The final night of the second week of Champions League group action saw Chelsea shock Atletico Madrid, Paris St Germain humble Bayern Munich, and Man Utd spank CSKA Moscow.
The last time Paris St Germain faced one of Europe’s big boys they suffered a right kick-in, 6-1 to Barcelona. But the Parisians are a different outfit these days. The summer signings of Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappé turning them into a potential European superpower.
The bookies think so, making them the second favourites behind Real Madrid, and they now top a tough group by three points after humbling the five-time European Champions, Bayern Munich, at the Parc des Princes.
Fans were still picking blue fluff out of their belly buttons by the time the first ball hit the back of a net. Neymar setting up his Brazilian buddy Dani Alvez to score in under two minutes.
Next, it was the turn of the French teenager, Kylian Mbappé, to shine. The Monaco loanee set up Edison Cavani to bulldoze the ball into the back of the net before half-time, and the tie was all over by the time Mbappé had rolled the ball to Neymar to score from close range.
Bayern played well, peppered the Paris goal, but lacked the killer instinct of their opponents. The German giants have now lost five of their last nine European away games, and have already dropped five points from their first six games in the Bundesliga.
Paris, on the other hand, has scored 29 goals, and only conceded 3 in nine matches in both domestic and Champions League action.
Can they do it?
I still think they’re a little chick just out of the egg.
Maybe in a few years time.
In the other group game, Celtic ended their run of 16 European ties without a win with a thumping three-nil win away at Anderlecht.
CSKA Moscow 1 v 4 Man Utd
Early goals weren’t just raining in Paris.
Romelu Lukaku found the next in the fourth minute to give Man Utd an early lead in Moscow against CSKA. Anthony Martial was the provider, and in the 19th minute, the Frenchman made it two from the penalty spot, earned by Henry Mkhitaryan.
United entered the half-time interval with a three-goal cushion. Once again, Martial the provider, as a good old-fashioned defensive cock-up allowed his cross to fall into the path of Lukaku to score his tenth goal in his past nine games. Henry Mkhitaryan scored the fourth in the 57th minute, once again after some good work from Martial, and Konstantin Kuchaev scored a consolation goal in the 90th minute.
United top a group they will surely win. FC Basel moves into the second spot after thrashing Benfica by five goals to nil. The Portuguese side is winless after their first two games.
Atletico Madrid 1 v 2 Chelsea
Chelsea became the first English side to win away at Atletico Madrid, as Michy Batshuayi scored a dramatic late winner in the Wanda Metropolitano.
The English Premier League Champions arrived in fine fettle, and with Atletico bound Diego Costa sitting in the stands there was an extra impetus for Chelsea to take this one.
Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 40th minute after David Luiz unnecessarily pulled the shirt of Lucas Hernandez during a corner.
Alvaro Morata scored his eighth goal in his ninth appearance for his new club to equalise early in the second half before the Brilliant Belgian Batshuayi finished off an excellent team move to score with the last boot of the game.
It was an outstanding achievement for Antonio Conte’s side. Atletico hadn’t conceded a single goal at their new stadium until Morata’s flick found the back of the net, and it’s only the second time Atletico have lost at home in 24 European ties games since Diego Simeone took charge.
Chelsea leads the group with six points. Roma sits second with four after beating Qarabag 2-1 away.
Here are the results in full:
Wednesday Night Results
Qarabag 1 v 2 Roma
CSKA Moscow 1 v 4 Man Utd
FC Basel 5 v 0 Benfica
Anderlecht 0 v 3 Celtic
Juventus 2 v 0 Olympiakos
Paris St Germain 3 v 0 Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid 1 v 2 Chelsea
Sporting 0 v 1 Barcelona
Tuesday Night Results
Dortmund 1 v 3 Real Madrid
Sevilla 3 v 0 Maribor
Napoli 3 v 1 Feyenoord
Apoel Nicosia 0 v 3 Spurs
Besiktas 2 v RB Leipzig
Spartak Moscow 1 v 1 Liverpool
Man City 2 v 0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Monaco 0 v 3 Porto
Group A
1. Man Utd – 6pts
2. FC Basel – 3
3. CSKA Moscow – 3
4 Benfica – 0
Group B
1. PSG – 6
2. Bayern – 3
3. Celtic – 3
4. Anderlecht – 0
Group C
1. Chelsea – 6
2. Roma – 4
3. Atletico – 1
4. Qarabag – 0
Group D
1. Barcelona – 6
2. Sporting – 3
3. Juventus – 3
4. Olympiacos – 0
Group E
1. Sevilla – 4
2. Liverpool – 2
3. Spartak Moscow – 2
4. NK Maribor – 1
Group F
1. Man City – 6
2. Shakhtar Donetsk – 3
3. Napoli – 3
4. Feyenoord – 0
Group G
1. Besiktas – 6
2. FC Porto – 3
3. Monaco – 1
4. RB Leipzig – 1
Champions League Odds (Courtesy of Oddsshark)
Real Madrid 4/1
Paris St Germain 5/1
Barcelona 6/1
Bayern Munich 7/1
Man City 9/1
Man Utd – 12/1
Chelsea – 14/1
