Estêvão celebrates after scoring Chelsea’s second against Barcelona
Chelsea moved up to fifth in the league phase standings following a statement 3-0 win against Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund joining the Blues on ten points courtesy of a 4-0 victory at home to Villarreal.
Manchester City remain similarly well placed despite missing the chance to go top of the table having suffered a 2-0 home loss to Leverkusen. We round up all the action from the opening night of UEFA Champions League Matchday 5.
Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona
Estêvão scored for a third successive league phase match and Liam Delap opened his European account as Chelsea cruised to victory.
After visiting forward Ferran Torres struck a fine early chance wide, Barça’s Jules Koundé inadvertently turned in Pedro Neto’s shot for the 27th-minute opener.
Ronald Araújo received a second caution for the Spanish side in the 44th minute, followed by Estêvão’s thrilling run and strike ten minutes after half-time and Delap’s finish from Enzo Fernández’s pass with 17 minutes remaining.
Manchester City 0-2 Leverkusen
The Werkself ended Man City’s unbeaten league phase start thanks to Alejandro Grimaldo’s well-taken strike and Patrik Schick’s glancing header. City almost claimed the opener early on, but Nathan Aké forced a fine reaction stop from Mark Flekken.
The visitors weathered the early pressure, and midway through the first half captain Grimaldo applied the finish to a well-worked Leverkusen counter.
The Bundesliga outfit were indebted to Flekken’s reactions on a number of occasions and doubled their advantage soon after the interval when Schick nodded in deftly from Ibrahim Maza’s curling cross to end City’s 23-match, seven-year unbeaten home run in the group stage/league phase.
B Dortmund 4-0 Villarreal
Serhou Guirassy took his Champions League tally to 18 goals in 23 games – a total bettered only by Erling Haaland – as Borussia Dortmund eased to victory against winless Villarreal.
Guirassy headed in on the line seconds before half-time then added a second from a penalty rebound after Juan Foyth was sent off for handball on the line. Karim Adeyemi’s effort and a Daniel Svensson header clinched victory, with another missed spot kick in between from substitute Fábio Silva.
Napoli 2-0 Qarabağ
Scott McTominay was involved in both goals as Napoli earned their second win of the league phase. The first half finished goalless despite spectacular attempts at both ends – Qarabağ forward Emmanuel Addai sending a long-range shot just wide before a David Neres overhead kick was palmed away by Mateusz Kochalski.
Kochalski also denied Rasmus Højlund from the penalty spot, but was beaten after the hour when McTominay nodded in. The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes later as Mathías Olivera’s cross found McTominay, whose hooked volley was inadvertently touched in by Marko Janković.
Bodø/Glimt 2-3 Juventus
Juventus produced a superb finish to come from behind and win in Norway. The hosts had the better of the opening 45 minutes and took the lead when Ole Didrik Blomberg slammed in after a corner had been helped on.
But Loïs Openda was well placed to swivel and score before Weston McKennie’s header put Juve ahead. Sondre Brunstad Fet’s 87th-minute penalty looked to have given the home side a point only for Jonathan David to fire in the winner a minute into added time.
