Chijioke Gabriel
The UEFA Champions League once again lived up to its billing, offering fans a cocktail of shocks, brilliance, and high drama. Tuesday night saw Liverpool stunned in Istanbul, Chelsea grind past Benfica, and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé deliver a statement hat-trick, setting the tone for what promises to be another electrifying evening of European football.
In Istanbul, Galatasaray secured a famous 1–0 victory over Liverpool courtesy of Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty. The Reds thought they had salvaged a lifeline when awarded a late spot-kick, but VAR intervention overturned the decision, plunging Jürgen Klopp’s men deeper into scrutiny. The defeat leaves questions over Liverpool’s resilience in hostile European atmospheres.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea battled to a 1–0 win against Benfica, their breakthrough coming via an unfortunate own goal from Richard Ríos. Despite João Pedro’s red card gifting Chelsea a numerical advantage, the Blues failed to find fluency up front, raising concerns about their cutting edge despite the three points.
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur were held 2–2 in Norway after Bodø/Glimt snatched a late equaliser, while Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, and Marseille all recorded emphatic wins to underline their pedigree. But the night’s spotlight was firmly on Madrid, where Kylian Mbappé dazzled with a sublime hat-trick in Real’s 5–0 demolition of Kairat Almaty, reaffirming Los Blancos’ ambitions for European supremacy.
Attention now shifts to tonight’s fixtures, which promise heavyweight drama. Arsenal host Olympiacos at the Emirates, aiming to assert themselves after a strong domestic run. In France, the tie of the round pits Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain, a clash set to showcase attacking flair on both ends.
Manchester City travel to Monaco in search of another commanding performance, while Borussia Dortmund welcome Athletic Bilbao in a contest brimming with intensity. Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen face PSV, Napoli host Sporting CP, and Villarreal lock horns with Juventus. The evening kicks off earlier with Qarabağ vs Copenhagen and Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United.
With last night’s shocks still reverberating, tonight offers another chance for Europe’s giants to stamp their authority—or for underdogs to pen fresh chapters in Champions League folklore.