Champions League Drama: PSG Edge Barcelona, Man City Held, Arsenal And Newcastle Shine

The Champions League delivered another night of gripping football on Wednesday, with last-minute winners, VAR controversies, and European giants showing their mettle across the continent.

PSG Break Barcelona Hearts In Spain

Paris Saint-Germain reminded Europe why they are the holders of the trophy, coming from behind to stun Barcelona 2-1 at the Montjuic.

Despite missing Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé through injury, PSG’s young talent Senny Mayulu levelled the game after Ferran Torres opened the scoring for Barça. Then, in true Champions League fashion, substitute Gonçalo Ramos struck a 90th-minute winner, assisted by Achraf Hakimi, sending the French champions home with their second win from two matches.

Luis Enrique, who knows the Barcelona stage all too well, praised his squad’s resilience: “It shows the strength and mentality of our side that whoever is on the field, we play like a real team.”

Social media lit up with reactions, many calling it “a statement win” and noting that PSG, often accused of faltering under pressure, are starting to look like a complete European powerhouse.

Man City Stumble Against Monaco

Source: Man City on X

In Monaco, Erling Haaland’s incredible scoring record continued with a brace that took him to 52 Champions League goals in just 50 appearances. But Pep Guardiola’s side were pegged back by a spirited Monaco, who struck through Jordan Teze before Eric Dier won and converted a late penalty, sealing a 2-2 draw.

Guardiola wasn’t impressed with the VAR call but shrugged it off post-match: “It is what it is. We have a point and we will take it.”

For Monaco, it was their first point of the competition and a reminder that even European royalty like City can be rattled on the road.

Arsenal March On At Home

Source: Arsenal on X

At the Emirates, Arsenal continued their flawless start, beating Olympiakos 2-0. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring after Viktor Gyökeres hit the post, and Bukayo Saka sealed the win with a stoppage-time strike that squeezed under the goalkeeper.

Mikel Arteta praised his team’s discipline and defensive strength: “Another clean sheet in Europe is remarkable.”

Newcastle And Dortmund Run Riot

Source: NUFC on X

Newcastle United reignited their European campaign with a dominant 4-0 win in Belgium over Union Saint-Gilloise. Nick Woltemade’s early effort set the tone before Anthony Gordon converted two penalties and Harvey Barnes added the finishing touch.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund 2024’s beaten finalists showed their quality with a 4-1 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao. Daniel Svensson and Carney Chukwuemeka set them on their way before Serhou Guirassy and Julian Brandt ensured the result reflected their dominance.

Source: BVB on X

Napoli, Juventus And Surprises Elsewhere

Source: The Flanker ID on X

In Italy, Rasmus Højlund’s double helped Napoli beat Sporting 2-1, while Juventus were held to a 2-2 draw by Villarreal in a dramatic contest where former loanee Renato Veiga punished his old club with a late equaliser.

Qarabag continued to be the Cinderella story of this season, adding Copenhagen to their list of scalps after beating Benfica in their opener. Goals from Abdellah Zoubir and Emmanuel Addai gave the Azerbaijani side another shock win, leaving them level on six points with Europe’s elite.

A Night That Had It All

From Ramos’ last-gasp heroics in Spain to Haaland’s relentless scoring in Monaco, the second round of fixtures once again proved why the Champions League captivates the world. With giants flexing their muscles and underdogs like Qarabag stealing headlines, the stage is perfectly set for more drama in the weeks to come.

{Source:Super Sport}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com