UEFA Champions League, matchday 4: Hat-trick for Anastasios Douvikas

This European week delivered a carousel of emotion that lurched from the serene to the savage. Some grounds witnessed a quiet, almost academic mastery, while others saw the floodgates open in a manner that defied all logic and sympathy. The sheer scale of the contrasts made it a round that will linger long in the memory, for reasons both glorious and ruinous.

The UEFA Champions League produced 70 goals in eighteen matches on matchday 4, an average of 3.9 a game. The away sides took nine wins, the hosts eight, and one match ended level. Two matches finished 1-2. 29 goals came before half-time and 41 after.

The standout result

Lens – Como 1-9

Lens lost 1-9 to Como. Anastasios Douvikas struck in the 7th for Como, assisted by Maximo Perrone. Anastasios Douvikas scored again in the 32nd minute, assisted by Álex Valle. Nico Paz found the net in the 40th, assisted by Anastasios Douvikas. Lens trailed 0-3 at the break. In the 47th minute, Lucas Da Cunha scored for Como, assisted by Nico Paz. Marc-Oliver Kempf struck in the 53rd, assisted by Luis Milla. Anastasios Douvikas scored again in the 57th minute, assisted by Nico Paz. Mattia Liberali found the net in the 62nd, assisted by Jacobo Ramón. In the 65th minute, Ruben Aguilar scored for Lens, assisted by Florian Thauvin. Martin Baturina struck in the 69th for Como, assisted by Mattia Liberali. Matteo Papaccioli scored in the 91st minute, assisted by Mattia Liberali.

The other matches

Shakhtar Donetsk – Sporting CP 0-1

Shakhtar Donetsk lost 0-1 to Sporting CP at Stamford Bridge. Issa Doumbia scored in the 59th minute for Sporting CP.

Galatasaray – VfB Stuttgart 2-0

At Rams Park, Galatasaray beat VfB Stuttgart 2-0. Aleksey Batrakov found the net in the 12th for Galatasaray. In the 15th minute, Aleksey Batrakov scored again, assisted by Davinson Sánchez.

Manchester United – AS Roma 3-2

Manchester United beat AS Roma 3-2. In the 11th minute, Matias Soule scored for AS Roma, assisted by Rodrigo Mora. Donyell Malen converted a penalty in the 17th minute. Manchester United went into half-time 0-2 down. Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty in the 58th minute for Manchester United. Matheus Cunha found the net in the 83rd, assisted by Bruno Fernandes. In the 86th minute, Matheus Cunha scored again, assisted by Shea Lacey.

Feyenoord – Inter 0-3

Feyenoord lost 0-3 to Inter at Stadion Feijenoord. Yann Bisseck struck in the 8th for Inter, assisted by Djed Spence. Pio Esposito scored in the 34th minute. Feyenoord trailed 0-2 at the break. Piotr Zieliński found the net in the 54th for Inter, assisted by Nicolò Barella.

Bodø/Glimt – Lille 0-0

At Aspmyra Stadion, Bodø/Glimt drew 0-0 with Lille. Neither side found the net.

Barcelona – Aston Villa 3-0

Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0. Lamine Yamal found the net in the 7th for Barcelona. Barcelona led 1-0 at the break. In the 52nd minute, Raphael Dias Belloli scored for Barcelona, assisted by Fermín López. Raphael Dias Belloli struck again in the 64th, assisted by João Cancelo.

Atlético Madrid – Bayern München 0-2

Atlético Madrid lost 0-2 to Bayern München at Riyadh Air Metropolitano. In the 54th minute, Lennart Karl scored for Bayern München. Konrad Laimer struck in the 74th, assisted by Harry Kane.

Villarreal – Paris Saint-Germain 0-6

At Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal lost 0-6 to Paris Saint-Germain. João Neves struck in the 9th for Paris Saint-Germain. Désiré Doue scored in the 12th minute, assisted by Maghnes Akliouche. Senny Mayulu found the net in the 13th. In the 17th minute, Fabián Ruiz scored, assisted by Maghnes Akliouche. Villarreal trailed 0-4 at the break. Fabián Ruiz struck again in the 50th for Paris Saint-Germain, assisted by Vitinha. David Boly scored in the 78th minute, assisted by João Neves.

Lask Linz – Slovan Bratislava 4-0

Lask Linz beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0. Kasper Jorgensen scored in the 19th minute for Lask Linz, assisted by Moses Usor. Kasper Jorgensen found the net again in the 37th. In the 44th minute, Robert Ljubicic scored. Lask Linz took a 3-0 lead into half-time. Samuel Adeniran struck in the 48th for Lask Linz, assisted by Sascha Horvath.

AEK Athens FC – Real Madrid 2-3

AEK Athens FC lost 2-3 to Real Madrid at Allwyn Arena. Aboubakary Koita found the net in the 12th for AEK Athens FC, assisted by Luka Jovic. In the 32nd minute, Jude Bellingham scored for Real Madrid, assisted by Marc Cucurella. It was 1-1 at the break. Stavros Pilios struck in the 75th for AEK Athens FC, assisted by Aboubakary Koita. Kylian Mbappé scored in the 78th minute for Real Madrid, assisted by Denzel Dumfries. Federico Valverde found the net in the 92nd, assisted by Brahim Díaz.

Fenerbahçe – Liverpool 3-2

At Chobani Stadium, Fenerbahçe beat Liverpool 3-2. In the 25th minute, Treymaurice Nyoni scored for Liverpool. Mason Greenwood struck in the 29th for Fenerbahçe. The sides went in level at 1-1. Alexander Isak scored in the 69th minute for Liverpool, assisted by Cody Gakpo. Archie Brown found the net in the 73rd for Fenerbahçe. In the 79th minute, Vedat Muriqi scored, assisted by Archie Brown.

Borussia Dortmund – Real Betis 2-1

Borussia Dortmund beat Real Betis 2-1 at Signal Iduna Park. Fábio Silva scored in the 49th minute for Borussia Dortmund. Aitor Ruibal found the net in the 67th for Real Betis, assisted by Abde Ezzalzouli. In the 72nd minute, Konstantinos Karetsas scored for Borussia Dortmund, assisted by Fábio Silva.

RB Leipzig – Manchester City 2-3

At Leipzig Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig lost 2-3 to Manchester City. An own goal by Castello Junior Lukeba in the 37th minute counted for Manchester City. RB Leipzig trailed 0-1 at the break. In the 49th minute, Ridle Baku scored for RB Leipzig, assisted by Brajan Gruda. Enzo Fernández struck in the 58th for Manchester City, assisted by Iliman Ndiaye. Antonio Nusa scored in the 61st minute for RB Leipzig, assisted by Christopher Nkunku. Erling Haaland found the net in the 78th for Manchester City, assisted by Elliot Anderson.

PSV Eindhoven – Club Brugge KV 1-2

PSV Eindhoven lost 1-2 to Club Brugge KV. In the 25th minute, Nicolo Tresoldi scored for Club Brugge KV, assisted by Joaquin Seys. PSV Eindhoven went into half-time 0-1 down. Kodai Sano struck in the 54th for PSV Eindhoven. Carlos Forbs scored in the 65th minute for Club Brugge KV, assisted by Joaquin Seys.

FC Porto – Napoli 4-1

FC Porto beat Napoli 4-1 at Estádio do Dragão. Jan Bednarek struck in the 11th for FC Porto, assisted by Gabri Veiga. Scott McTominay scored in the 43rd minute for Napoli. It was 1-1 at the break. Gabri Veiga found the net in the 71st for FC Porto, assisted by Santiago Giménez. In the 80th minute, Jakub Kiwior scored, assisted by Hwang In-Beom. Samuel Aghehowa converted a penalty in the 90th minute.

Slavia Praha – Arsenal 1-2

At Sinobo Stadium, Slavia Praha lost 1-2 to Arsenal. Noni Madueke scored in the 9th minute for Arsenal, assisted by Viktor Gyökeres. Viktor Gyökeres found the net in the 38th, assisted by Mikel Merino. Slavia Praha went into half-time 0-2 down. In the 90th minute, Wiktor Nowak scored for Slavia Praha, assisted by David Jurasek.

Viking – Sabah FA 4-1

Viking beat Sabah FA 4-1. Patrick Orphe Mbina found the net in the 11th for Sabah FA, assisted by Umarali Rakhmonaliev. In the 27th minute, Erik Botheim scored for Viking, assisted by Kristoffer Haugen. It was 1-1 at the break. Zlatko Tripić struck in the 69th for Viking. Henrik Falchener scored in the 81st minute, assisted by Zlatko Tripić. Erik Botheim found the net again in the 94th, assisted by Peter Christiansen.

For every display of cold, calculated control, there was an answering explosion of chaos that shredded the form book. The gulf between the best and the rest felt less like a sporting gap and more like a philosophical divide. In the end, the night belonged to the ruthless, leaving the humbled to sift through the debris of ambitions that were scattered to the wind.

Results and scorers

• Shakhtar Donetsk 0-1 Sporting CP — Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP, 59')
• Galatasaray 2-0 VfB Stuttgart — Aleksey Batrakov (Galatasaray, 12'); Aleksey Batrakov (Galatasaray, 15')
• Manchester United 3-2 AS Roma — Matias Soule (AS Roma, 11'); Donyell Malen (AS Roma, 17', penalty); Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, 58', penalty); Matheus Cunha (Manchester United, 83'); Matheus Cunha (Manchester United, 86'); red card: Matheus Cunha (Manchester United, 91')
• Feyenoord 0-3 Inter — Yann Bisseck (Inter, 8'); Pio Esposito (Inter, 34'); Piotr Zieliński (Inter, 54')
• Bodø/Glimt 0-0 Lille
• Barcelona 3-0 Aston Villa — Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, 7'); Raphael Dias Belloli (Barcelona, 52'); Raphael Dias Belloli (Barcelona, 64')
• Atlético Madrid 0-2 Bayern München — Lennart Karl (Bayern München, 54'); Konrad Laimer (Bayern München, 74')
• Villarreal 0-6 Paris Saint-Germain — João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, 9'); Désiré Doue (Paris Saint-Germain, 12'); Senny Mayulu (Paris Saint-Germain, 13'); Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, 17'); Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, 50'); David Boly (Paris Saint-Germain, 78')
• Lask Linz 4-0 Slovan Bratislava — Kasper Jorgensen (Lask Linz, 19'); Kasper Jorgensen (Lask Linz, 37'); Robert Ljubicic (Lask Linz, 44'); Samuel Adeniran (Lask Linz, 48')
• AEK Athens FC 2-3 Real Madrid — Aboubakary Koita (AEK Athens FC, 12'); Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, 32'); Stavros Pilios (AEK Athens FC, 75'); Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, 78'); Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, 92'); red card: Aboubakary Koita (AEK Athens FC, 95')
• Fenerbahçe 3-2 Liverpool — Treymaurice Nyoni (Liverpool, 25'); Mason Greenwood (Fenerbahçe, 29'); Alexander Isak (Liverpool, 69'); Archie Brown (Fenerbahçe, 73'); Vedat Muriqi (Fenerbahçe, 79')
• Lens 1-9 Como — Anastasios Douvikas (Como, 7'); Anastasios Douvikas (Como, 32'); Nico Paz (Como, 40'); Lucas Da Cunha (Como, 47'); Marc-Oliver Kempf (Como, 53'); Anastasios Douvikas (Como, 57'); Mattia Liberali (Como, 62'); Ruben Aguilar (Lens, 65'); Martin Baturina (Como, 69'); Matteo Papaccioli (Como, 91')
• Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Betis — Fábio Silva (Borussia Dortmund, 49'); Aitor Ruibal (Real Betis, 67'); Konstantinos Karetsas (Borussia Dortmund, 72')
• RB Leipzig 2-3 Manchester City — Castello Junior Lukeba (Manchester City, 37', own goal); Ridle Baku (RB Leipzig, 49'); Enzo Fernández (Manchester City, 58'); Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig, 61'); Erling Haaland (Manchester City, 78')
• PSV Eindhoven 1-2 Club Brugge KV — Nicolo Tresoldi (Club Brugge KV, 25'); Kodai Sano (PSV Eindhoven, 54'); Carlos Forbs (Club Brugge KV, 65')
• FC Porto 4-1 Napoli — Jan Bednarek (FC Porto, 11'); Scott McTominay (Napoli, 43'); Gabri Veiga (FC Porto, 71'); Jakub Kiwior (FC Porto, 80'); Samuel Aghehowa (FC Porto, 90', penalty); red card: Rafael Marin Zamora (Napoli, 88')
• Slavia Praha 1-2 Arsenal — Noni Madueke (Arsenal, 9'); Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal, 38'); Wiktor Nowak (Slavia Praha, 90')
• Viking 4-1 Sabah FA — Patrick Orphe Mbina (Sabah FA, 11'); Erik Botheim (Viking, 27'); Zlatko Tripić (Viking, 69'); Henrik Falchener (Viking, 81'); Erik Botheim (Viking, 94'); red card: Aden McCarthy (Sabah FA, 77')

Table

Top scorers

1. J. Mickels (Sabah FA) — 4 goals
2. Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain) — 4 goals
3. E. Demirović (VfB Stuttgart) — 4 goals
4. A. Batrakov (Galatasaray) — 4 goals
5. Raphinha (Barcelona) — 4 goals