Liverpool made it six wins from six in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League to move five points clear as Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Brest and Bayern München moved into the top eight.
Liverpool moved five points clear after recording their sixth win from as many league phase outings, but just a point separates second and eighth in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League after important wins for Aston Villa, Bayern München, Brest and Leverkusen.
THEUPDATE and UEFA.com rounds up all the action.
Tuesday night’s action:
- Girona 0-1 Liverpool
Mohamed Salah’s cool second-half penalty maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in this season’s league phase. The Egyptian international sent Paulo Gazzaniga the wrong way shortly after the hour mark with an effortless spot kick after Donny van de Beek had impeded Luis Díaz.
Arne Slot’s men, who booked their place in the knockout phase on Matchday 5, did not have things all their own way.
Alisson Becker, making his first appearance in just over two months, was forced into action on a number of occasions, most notably denying Yáser Asprilla before half-time.
Player of the Match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
- GNK Dinamo 0-0 Celtic
Celtic remain a point above Dinamo after a game of few major chances in Zagreb. After Paulo Bernardo curled a free-kick narrowly over for the Hoops, Sandro Kulenović twice shot wide from close range before the break for the reigning Croatian champions.
Marko Pjaca went closest during the second period, visiting goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel athletically tipped the winger’s header over the crossbar. Yet Dinamo’s 43-match run without a goalless draw in European competition ended with a point apiece.
Player of the Match: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic)
- Atalanta 2-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid returned to winning ways as they edged an entertaining contest in Bergamo. Kylian Mbappé put the visitors ahead early on with his 50th goal of the competition, only for Atalanta to draw level via Charles De Ketelaere’s emphatic penalty on half-time.
Vinícius Júnior pounced ten minutes after the interval, then turned provider for Jude Bellingham, but Ademola Lookman squeezed a shot inside Thibaut Courtois’ right post with 25 minutes left.
La Dea pushed for an equaliser, and in added time substitute Mateo Retegui scooped over from close range.
Player of the Match: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
- Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Inter
Nordi Mukiele’s 90th-minute winner sent Leverkusen above Inter and extended their perfect home record. Inter were the only side yet to concede in the league phase, although Nathan Tella’s shot against the crossbar almost changed that after three minutes at the BayArena.
Florian Wirtz’s angled drive tested Yann Sommer as Leverkusen had all three attempts on target before the break, but the reigning Italian champions’ No1 was rarely troubled before Mukiele fired in from close range to secure victory.
Player of the Match: Nordi Mukiele (Leverkusen)
- Club Brugge 2-1 Sporting CP
Club Brugge earned their third win of the league phase after Casper Nielsen’s late winner in Bruges. Geny Catamo gave the visitors a third-minute lead, pouncing on a rebound to become the first Mozambican international to score in the Champions League.
Some inspired wing play from Andreas Skov Olsen helped Club Brugge back into the game in the 24th minute. His cutback found Christos Tzolis, whose effort deflected in off Eduardo Quaresma for an own goal.
Nicky Hayen’s substitutions made the difference in a cagey second half, Gustaf Nilsson setting up Nielsen for a precise finish.
Player of the Match: Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge)
- Salzburg 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain
Paris got back to winning ways with a comfortable victory in Austria. Alexander Schlager produced a superb double save to deny Gonçalo Ramos and Achraf Hakimi earlier on, but the Paris pair combined to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 72nd minute with Désiré Doué teeing up Nuno Mendes to lash in. Doué then put the icing on the cake five minutes from time, sweeping Hakimi’s lay-off into the top corner.
Player of the Match: Bradley Barcola (Paris)
- Shakhtar Donetsk 1-5 Bayern München
An attacking masterclass from Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise’s double led Bayern to their first away win of the league phase.
Shakhtar had led through Kevin in Gelsenkirchen, but the visitors did not look back after Konrad Laimer equalised with a powerful shot.
The outstanding Musiala then combined with Thomas Müller, setting his captain up to put Bayern ahead just before half-time.
Olise’s penalty extended Bayern’s lead, before Musiala pounced to score a late goal of his own. There was still time for Olise to weave through the Shakhtar defence to add a stunning fifth.
Player of the Match: Michael Olise (Bayern)
- Leipzig 2-3 Aston Villa
Ross Barkley’s late deflected drive earned Aston Villa their fourth win of the league phase. The visitors dominated the early stages and took the lead when John McGinn fired in Ollie Watkins’ cushioned header, though Leipzig levelled when Loïs Openda capitalised on a mix-up in the Villa defence.
Jhon Durán – who replaced Watkins at half-time – restored the visitors’ advantage with a looping, long-range drive.
Christoph Baumgartner’s volley restored parity for a second time, but Barkley struck late on to move Villa onto 13 points. With it, Leipzig’s elimination has been confirmed.
Player of the Match: Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)
- Brest 1-0 PSV Eindhoven
A heroic rearguard effort saw Brest secure another memorable win and move up to fifth. Goalkeeper Marco Bizot made four impressive saves in the first half, most notably denying Luuk de Jong’s close-range header.
The hosts took the lead against the run of play as defender Julien Le Cardinal slammed home at the back post.
It was all PSV in the second period, Ismael Saibari going closest when his curling effort struck the woodwork, but Brest held on.
Player of the Match: Marco Bizot (Brest).
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