The UEFA Champions League continued to thrill on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, with exciting clashes across Europe, where teams battled for crucial points on Matchday 3. Aston Villa and Real Madrid headlined the action, with Villa securing a perfect record and Real Madrid staging a remarkable comeback against Borussia Dortmund. Other teams, including AC Milan, Arsenal, and Monaco, also enjoyed victories, while standout performances from Vinícius Júnior and Aston Villa’s John Durán highlighted the night.
Aston Villa Maintain Perfect Start with 2-0 Victory Over Bologna
Aston Villa have emerged as one of the strongest teams in this year’s UEFA Champions League, maintaining their perfect record with a 2-0 victory over Bologna. With three wins from three, Villa became the first team to reach nine points in the league phase. The team, under the management of Unai Emery, controlled the match and displayed their dominance at Villa Park.
The breakthrough came in the second half when captain John McGinn curled in a free-kick that bypassed everyone and found the bottom corner. Shortly after, Jhon Durán, making his first Champions League start, volleyed home the second goal, securing the three points. Durán’s clinical finish capped off a solid team performance, leaving Aston Villa top of their group.
Villa’s victory puts them in a commanding position heading into the next matchday, with Club Brugge up next. The English side will be hoping to continue their impressive run as they eye qualification to the knockout stages.
Player of the Match: Jhon Durán (Aston Villa)
Vinícius Júnior’s Hat-Trick Powers Real Madrid to Stunning Comeback Against Dortmund
In one of the night’s most thrilling fixtures, Real Madrid overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2, thanks to a sensational second-half performance led by Vinícius Júnior. The defending champions, who found themselves two goals down at half-time, turned the game on its head after the break with a dominant display.
Dortmund looked set for an upset, taking a 2-0 lead with goals from Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens. However, Real Madrid responded swiftly in the second half, with Vinícius scoring a hat-trick to lead his side to victory. Antonio Rüdiger added another with a powerful header, and Lucas Vázquez capped the night with a fifth goal.
Vinícius Júnior’s solo stunner
Singo’s long-range strikeVote for your Goal of the Day #UCLGOTD | @Heineken
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 22, 2024
Vinícius’ brilliant performance demonstrated why Real Madrid remain a formidable force in the competition. The Brazilian winger’s pace, skill, and composure in front of goal were too much for Dortmund to handle, as Madrid secured all three points and reaffirmed their status as one of the tournament favorites.
Player of the Match: Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
Arsenal Edge Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 to Continue Unbeaten Run
Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in the Champions League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium. Gabriel Martinelli was instrumental in breaking the deadlock when his shot hit the post and ricocheted off Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk into the net.
Although Arsenal dominated much of the game, Shakhtar’s goalkeeper Riznyk redeemed himself with key saves to keep his side in the match, denying both Gabriel Jesus and Martinelli again. Leandro Trossard missed a penalty in the 77th minute, but the Gunners held firm to secure the win and move to seven points in their group.
Player of the Match: Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
AC Milan Secure First Points with 3-1 Win Over Club Brugge
AC Milan earned their first points of the Champions League season with a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge. Tijjani Reijnders was the star of the night, scoring twice to ensure the Rossoneri’s triumph. Despite Club Brugge’s strong start, including a strike from Joel Ordóñez that rattled the crossbar, Milan took the lead through Christian Pulišić, who scored directly from a corner.
Brugge equalized through Kyriani Sabbe after the break, but Reijnders’ brace secured the win for Milan. Additionally, Francesco Camarda made history by becoming the youngest Italian player to appear in the Champions League at just 16 years and 226 days old.
Player of the Match: Tijjani Reijnders (Milan)
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Monaco Thrash Crvena Zvezda 5-1 with Minamino and Singo Starring
Monaco produced a dominant performance to dismantle Crvena Zvezda 5-1, with Takumi Minamino and Wilfried Singo delivering standout performances. Minamino opened the scoring early, but Crvena Zvezda equalized soon after through Cherif Ndiaye’s penalty.
However, Monaco responded emphatically, with Breel Embolo restoring their lead before halftime. Singo then unleashed a stunning long-range strike, followed by Minamino’s second goal of the night. Maghnes Akliouche added a late fifth to seal an emphatic victory for the hosts.
Player of the Match: Takumi Minamino (Monaco)
Juventus Suffer Late Defeat as Stuttgart Win 1-0 in Turin
Stuttgart earned a dramatic 1-0 victory over Juventus in Turin, thanks to an added-time winner from El Bilal Touré. The German side dominated much of the match, with Juventus struggling to create clear-cut chances. Ermedin Demirović hit the post for Stuttgart, while Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin made several important saves, including a penalty stop from Enzo Millot.
However, Stuttgart’s persistence paid off as Touré scored in the dying moments to secure all three points. Juventus, who played the final stages with 10 men following Danilo’s red card, were left ruing missed opportunities.
Player of the Match: Mattia Perin (Juventus)
PSG Held to 1-1 Draw by PSV Eindhoven
Paris Saint-Germain and PSV Eindhoven played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes. PSV took the lead through Noa Lang’s powerful strike from the edge of the box, but PSG equalized through Achraf Hakimi, who netted a second-half leveller.
Despite late pressure from both sides, neither team could find a winner, and the points were shared. PSG remain unbeaten in the group stage, but they will be frustrated not to have claimed all three points.
Player of the Match: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Girona Secure First Champions League Points with 2-0 Win Over Slovan Bratislava
Girona celebrated their first-ever Champions League victory with a 2-0 win over Slovan Bratislava. The Spanish side dominated the match, taking the lead just before half-time through Miguel Gutiérrez, who finished off a fine cross from Arnaut Danjuma. Juanpe then doubled Girona’s advantage with a superb free-kick in the second half.
Despite a late surge from Slovan Bratislava, Girona held on to secure a historic win and their first points in the competition.
Player of the Match: Miguel Gutiérrez (Girona)
Best performance tonight? #UCL pic.twitter.com/EP8LM45GS8
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 22, 2024
