-trick put Benfica in a commanding position at the break, with only Robert Lewandowski's penalty giving the hosts hope.
Raphinha reduced the deficit to one after half-time, the ball rebounding in off his head after Anatoliy Trubin's failed clearance, before a Ronald Araújo own goal set the visitors back once more. However, Lewandowski's 78th-minute spot kick brought Benfica back within reach, then substitute Eric García headed in a delightful Pedri cross and Raphinha burst forward and finished powerfully in added time to seal a remarkable win.
Player of the Match: Raphinha (Barcelona)
Matchday 8
29/01: Juventus vs Benfica, Barcelona vs Atalanta