Champions League round-up: Barcelona win Benfica thriller ...
Barcelona won one of the games of the tournament so far with a 5-4 triumph against Benfica, Liverpool made it seven victories from seven against Lille and there were also wins for Atlético de Madrid, Monaco and Atalanta on a thrilling evening to kick off Matchday 7.
UEFA.com rounds up all the action.
Play Fantasy FootballTuesday night's action
Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa
Wilfried Singo's brave early header ensured Monaco claimed maximum points in an intriguing encounter. The centre-back was quickest to the rebound to nod in from close range with just eight minutes gone, after Emiliano Martínez could only parry Thilo Kehrer's emphatic effort following Lamine Camara's corner.
Unai Emery's men pressed hard for an equaliser but found home goalkeeper Radosław Majecki in inspired form, with the Polish international making smart one-handed stops to deny Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins late in the first half.Player of the Match: Wilfried Singo (Monaco)
Matchday 829/01: Inter vs Monaco, Aston Villa vs Celtic
Atalanta 5-0 Sturm Graz
Atalanta earned a swaggering first home win of their campaign, taking a 12th-minute lead when Mateo Retegui prodded in his third league-phase goal. The hosts doubled their advantage on 58 minutes as Mario Pašalić volleyed in Juan Cuadrado’s drilled cross, and Charles De Ketelaere stabbed in their third five minutes later.
Two added-time goals – the first an Ademola Lookman header, the second a Marco Brescianini strike – moved the Italian side to 14 points in style, leaving their opponents on three.Player of the Match: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta)
Matchday 829/01: Barcelona vs Atalanta, Sturm Graz vs Leipzig
Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Julián Alvarez's superb double ensured ten-man Atleti secured a stunning comeback victory. The hosts, who had Pablo Barrios sent off midway through the first half, fell behind just before half-time via Piero Hincapie's emphatic header.
Alvarez took just seven minutes of the second half to level, latching onto a searching pass before finding the bottom corner. After Hincapie's dismissal for a second bookable offence with 15 minutes remaining, Diego Simeone's men went in search of a winner, and Alvarez completed the turnaround in the closing stages with a precise finish after rounding goalkeeper Matěj Kovář.Player of the Match: Julián Alvarez (Atleti)
Matchday 829/01: Salzburg vs Atlético de Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen vs Sparta Praha
Bologna 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Bologna scored twice in two minutes against Dortmund to claim their first ever Champions League win. Serhou Guirassy’s seventh goal of the campaign put the German side ahead, chipping in a 15th-minute penalty after Emil Holm was adjudged to have fouled Waldemar Anton.
The hosts dominated but could not capitalise until Thijs Dallinga fired in fellow substitute Jens Odgaard's cross on 71 minutes. A third replacement, Samuel Iling-Junior, swiftly slotted in to complete the comeback, putting Bologna on five points. Dortmund remain on 12.Player of the Match: Thijs Dallinga (Bologna)
Matchday 829/01: Sporting CP vs Bologna, Borussia Dortmund vs Shakhtar Donetsk
New format explainedClub Brugge 0-0 Juventus
Both sides stayed on course to remain involved beyond the league phase by cancelling each other out in a close contest. While the first half had few incidents of note, the second was much more open as each team chased the win which would have boosted their hopes even further.
Ferran Jutglà drilled wide and Gustaf Nilsson volleyed just over for the hosts, while a goalbound drive from Manuel Locatelli was palmed away by Simon Mignolet in the closing stages.Player of the Match: Federico Gatti (Juventus)
Matchday 829/01: Manchester City vs Club Brugge, Juventus vs Benfica
Crvena Zvezda 2-3 PSV Eindhoven
PSV dug deep to hold off a second-half resurgence from Crvena Zvezda after being reduced to ten men shortly after the interval. The visitors were in control at half-time through three goals created by Joey Veerman corner kicks – Luuk de Jong heading two in seven minutes before Ryan Flamingo added a third with a first-time strike.
Flamingo received a red card five minutes into the second half and the hosts utilised their numerical advantage to get back into the game. Cherif Ndiaye nodded in the Serbian side's first before Mirko Ivanić's corner found the head of Nasser Djiga, setting up a nervy finale for the visitors.Player of the Match: Luuk de Jong (PSV)
Matchday 829/01: Young Boys vs Crvena Zvezda, PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool
Liverpool 2-1 LOSC Lille
Liverpool edged out Lille at Anfield to remain top in the league phase with a game to spare. Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, racing onto Curtis Jones' through ball and scoring his 50th European goal for the Reds.
Despite Aïssa Mandi’s red card for a second bookable offence, Jonathan David drew the visitors level on 62 minutes. However, Harvey Elliott's deflected strike soon after made it seven wins from seven for Arne Slot's side.Player of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Matchday 829/01: PSV Eindhoven vs Liverpool, LOSC Lille vs Feyenoord
Slovan Bratislava 1-3 Stuttgart
Stuttgart condemned Slovan Bratislava to a seventh league phase defeat and kept up their own hopes of knockout qualification. Jamie Leweling slid in to convert Deniz Undav's smart pass and was then in the right place to add a second after a good save initially from Dominik Takác.
Undav hit the post and Idjessi Metsoko briefly gave the home crowd hope when he poked in – only for Stuttgart to break clear and free Fabian Rieder to smash in.Player of the Match: Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart)
Matchday 829/01: Bayern München vs Slovan Bratislava, Stuttgart vs Paris Saint-Germain
Benfica 4-5 Barcelona
Raphinha's late strike completed a roaring comeback in Lisbon as Barcelona protected second place in the league phase table. Vangelis Pavlidis' 29-minute hat-trick put Benfica in a commanding position at the break, with only Robert Lewandowski's penalty giving the hosts hope.
Raphinha reduced the deficit to one after half-time, the ball rebounding in off his head after Anatoliy Trubin's failed clearance, before a Ronald Araújo own goal set the visitors back once more. However, Lewandowski's 78th-minute spot kick brought Benfica back within reach, then substitute Eric García headed in a delightful Pedri cross and Raphinha burst forward and finished powerfully in added time to seal a remarkable win.Player of the Match: Raphinha (Barcelona)
Matchday 829/01: Juventus vs Benfica, Barcelona vs Atalanta
Download the app