Arsenal made a stylish return to the Champions League by sweeping aside PSV Eindhoven 4-0 at Emirates Stadium after a six-year absence from the competition. Arsenal seemed determined to make up for lost time and jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the 38th minute. PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez having made a couple of good saves by then to prevent an even bigger score-line. In a game played in driving rain throughout, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all scored in the first half, before Martin Odegaard added the fourth with a long-range strike in the 70th. Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for 19 straight years under Arsene Wenger but had not played in the competition since 2016-17. PSV last played in it five years ago, and the two teams met in the group stage of the second-tier Europa League last season.
Real Madrid win over Union Berlin
Jude Bellingham keeps delivering for Real Madrid. This time the heroics came in his Champions League debut with the Spanish powerhouse.
Bellingham helped extend Madrid’s perfect start to the season by scoring a stoppage-time goal in the team’s 1-0 win over newcomer Union Berlin in Group C. It was Madrid’s sixth consecutive victory, with the other five coming in the Spanish league. The newly signed Bellingham scored his sixth goal in as many matches with Madrid by picking up a loose ball inside the area and firing it into the open net four minutes into stoppage time at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. His winner against Getafe in the Spanish league had come five minutes into stoppage time, and against Celta Vigo it came in the 81st. “I’m just so grateful to my teammates and the staff here who’ve done such a good job of integrating me,” Bellingham said. “Now we’re on the right path and I’m just interested in continuing my form. We’re on a good run but you don’t win anything at this stage of the season.” The record 14-time European champion was making its 27th straight appearance in the tournament’s group stage, while Union was playing its first-ever Champions League match. The German club qualified by finishing fourth in the Bundesliga last season for its highest league result. It is enjoying its third consecutive season in a UEFA competition, and fourth overall.
Bayern Munich beats Manchester United
Mathys Tel’s stoppage-time goal proved enough for Bayern Munich to beat Manchester United 4-3 in their Champions League opening game.
