Another midweek night of Champions League 2025 highlights (depending on which team you support).
You certainly can’t argue against the entertainment at times, even though this Sbotop observer believes the format is geared towards all the established clubs progressing from the long, convoluted eight-game group phase which involves 36 teams – 24 of which qualify.
Do I agree with it? No. Do I think the quality will improve? No. Do I think more players will be fatigued? Yes.
Yet this is the world we live in and, as it turned out, Wednesday night produced some of the most exciting Champions League ties you will ever see at this stage of the competition.
It was raining goals in Paris where holders Paris St Germain hosted Europa League winners Spurs in a repeat of their exciting UEFA Super Cup Final from August when the North Londoners came within minutes of silverware in Thomas Frank’s first competitive game in charge.
They got mighty close to thwarting the reigning champions this time too but few expected the Parisiens to be beaten at home. Not with Vitinha leading the charge.
He helped himself to a hat-trick in a 5-3 success.
Both teams will need to tighten up should they reach the knockout stages but, for now, for those of a PSG persuasion, it hardly mattered as they climbed to second in the standings.
The top eight automatically qualify for the last 16, thus avoiding the need for a play-off, and the holders are well placed.
They had actually twice gone behind when Randal Kolo Muani – a PSG player on loan at Spurs but who UEFA rules bizarrely allow to play against his parent club – nodded the ball across goal for Richarlison to head home.
Kolo Muani then scored his first Spurs goal early in the second half to put them back 2-1 in front and then volleyed in another to bring them back to 4-3.
Yet it was Vitinha who stole the show with a superb drive on the stroke of half time and a curled finish to level again eight minutes into the second half.
By the time he completed the scoring, and his hat-trick, from the penalty spot, Fabian Ruiz and Wilian Pancho had taken advantage of woeful defending to put them in the ascendancy.
The only negative for the Parisiens was a stoppage time red card for a needless and reckless elbow from Lucas Hernandez.
If PSG are many people’s favourites to retain the trophy, then take a look at our Champions League 2025 betting odds on a maiden tournament victory for Arsenal.
They were terrific against my tip to win this season’s Champions League.
The Bayern Munich juggernaut came to North London and, when a 17 year-old by the name of Lennart Karl (assisted by former Gunner Serge Gnabry) became the first player to score against Arsenal in the Champions League this season, equalising Jurrien Timber’s headed opener, you could see why.
However, Arsenal came again in the second half and, despite suffering another injury with the loss of Leandro Trossard late in the first half, his replacement Noni Madueke netted his first Arsenal goal and was joined on the scoresheet by another substitute, Gabriel Martinelli, to seal a 3-1 win for the mightily impressive Gunners.
On a night when Karl became the second youngest player to score in consecutive Champions League appearances (17 years and 277 days), behind Lamine Yamal (17 years and 270 days), this was a top quality contest.
Of course, you can’t rule out Real Madrid of a competition they have dominated and, despite their own defensive imperfections, you can get away with some when you have French superstar Kylian Mbappe in your ranks.
The Les Bleus captain scored all four of Real’s goals as they edged out Olympiakos in a seen goal thriller.
After the hosts, who had never lost at home to Los Blancos, took an early lead, Mbappe struck three times in the space of seven first half minutes before making it 4-1 just before the hour mark.
The home side hit back twice late on but Real held on for three points which take them to fifth in the standings.
Their city rivals Atletico also grabbed a last gasp winner to inflict a first European defeat of the season on last season’s beaten finalists Inter Milan who are in fourth place.
The shock of the night came at Anfield as unfancied PSV Eindhoven hit Liverpool for four.
The ragged Reds have now lost nine of their last 12 matches across all competitions and this defeat leaves manager Arne Slot facing serious questions about the current state of this team and just how he is going to fix it.
When substitute Couhaib Driouech poked in the fourth in stoppage time, the already-buoyant visiting Dutch supporters were in raptures.
It was quite a night for them!
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
