Monaco dominates Barcelona, Wirtz and Raya shine, and other key takeaways from Thursday's Champions League action.
The revamped Champions League's first week concluded on Thursday, featuring Barcelona and Arsenal in action.
Neither club managed a win, with one suffering a disappointing defeat and the other relying on goalkeeping brilliance to secure a draw.
Key Takeaways from Thursday’s Matches:
Monaco Overpowers 10-Man Barcelona
Barcelona’s perfect start to La Liga under Hansi Flick faced its first setback as they were decisively beaten by AS Monaco. An early red card for Eric García, sent off for a last-man foul on Takumi Minamino, gave Monaco an early advantage, which the French side capitalized on.
"That red card after 11 minutes changed our entire game plan, but we have to accept it," Flick told reporters post-match.
Things quickly worsened for Barcelona when Maghnes Akliouche put Monaco ahead in the 16th minute with a powerful shot from the right, beating Marc-André ter Stegen at his near post.
Barcelona responded before the half-hour mark with a near-identical goal from 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, scoring his first Champions League goal after his standout performance against Girona over the weekend.
However, it was Monaco’s own young star, George Ilenikhena, who stole the show. The 18-year-old Nigerian striker netted the match-winner in the 71st minute, again beating ter Stegen at the near post. In doing so, Ilenikhena became Monaco’s youngest-ever Champions League scorer, breaking Kylian Mbappé’s record set during the 2016/17 campaign.
"We had our chances, but they deserved the win," Flick admitted. "I’ve told the team to keep their heads up. We’ll focus on Sunday’s game against Villarreal and hope to recover with renewed energy."
David Raya’s Heroics Save Arsenal
After Liverpool’s 3-1 win over AC Milan and Manchester City’s goalless draw with Inter, the third Anglo-Italian clash of the Champions League week saw Arsenal take on Atalanta.
Despite Atalanta's early-season struggles and Arsenal’s momentum following a victory against Tottenham Hotspur, the Gunners were forced to rely on goalkeeper David Raya to secure a 0-0 draw.
The turning point came in the second half when Atalanta earned a penalty after Thomas Partey fouled Éderson. Raya made an outstanding save to deny Mateo Retegui’s spot-kick and followed it up with an even more remarkable stop, blocking Retegui’s rebound header.
The draw was not the result Arsenal had hoped for, but it could have been worse without Raya's brilliance.
"We needed two of the best saves I've ever seen from David to stay in the game," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "The work with the goalkeeping coach, Iñaki, was vital, and David's execution was unbelievable."
Florian Wirtz Shines on Champions League Debut
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz made an instant impact in his Champions League debut, scoring just five minutes into the match against Feyenoord.
The young German star fired a left-footed strike from the edge of the box to give his side an early lead. He later added a second goal, volleying in a Jeremie Frimpong cross in the 36th minute, before a Feyenoord own goal completed the 3-0 rout.
"We started very well today, and I’m happy to have scored two goals," Wirtz told UEFA.com. "But the most important thing is the clear victory."
Wirtz joined Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as the only players to score multiple goals in this week’s Champions League fixtures, with all four playing for German clubs.
Swiss Model Revamp Faces Early Criticism
The revamped Champions League, now operating under the Swiss Model with a single league table of 36 teams, has had a rocky start. Despite promises of more exciting matchups between Europe’s top teams, fans have voiced concerns over the new format.
The most anticipated fixture of the round, a rematch between Manchester City and Inter Milan, ended in a lackluster 0-0 draw. City midfielder Rodri warned that the increased number of games—each team now playing two additional matches—could lead to player strikes over workload concerns.
Fans also expressed frustration with mismatches, such as Bayern Munich’s 9-2 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb, where Bayern supporters held up banners criticizing the format and financial imbalance in the competition.
Comments on social media echoed this sentiment, with one fan writing, “This new Champions League format is so weird and hard to get,” while another pointed out that teams could lose several games and still qualify by beating lower-ranked opponents.
With seven match weeks remaining before the knockout stages, it remains to be seen whether the format will win over fans or continue to spark debate.
The next round of Champions League action on October 1, including Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain, will provide further insight into the tournament’s new structure.
