Champions League Roundup: City Matches Unbeaten Record, Dortmund Dismantles Celtic

Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League brought thrilling matches, unexpected records, and dominant performances from Europe’s top clubs. As the tournament’s giants showcased their prowess, several lesser-known teams faced harsh realities on the pitch. Here are the standout moments from another exhilarating night in European football.

Manchester City Matches Unbeaten Record

Manchester City has continued to assert its dominance, not only in the English Premier League but also in the Champions League. With a convincing 4-0 victory against Slovan Bratislava, City has equaled the Champions League’s unbeaten record, extending their streak to 25 matches without a loss. According to Opta, this impressive run includes 17 wins and 8 draws, matching the record set by Manchester United back in May 2009.

Pep Guardiola’s side now looks ahead to a chance to break the record when they face Sparta Prague on October 23. “It’s a joy to be manager of this team. I love it and I love them,” Guardiola remarked, celebrating his team’s accomplishments.

However, it’s worth noting that while City hasn’t lost during this streak, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals last season after two draws against Real Madrid, ultimately falling in a penalty shootout.

Borussia Dortmund’s Dominance Over Celtic

In one of the night’s most shocking results, Borussia Dortmund handed Celtic a staggering 7-1 defeat. The Scottish side entered the match unbeaten this season, having previously triumphed 5-1 in their first Champions League encounter. However, they were quickly taught a brutal lesson by a formidable Dortmund team that could have easily scored more.

Celtic became the first British team to concede five first-half goals in a major European match since the 1997-98 season, according to Opta. Emre Can opened the scoring with a penalty, only for Celtic to briefly equalize through Daizen Maeda. The joy was short-lived, as Dortmund surged ahead with Karim Adeyemi’s hat-trick and another penalty from Serhou Guirassy, ending the half at a crushing 5-1.

Guirassy added another goal in the second half, with Felix Nmecha capping off the rout. Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers reflected on the match, saying, “There are harsh lessons at this level. Any misplaced passes, when your positioning is not quite right, you get punished. For our players, it’s a big learning curve.”

A New Format, Uneven Matches

This season’s Champions League features a new format that has altered how teams compete. Instead of the traditional eight groups of four, 36 teams now engage in a single league system, where each club plays eight matches against different opponents. UEFA aims for this change to allow clubs to face a broader range of competition and foster earlier encounters between top teams.

However, the early fixtures have been characterized by lopsided scores, with Europe’s elite easily overpowering less established sides. Alongside Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund’s victories, Barcelona cruised to a 5-0 win over Young Boys, while Internazionale defeated Red Star Belgrade 4-0. The question arises: is this imbalance due to the new format or the increasing financial disparities among clubs in modern football?

Brest Shines Amidst the Dominance

In contrast to the heavy defeats seen elsewhere, French club Brest is making a remarkable mark in their Champions League debut. With a 4-0 win against Red Bull Salzburg, Brest maintained their perfect record this season. Having finished third in Ligue 1 last year, they opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Sturm Graz and followed it up with a dominant away performance against Salzburg.

The win was fueled by a brace from Abdallah Sima, along with goals from Mahdi Camara and Mathias Pereira Lage. This triumph positions Brest second in the UCL table, setting the stage for a challenging match against German champions Bayer Leverkusen, who narrowly defeated AC Milan 1-0. Brest aims to continue their impressive unbeaten streak as they navigate their inaugural European campaign.

Conclusion

As the Champions League progresses, the contrasting fortunes of teams highlight the evolving landscape of European football. While established giants like Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund flex their muscles, newcomers like Brest remind us of the unpredictable nature of the sport. The tournament promises to deliver more excitement as teams continue to vie for supremacy on the grand stage.