Key events
Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid: OFF THE BAR! Lino looks to be aiming a cross for the back post but instead see the ball bounced off the bar.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Alisson produces a decent save after Liverpool lose the ball inside their own box. Urbanski is the man who shoots and probably should do better against the Brazilian. There is now some tension inside Anfield.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: Ndoye pings the base of the post from close range. A let-off for Liverpool.
GOAL! RB Leipzig 1-0 Juventus (Sesko 30)
The Germans go from one end to the other. Gulacsi makes a save and they break up the pitch. Openda gets it and chips to Sesko who takes an incredible touch and thrashes the ball in off the bar. A very satisfying watch.
Mary Waltz emails: “Will, Greetings from California. Paramount has given us the Benfica match so I appreciate the wraparound coverage of the other fixtures. I don’t know if anyone else shares my opinion but the Pre and post game coverage by Scott, Henry, Carragher, and Micah is fine when they stick to soccer but the forced comedy routine where every joke elicits over the top laughter from the crew is cringe to say the least.”
I am pleased to not be watching.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: At some point Liverpool will wonder how they have not added a second. Nunez has a decent chance from the edge of the box but whacks it well over.
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: Two chances for David as he heads a cross straight at Lunin and can’t do better with the follow up. Two decent reaction saves from the goalkeeper.
GOAL! Sturm Graz 0-1 Club Brugge (Tzolis 23)
What a finish! The winger controls on the ball on the left wing, takes a touch and curls the ball into the top corner.
Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich: NO GOAL! Pau Torres pokes home but play is brought back for an earlier offside.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: A direct ball over the top reaches Nunez, who controls it with his head before sending a weak volley straight at the goalkeeper.
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: Endrick drives forward, beating a few defenders before shooting from 15 yards but the goalkeeper blocks his effort.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: It is all Liverpool at Anfield. Szoboszlai comes close to adding a second but his shot flashes just wide.
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Monaco: A good chance for Minamino but the goalkeeper comes out quickly. The pitch in Croatia looks awful after heavy rain.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: NO GOAL! Nunez goes too early to reach an Alexander-Arnold pass and is ruled offside after finding the back of the net.
GOAL! Benfica 1-0 Atletico Madrid (Aktürkoğlu 13)
Atletico play themselves into trouble and Aursnes finds Aktürkoğlu in space on the edge of the box, from where he does the necessary.
RB Leipzig 0-0 Juventus: Nico Gonzalez has been taken off with an injury, too. Not a good start for the Italians.
Liverpool 1-0 Bologna: GOAL! Salah dinks a cross from the edge of the box over the Bologna defence to find Mac Allister and Diaz in space, with the former tapping home from close range.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Bologna (Mac Allister 11)
Form one end to the other, the Argentinian gets things going at Anfield.
Liverpool 0-0 Bologna: NO GOAL! Dallinga gets the wrong side of the Liverpool defence before producing a fine finish. He runs off to celebrate but the flag is rightly erected.
Girona 2-3 Feyenoord
David Lopez scored Girona’s first ever Champions League goal but the Spanish side lost 3-2 at home to Feyenoord on Wednesday in a pulsating contest in which both teams missed a penalty and there were two own goals.
Lopez put Girona ahead midway through the first half, but a Yangel Herrera own goal and a strike from teenager Antoni Milambo swung the contest in the favour of the Dutch visitors.
Ayase Ueda missed a penalty for Feyenoord and Bojan Miovski likewise for Girona, before former Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek drew the home side level at 2-2.
That joy was short-lived though as Ladislav Krejci turned the ball into his own net to give Feyenoord the lead again and this time they held on to ensure a second consecutive defeat for Girona in their maiden Champions League campaign. Reuters
RB Leipzig 0-0 Juventus: A blow for the Italians as Bremer is forced off with an injury. Gatti is on for him.
Lille 0-0 Real Madrid: It is a lively night in France with a low-lying level of smoke above the pitch. Pyro galore.
Liverpool 0-0 Bologna: The hosts are completing dominating proceedings. I am not sure Bologna have made it out of their own half yet.
Liverpool 0-0 Bologna: Almost a very early goal for Liverpool as Gravenberch sends a low cross into the six-yard box but no one in red can convert. Posch does his best to put it into his own net but recovers to clear.
Peter Oh brings his own brand to my inbox: “Alisson has looked razor-sharp of late. He’s clearly capable of a world-class shave I mean save.
“If you ask me, the new Even Bigger Cup format is a bunch of baloney I mean Bologna.”
Looks like the goalkeeper has a midnight shadow to me.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! We are under way around Europe.
I’ve been at four of Liverpool’s six league games this season, it’s almost strange to not be at Anfield tonight. Naturally, Ryan Gravenberch has made headlines for his impressive run in a new role but I’ve enjoyed watching the front three, regardless of combination. Mohamed Salah looks close to his very best.
Arne Slot: “It is an opportunity, we hope we are going to take the opportunity but we face a tough opportunity. They had a very good season last season but it is not an easy one.
“Jota didn’t train for two days but I am happy he is still available.
“It is difficult if you play every three or four days, it is never easy to play in Champions League or Premier League.
“We need to be more aggressive without the ball and press more.”
Full-time scores
Here are the results from the 5.45pm BST kick-offs:
Girona 2-3 Feyenoord
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Atalanta
Oh …
3 – After just two games, Girona have already equalled the record for most own goals conceded in a single @ChampionsLeague campaign (3, same as Fenerbahçe in 2007-08). Calamity.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 2, 2024
GOAL! Girona 2-3 Feyenoord (Krejčí og 79): As soon as they were back in it, Girona score a second own goal of the match.
Jurgen Klopp is never far away.
GOAL! Girona 2-2 Feyenoord (Van de Beek 73): The former United has drawn the Catalans level.
We also have some pure Aston Villa v Bayern for you.
Get in the mood for tonight with some preview material.
Starting lineups: Lille v Real Madrid
Supporters du LOSC, voici votre composition d’équipe pour affronter le @realmadrid ce soir à la maison 💪
Comme annoncé, Ayyoub Bouaddi est titulaire, le jour de ses 17 ans 😍
Allez les gars, tout un peuple est derrière vous ⚜️#LOSCRMA pic.twitter.com/vPhayl1c6k
— LOSC (@losclive) October 2, 2024
Starting lineups: RB Leipzig v Juventus
GOAL! Shakhtar 0-3 Atalanta (Bellanova 48): Very much game over.
Nunez starts as the central striker after missing the weekend trip to Wolves. Jota is deemed fit enough for the bench after picking up a knock at Molineux.
Starting lineups: Liverpool v Bologna
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez.
Subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Jones, Gakpo, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah Morton, Bradley, Nyoni
Bologna: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumí, Miranda; Moro, Freuler, Urbanski; Orsolini, Dallinga, Ndoye
Subs: Bagnolini, Ravaglia, Holm, Erlic, Castro, Iling-Junior, Casale, Corazza, Aebischer, Odgaard, Lykogiannis, Fabbian
Half time scores from the early kick-offs:
Girona 1-2 Feyenoord
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-2 Atalanta
This is what the sport needs!
Summary
After a fine opening night win in Italy against Milan, this contrived new format means Liverpool are playing Italians again. This time, however, they are at home. Bologna are in town, having secured one victory in six Serie A games this season, offering little cause for optimism. Both teams had new coaches arrive over the summer but while Arne Slot has looked promising, Vincenzo Italiano is yet to make his mark.
Lille are hosting Real Madrid and I think Benfica v Atletico Madrid will be fun, while RB Leipzig v Juventus will be worth keeping half an eye on. Dinamo Zagreb face Monaco and Sturm Graz welcome Club Brugge. We will also carry out a quick roundup of the early matches.
Here is to a fun night!
