The UEFA Champions League continued on Thursday as Matchday 1 concluded with more spills and thrills. Monaco saw off ten-man Barcelona, Leverkusen hit four first-half goals at Feyenoord and Atlético de Madrid struck a late winner at home to Leipzig. There were also wins for Benfica and newcomers Brest, while David Raya saved a spot kick as Arsenal held on to a point away to Atalanta.

UEFA.com rounds up all the action on Matchday 1 of the inaugural league phase.

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Thursday night’s action

Monaco 2-1 Barcelona

Monaco marked their Champions League return with victory over ten-man Barcelona, who had Eric García sent off in the 11th minute. Maghnes Akliouche put the hosts ahead soon after when he cut inside from the right and drilled in from the edge of the box, though Lamine Yamal followed suit to level before the half-hour mark.

The home side secured maximum points 19 minutes from time when substitute George Ilenikhena raced onto Vanderson’s long ball before firing past Marc-André ter Stegen.

Player of the Match: George Ilenikhena (Monaco)

Matchday 2
01/10: Barcelona vs Young Boys, 02/10: GNK Dinamo vs Monaco

Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal

David Raya’s brilliant double save earned Arsenal a draw from a hard-fought contest at Atalanta. Marco Carnesecchi kept out Bukayo Saka’s free-kick and Charles De Ketelaere fired wide as the teams cancelled each other out before the break.

After it, Atalanta failed to convert a penalty – awarded after Thomas Partey had brought down Éderson – as Raya kept out Mateo Retegui’s attempt and follow-up header. Juan Cuadrado and Gabriel Martinelli had chances to win it late on but the game finished goalless.

Player of the Match: Éderson (Atalanta)

Matchday 2
01/10: Arsenal vs Paris, 02/10: Shakhtar vs Atalanta

Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Leipzig

A 90th-minute winner from José María Giménez gave Atleti victory in an absorbing encounter. Leipzig got off to a fine start, taking the lead on four minutes when Benjamin Šeško followed up after Jan Oblak parried Loïs Openda’s strike.

Atleti equalised midway through the first half when Antoine Griezmann met Marcos Llorente’s cross with a first-time shot. It was the Frenchman who carved out the late winner after an open second half, too, standing up a fine ball to the back post for Giménez to nod in.

Player of the Match: Antoine Griezmann (Atlético de Madrid)

Matchday 2
02/10: Benfica vs Atlético de Madrid, Leipzig vs Juventus

Feyenoord 0-4 Leverkusen 

Florian Wirtz became the first German player to score twice on their Champions League debut as Leverkusen netted four times before the break to start in sensational style in Rotterdam.

After firing in the fifth-minute opener from outside the box, 21-year-old Wirtz tapped in the third from a cross by Jeremie Frimpong, whose delivery had allowed Alejandro Grimaldo to slot in the second. An own goal by home keeper Timon Wellenreuther on the stroke of half-time completed the scoring.

Player of the Match: Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen)

Matchday 2
01/10: Leverkusen vs AC Milan, 02/10: Girona vs Feyenoord

Crvena Zvezda 1-2 Benfica 

Orkun Kökçü’s impressive free-kick was the difference as Benfica sealed their first ever Matchday 1 away victory. The visitors had twice gone close in the opening exchanges before Kerem Aktürkoğlu bundled Alexander Bah’s deflected cross into the net at the far post with nine minutes gone.

Orkun Kökçü doubled the advantage shortly before the half-hour with a delightful curling set piece. Hopes of a late comeback by the hosts were raised when substitute Felício Milson guided a neat finish past the advancing Anatoliy Trubin, but the Primeira Liga side held on.

Player of the Match: Ángel Di María (Benfica)

Matchday 2
01/10: Inter vs Crvena Zvezda, 02/10: Benfica vs Atlético de Madrid

Brest 2-1 Sturm Graz

Abdallah Sima was the hero as Brest marked their first European game with a win. Hugo Magnetti put Brest ahead in Guingamp with a sweet strike from the edge of the box before Sturm Graz – back in the Champions League after 23 years away – levelled through Edimilson Fernandes’ own goal.

Brest, the 12th team from France to grace this competition, restored their lead when Sima swivelled and fired in before the hour. The visitors’ hopes faded when Dimitri Lavalée was dismissed for Sturm Graz for two bookings late on.

Player of the Match: Abdallah Sima (Brest)

Matchday 2
 01/10: Salzburg vs Brest, 02/10: Sturm Graz vs Club Brugge

Wednesday night’s action

Sparta Praha 3-0 Salzburg

Playing their first match at this level in 19 years, Sparta took an early lead when Kaan Kairinen stroked in after Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich had parried Lukáš Haraslín’s drive into the midfielder’s path.

Victor Olatunji made it 2-0 shortly before the interval, collecting Filip Panák’s long ball and firing into the bottom corner. There was little change to the pattern of play after half-time and Qazim Laçi put the seal on a comfortable Sparta victory shortly before the hour mark, sliding Olatunji’s square ball into the net from close range.

Player of the Match: Filip Panák (Sparta Praha)

Matchday 2
01/10: Stuttgart vs Sparta Praha, Salzburg vs Brest

Bologna 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

After Bologna goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski saved Georgiy Sudakov’s fourth-minute penalty, an inspired performance from his Shakhtar counterpart ensured the first ever meeting between these teams finished goalless.

Dmytro Riznyk turned Santiago Castro’s shot behind during first-half added time, then hared off his line shortly after the restart to stop Giovanni Fabbian’s strike at similarly close quarters. The Rossoblù could not turn dominance into a breakthrough, ending their run of scoring in 23 consecutive European home matches.

Player of the Match: Mykola Matviyenko (Shakhtar)

Matchday 2
02/10: Liverpool vs Bologna, Shakhtar vs Atalanta

Celtic 5-1 Slovan Bratislava

Celtic landed their biggest win in the Champions League proper against tournament debutants Slovan Bratislava. Liam Scales’ powerful header gave Celtic a half-time lead, before Kyogo Furuhashi’s close-range finish and a penalty converted by the impressive Arne Engels after the restart gave them complete control.

Kevin Wimmer offered hope to the Slovakian champions with a sublime effort of his own, but calm finishes from Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah capped victory for the hosts.

Player of the Match: Liam Scales (Celtic)

Matchday 2
01/10: Dortmund vs Celtic, Slovan Bratislava vs Man City

Club Brugge 0-3 Borussia Dortmund

Jamie Gittens’ double and Sehrou Guirassy’s cool spot kick ensured last season’s runners-up got off to a winning start in Bruges.

Hugo Vetlesen almost gave the hosts an early advantage but hooked his powerful volley against the bar. Club Brugge’s display forced BVB coach Nuri Sahin to make a host of attacking changes in the second half, including the introduction of Guirassy and Gittens.

The England Under-21 international struck twice in 11 minutes late on, the first a deflected effort before a dazzling piece of individual brilliance doubled the lead. Fellow replacement Guirassy added a third with a chipped penalty in added time.

Player of the Match: Jamie Gittens (Dortmund)

Matchday 2
01/10: Dortmund vs Celtic, 02/10: Sturm Graz vs Club Brugge

Manchester City 0-0 Inter

This replay of the 2022/23 final finished in stalemate with neither side able to break the deadlock in Manchester. The first half saw chances at both ends, Erling Haaland shooting narrowly wide for Manchester City and Marcus Thuram heavily involved in Inter’s best opportunities.

After the restart, both teams had near misses from close range, Henrikh Mkhitaryan off target for the visitors and City’s İlkay Gündoğan heading a Joško Gvardiol cross at Yann Sommer.

Though the hosts increased the pressure in the closing stages, the points were shared.

Player of the Match: Nicolò Barella (Inter)

Matchday 2
01/10: Slovan Bratislava vs Man City, Inter vs Crvena Zvezda

Paris 1-0 Girona

A late Paulo Gazzaniga own goal denied Champions League debutants Girona a fine point in Paris. Girona, the 14th Spanish club to play in the competition proper, defended well all night and looked well set to keep last season’s semi-finalists at bay.

Paris winger Ousmane Dembélé failed to get a shot away when clear on goal and also hit the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. Substitute Randal Kolo Muani also twice put chances wide before Nuno Mendes’ cross-shot went in via goalkeeper Gazzaniga.

Player of the Match: Nuno Mendes (Paris)

Matchday 2
01/10: Arsenal vs Paris, 02/10: Girona vs Feyenoord

Tuesday night’s action

The opening night of the league phase threw up a record-breaking win for Bayern München and a long-awaited victory for Aston Villa, as well as maximum points for Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus and Sporting CP.

Young Boys 0-3 Aston Villa

Aston Villa’s first European Cup appearance in 41 years produced a comfortable win in Bern. After Ebrima Colley tested Emiliano Martínez during a bright start by the hosts, Youri Tielemans rifled the 1981/82 champions in front from a corner 27 minutes into the first half.

Jacob Ramsey slotted in from close range 11 minutes later to double the lead, and Amadou Onana scored the pick of the goals with a fierce low drive from distance with four minutes remaining.

Player of the Match: Youri Tielemans (Villa)

Matchday 2
01/10: Barcelona vs Young Boys, 02/10: Aston Villa vs Bayern München

Juventus 3-1 PSV Eindhoven

Juventus opened their campaign with an emphatic victory which was kick-started by the inaugural goal of the league phase era. Kenan Yıldız was the scorer, drifting in from the left on 21 minutes before curling a wonderful shot into the top corner via a post. Weston McKennie thumped in a second six minutes later after Nico González’s fine turn and run down the right.

Dušan Vlahović sent González through to clip in a third on 52 minutes, with Ismael Saibari registering an added-time consolation for the visitors.

Player of the Match: Kenan Yıldız (Juventus)

Matchday 2
01/10: PSV Eindhoven vs Sporting CP, 02/10: Leipzig vs Juventus

AC Milan 1-3 Liverpool

Liverpool recovered from falling behind to Christian Pulišić’s third-minute strike to open their first European campaign under Arne Slot in style on the Dutchman’s 46th birthday. Milan’s lead lasted 20 minutes, Ibrahima Konaté heading in before Virgil van Dijk followed suit four minutes from half-time.

The Reds also struck the crossbar twice through Mohamed Salah during the first half, and their third goal arrived midway through the second when Dominik Szoboszlai met Cody Gakpo’s cross to complete a slick counterattack.

Player of the Match: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)

Matchday 2
01/10: Leverkusen vs AC Milan, 02/10: Liverpool vs Bologna

Bayern München 9-2 GNK Dinamo

Harry Kane scored four to become the leading English goalscorer in the Champions League as Bayern became the first team to score nine in a single game. Kane, who converted three penalties, now has 33 Champions League goals to his name, taking him past Wayne Rooney’s mark of 30.

Michael Olise, meanwhile, scored two of his own on his Champions League debut, with Raphaël Guerreiro also getting in on the act with the pick of the goals. Two goals in as many minutes briefly had the visitors in the game at 3-2 but Bayern then scored six times in 36 second-half minutes.

Player of the Match: Harry Kane (Bayern)

Matchday 2
02/10: Aston Villa vs Bayern München, GNK Dinamo vs Monaco

Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart

Real Madrid got their title defence off to a winning start thanks to three second-half goals. Both goalkeepers were kept busy in an absorbing but goalless first half, before Kylian Mbappé converted Rodrygo’s cross shortly after the break.

Deniz Undav nodded an equaliser for Stuttgart, yet Real Madrid replied with an 83rd-minute Antonio Rüdiger header from Luka Modrić’s corner. Endrick then slotted in a third in added time to seal the victory.

Player of the Match: Thibaut Courtois (Madrid)

Matchday 2
01/10: Stuttgart vs Sparta Praha, 02/10: LOSC Lille vs Real Madrid

Sporting CP 2-0 Lille

Viktor Gyökeres and Zeno Debast scored the goals as Sporting opened up with victory over ten-man Lille, who had Angel Gomes sent off.

The hosts broke through in the 38th minute when Gyökeres swept in for an eighth successive game. Lille were reduced to ten men two minutes later, and Sporting sealed maximum points midway through the second half when Debast flashed a thunderous long-range strike past Lucas Chevalier.

Player of the Match: Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting)

Matchday 2
01/10: PSV Eindhoven vs Sporting CP, 02/10: LOSC Lille vs Real Madrid