Charles De Ketelaere was the driving force for Atalanta in their commanding 6-1 win over Young Boys in the Champions League.
De Ketelaere scored twice and provided three assists as Atalanta – last season's Europa League champions – moved into fourth place in the standings, two points behind leaders Inter.
Star of the show De Ketelaere teed up Mateo Retegui for a ninth-minute opener, though Silvere Ganvoula quickly responded for Young Boys.
It was the first goal conceded by the visitors in the competition this season, but the rest of the half was controlled by Atalanta.
De Ketelaere scored his first in the 28th minute when a corner was flicked to him, and he managed to squeeze in a low shot on the turn.
The Belgium international then set up Sead Kolasinac with a throughball from midfield, and the former Arsenal defender calmly slotted home.
De Ketelaere capped off a dominant first half with his third assist, setting up Retegui once more.
Atalanta's fifth, and De Ketelaere's second, arrived 11 minutes after the restart as he drilled in a low shot from the edge of the box, with some help from a deflection, and Lazar Samardzic made it six in stoppage time.
Data Debrief: King Charles
De Ketelaere became the eighth player to be directly involved in five goals in a single Champions League match.
He is the first Belgian to do so and the first for an Italian side.
De Ketelaere is just the third player to assist three goals in the first half of a Champions League game, after Ryan Giggs for Manchester United against Roma in April 2007 and Carlos Martins for Benfica against Lyon in November 2010.
This was, unsurprisingly, Atalanta's biggest margin of victory in a major European match, while the 6-1 defeat was Young Boys’ joint-biggest home defeat in such competitions, along with their 5-0 loss to Hamburger SV in November 1960.
Mikel Arteta revelled in a statement win in the Champions League after Arsenal's 5-1 defeat of Sporting CP.
Sporting, who are under new leadership following Ruben Amorim's departure to Manchester United, were in second place in the standings heading into matchday five, following their 4-1 demolition of Manchester City earlier in November.
Yet the Portuguese team were no match for City's Premier League rivals Arsenal on Tuesday, as the Gunners blew Sporting away in Lisbon.
Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes put Arsenal 3-0 up by half-time, and though Goncalo Inacio pulled one back for the hosts, Bukayo Saka's penalty and a late finish from Leandro Trossard completed the rout for Arteta's side.
"I'm very happy, it is a big result against a big opponent," Arteta said, having seen Arsenal accumulate 3.89 expected goals, their most on record for a match in the competition (since 2013-14).
"We wanted to make a statement. I felt a really good energy before the match, but you have to put it into practice.
"The first half was exceptional and gave us the platform to win the game. We were really clever and efficient in the way we attacked them. It is an important win for us.
"The atmosphere was changing [when Sporting scored], they had belief, but after that we showed our personality to get on the ball again, to defend deeper if we needed to and the fourth goal changed it again.
"We have to enjoy it, playing in this competition against these sorts of teams. I was pleased with how the performance flowed."
Arsenal had been in a mini-slump of three games without a win before a 3-0 victory over high-flying Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this past weekend.
Backing up that victory with another dominant display is something they will have to do all season long if they are to be successful, according to Arteta.
"We need the consistency, if you want to be going for championships then you have to win and win again. Today was a different type of game but we handled it well and let's move on now," he said.
Arsenal are next in action on Saturday when they travel to West Ham in the Premier League.
Julian Alvarez backed himself to score with the direct free-kick that opened up the floodgates in Atletico Madrid's 6-0 rout of Sparta Prague.
Atletico claimed their third Champions League win of the season in style on Tuesday, and Alvarez's brilliant free-kick opened the scoring after just 15 minutes.
The Argentine doubled his tally just before the hour, with Marcos Llorente and substitute Antoine Griezmann - on his 100th Champions League appearance - also scoring before Angel Correa got in on the act with a brace of his own late on.
The dominant performance, which saw Atletico rack up an expected goals (xG) total of 3.15, moved them up to 13th in the standings.
Alvarez was certainly happy with Atletico's biggest-ever away winning margin in a major European competition, surpassing a 5-0 win over Kayseri Erciyesspor in the UEFA Cup in October 2007.
"A great game, lots of goals, so I'm very happy. We needed it," Alvarez told Movistar Plus.
"I was confident that I was going to score with that free-kick, I think it was a great goal that opened the game and helped us to keep on winning.
"It was a matter of time and minutes to fit all the pieces together. Little by little the whole team is feeling better. We have to continue on this path and keep working. The group is doing very well so we're going for more."
Alvarez scored what was only the fourth direct free-kick goal by an Atletico player in the Champions League, and the first since Sergio Aguero netted against Chelsea in November 2009.
Having lost two of their previous four matches in the competition, the resounding victory also provided reason for coach Diego Simeone to celebrate.
"Anything that means winning makes me happy. If the team has the chance to keep playing like this and scoring goals, so much the better," he said.
"We kept taking the game where we wanted it to go, we accumulated chances and Julian's goal from a free kick was a great goal."
Alvarez made a slow start to life at Atletico following his move from Manchester City, but has picked up form since the end of September and is now on nine goals in all competitions.
"Julian is a player with the highest level, who has played for River Plate, Manchester City and Argentina," Simeone added.
"He is going from strength to strength since joining us, and we expect the best from him.
"He is young, there is good hope for the present and the future. Hopefully, we can accompany him so that he can continue to grow."
Manchester City let a three-goal lead slip at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday to cap another disastrous episode in a worrying spell.
Pep Guardiola's side came into the match having lost each of their last five matches in all competitions, although cruised into the lead.
Erling Haaland bagged a brace for the hosts either side of an Ilkay Gundogan goal, which had them on course to end their disappointing run before huge defensive mistakes saw them implode in the final 15 minutes.
Feyenoord's reply began through Anis Hadj Moussa, who made the most of a mistake from Josko Gvardiol in the 75th minute. Santiago Gimenez then got their second seven minutes later, cheating in Jordan Lotomba's cross after another wayward Gvardiol pass.
David Hancko completed the barely believable comeback in the 89th minute after Ederson was beaten by Igor Paixao, who crossed for the goal.
Following the draw, Manchester City dropped to 15th in the 36-team league, five places and one point above Feyenoord.
Data debrief: Sorry City slump to new low
While Manchester City ended their losing run here, that does not tell half the story for a previously all-conquering side that look devoid of confidence.
Guardiola's side have now gone six matches without a victory in all competitions.
They are also the first team in Champions League history to be leading a match by three goals at the 75-minute mark and fail to win.
Paulo Fonseca wants defensive improvement from Milan after they almost let their lead slip in a 3-2 Champions League win at Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday.
Milan secured a third consecutive Champions League win but had to hang on as the hosts pulled a goal back in the 88th minute and pushed for a leveller.
While Fonseca was delighted that his side moved on to nine points, the Portuguese coach pointed out his team's defensive errors that led to the late drama.
"We have won the last three games in the Champions League. We have scored nine goals. It is very positive. Today it was important to win, and that is what we did," Fonseca told reporters.
"I think we dominated during the match. We changed a lot of players. We did some positive things but also some things to improve, maybe because we changed a lot of players.
"We didn't do the defensive marking well, then after the break, we improved. We deserved to win."
Slovan only had six shots, yet accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), suggesting they created some high-quality chances.
Christian Pulisic put Milan ahead after 21 minutes, but Tigran Barseghyan swiftly dragged the home side level.
Rafael Leao became the first half-time substitute to score in the Champions League for Milan with his goal the 500th scored in the competition by Portuguese players, and Tammy Abraham netted what proved to be the winner three minutes later, with Nino Marcelli's late effort ultimately not enough for Slovan.
Fonseca added that he did not see a problem with his players' attitude, but rather in their reading and understanding of the game when defending.
"These things are difficult to explain. Maybe because these defenders haven't played much. It's a question of reading, not of attitude," he said.
"In the first half, when we allowed Slovan to come out, it was a question of defensive marking. We were too far away with the defenders, and they were always alone to come out. It's a problem of reading and understanding what was happening."
Milan moved up to 14th in the standings, with nine points from their five matches.
Paris Saint-Germain have work to do if they are to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League after a 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich.
Kim Min-jae's first-half header proved decisive at Allianz Arena on Tuesday, with Ousmane Dembele's red card after the break making the task even tougher for PSG.
Having won just once in the competition so far – back in their opening game against Girona – Luis Enrique's team were second-best for much of the contest.
Bayern dominated the first half, with Kingsley Coman particularly dangerous, and the Bundesliga leaders got the goal their performance merited when Kim headed home from a corner in the 38th minute, with PSG's stand-in goalkeeper Matvey Safonov in no man's land.
Dembele, who had seen a decent attempt saved by Manuel Neuer in the first half, received his marching orders for a lunge on his France team-mate Coman just before the hour, with the referee deeming it worthy of a second booking. It marked the first time Dembele has been sent off since 2019, when he saw red for Barcelona in a LaLiga clash with Sevilla.
Safonov made amends for his earlier mistake by tipping a Jamal Musiala shot onto the post but despite applying some late pressure, PSG could not prevent Bayern from claiming a seventh consecutive victory and seventh straight clean sheet in all competitions.
While Vincent Kompany's team are up to 11th in the standings, PSG are in 26th on just four points from their five matches, two places outside of the play-off spots with three games remaining.
Data Debrief: Kim off the mark for buoyant Bayern
Kim scored his first goal in the Champions League, in what was his 23rd appearance in the competition.
The scoreline ultimately flattered PSG, who finished with 0.88 expected goals (xG), while Bayern created 2.21 xG.
Bayern are now unbeaten in each of their last 33 home games in the Champions League group stage (W31 D2), the joint-longest such run in the competition's history, level with Barcelona between November 2009 and November 2020. They have gone on a run of seven wins without conceding for the first time since September 2011, too.
This is the eighth time in the Champions League that Bayern have defeated PSG, with only Real Madrid (11 vs Bayern) and Bayern themselves (10 vs Barcelona) winning more games against a single opponent in the competition's history.
Arsenal put on one of the best performances of the Champions League so far to thrash Portuguese side Sporting 5-1 away from home.
Gabriel Martinelli put Mikel Arteta's side ahead after just seven minutes and they hardly looked back from that point.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes added a second and third respectively before half-time as the visitors did their best to kill the game as a contest.
Things got a little more competitive when Goncalo Inacio pulled one back for the hosts within two minutes of the restart, but a Bukayo Saka penalty in the 65th minute soon quelled any chance of a comeback.
Leandro Trossard got the fifth eight minutes from time after coming off the bench to help Arsenal move above Sporting into seventh place in the 36-team league. Sporting, meanwhile, are one place back on goal difference.
Data debrief: Arsenal wow in Lisbon
Arsenal's 5-1 victory away to Sporting was their biggest away win in the Champions League for 21 years.
The result matched that of the scoreline they managed against Inter Milan in 2003.
It is a result that is made more impressive given that it is Sporting's first defeat at their own ground in 14 matches in all competitions, and the only home game they have failed to win this season.
Bayer Leverkusen got their Champions League campaign back on track with a 5-0 home win over RB Salzburg on Tuesday, with Florian Wirtz scoring twice and the visitors having goalkeeper Alexander Schlager to thank for avoiding an even bigger defeat.
Leverkusen, beaten 4-0 at Liverpool in their last game, raced into an early lead with Wirtz scoring from the penalty spot in the eighth minute and Alejandro Grimaldo netting from a free kick three minutes later.
Wirtz scored again on the half-hour as Leverkusen threatened to run riot and Patrik Schick added a fourth goal 16 minutes after the break.
Substitute Aleix Garcia rounded off the win 18 minutes from time, just four minutes after entering the pitch.
Leverkusen return to winning ways, having failed to pick up three points in their last two matches in the competition.
It moves them up to 13th on 10 points, while Salzburg remain on three points in 30th after suffering their fourth defeat in five matches.
Data Debrief: Wirtz shows dazzling promise
Leverkusen’s Wirtz scored his 17th goal in major European football tonight (12 in UEFA Europa League, 5 in UEFA Champions League) – at the age of 21, only Erling Haaland (23), Kylian Mbappe (21) and Ronaldo (20) have scored more before their 22nd birthday, with Wirtz drawing level with Lionel Messi tonight.
He has scored five Champions League goals in his five appearances so far for Bayer Leverkusen, the most ever goals scored by a German player in their first five games in the competition.
He was integral to what was Leverkusen’s joint biggest win in their major European football history, also registering 5-0 victories in November 1994 against Budapest Honved and in December 2007 against Zurich, both in the UEFA Cup.
Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 victory over Brest on Tuesday as Robert Lewandowski surpassed 100 goals in the Champions League.
On his 125th Champions League appearance, Lewandowski netted his landmark goal from the penalty spot just 10 minutes in at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, after he was barged over by Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot.
Dani Olmo made matters more comfortable for Barca, who squandered several chances to add to their lead and looked vulnerable to counter-attacks at times, midway through the second half.
Olmo skilfully evaded a glut of defenders in the box and squeezed in a finish that deflected in off Bizot.
And Lewandowski fittingly added further gloss in stoppage time to move onto 101 goals in UEFA's flagship cup competition.
Barca moved up to second in the 36-team standings, with 12 points, one point behind leaders Inter.
Data Debrief: Ton up for in-form Lewy
Lewandowski is the third player to score 100 goals in the Champions League, after Lionel Messi (129) and Cristiano Ronaldo (140).
The Barca striker, however, took the fewest shots (451) to reach the milestone, with Messi needing 527 to get there, and Ronaldo 793. Lewandowski netted 17 times in the competition for Borussia Dortmund, 69 times for Bayern Munich and now 15 times for the Blaugrana. Meanwhile, 22 of his Champions League goals have come under Hansi Flick.
In all competitions this season, Lewandowski has now scored 22 goals in 19 appearances – nine more than any other LaLiga player. Indeed, he is only four goals shy of his total tally for last season (26 in 49 games).
Barca, meanwhile, are the fifth team to win four successive European Cup/Champions League matches by at least three goals, after Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 (five), Bayern in 2020 and 2021 (four on both occasions), Leeds United in 1969 (four) and Reims in 1958 (four).
Girona are looking to take their league form into the remainder of their Champions League campaign according to head coach Michel, ahead of their game away to Sturm Graz on Wednesday.
The Spanish side have won three successive matches in LaLiga, following their 4-1 victory over Espanyol on Saturday, which has helped them up to seventh in the table.
With his side currently outside the qualification places in the Champions League table and on just three points, Michel is keen to see his side replicate their domestic form ahead of more challenging matches against Liverpool, AC Milan and Arsenal.
"[This match] is not definitive, but it is very important," Michel told a press conference on Tuesday.
"Obviously, if you look at the fixtures ahead afterwards, getting the three points is key. We've only got three points, the feelings are good and we want to continue in the same way.
"We are prepared. We'll be at our best on a competitive level because having everyone available will allow us to move up a step. The internal competition is very strong and being able to choose between two players means that the players are 100% motivated."
Austrian side Sturm Graz are third-bottom of the entire table, having lost all four matches
But despite their poor run, Michel is not willing to underestimate his opposition and suggested that he did not even consider his team as favourites.
"We will try to show our idea of the game. I tried that in Paris, against PSV and at home. The word ‘favourite’ means nothing positive or negative to me at the start of matches," he said.
"I have to prepare for a match and there are tactical tools in defence and attack to be able to overcome the opposition. They haven't won, but you have to look at every game.
"They are a very competitive opponent and there is a lot of difficulty in one game. I see that we are capable of imposing our game style and if we do that we will be able to achieve a positive result." (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City Editing by Toby Davis)
Jude Bellingham was reserved when questioned on the future of his "good mate" Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold’s contract at Liverpool runs out at the end of the season, leaving lingering doubts over the future of the right-back.
He has been linked with a switch to Real Madrid, where Bellingham has thrived since he joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2023.
Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham will meet at Anfield on Wednesday as Madrid face Liverpool in a heavyweight Champions League clash.
While Bellingham would not be drawn on speculation, he does hope to be playing alongside Alexander-Arnold next season, one way or the other.
"I'll be playing alongside him next season for England anyway, so hopefully, that'll be a guarantee," Bellingham said at a press conference.
"He's a Liverpool player, and I think it's disrespectful to come to his home today and speak about something that could be misconstrued, so I think it's important to take that pressure off him.
"He's a really good mate of mine, and I want him to do well normally, obviously not tomorrow night. We'll see what happens, but as I said, he's a Liverpool player."
Alexander-Arnold has played the second-most key passes in Liverpool's squad (20) in the Premier League this season.
In the Champions League this term, he has attempted the fourth most crosses for Liverpool (six) in the competition this season and contributed one assist.
Half of Liverpool's goals in the Champions League this season have been scored following crosses (5/10), with their five such goals being the most of any side.
Alexander-Arnold missed Liverpool's 3-2 win over Southampton on Sunday, as the Reds went eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The 26-year-old could return to the fold against Madrid but Arne Slot is keen not to rush his return.
"Trent is in the squad but he will not be available to start," Slot said.
"He can maybe make a few minutes, in an ideal world he maybe doesn't, but if it's really necessary he can make a few minutes tomorrow," he said.
Carlo Ancelotti declared he is "still an Evertonian" as the Real Madrid coach attempts to halt Liverpool's perfect Champions League start on his return to Merseyside.
Ancelotti managed Everton between 2019 and 2021 before returning for a second spell with Los Blancos, who he has since led to their 14th and 15th European crowns.
On Wednesday, he returns to Merseyside with Madrid needing a result after losing two of their first four matches in the Champions League's new 36-team group phase.
They are coming up against a Liverpool team with four wins in as many Champions League games under Arne Slot, with the Reds aiming to win five straight matches from the start of a European campaign for the first time since 2021-22 (first seven).
On that occasion, Liverpool finished as Champions League runners-up to Ancelotti's Real Madrid, and the Italian is out to cause the Reds more heartache on Wednesday.
"I consider, as usual, Liverpool with a lot of respect – they're a fantastic club, fantastic supporters – but I'm still an Evertonian," Ancelotti said at his pre-match press conference.
"It will be a very entertaining match, as always. Two historic clubs in this competition, each with its own characteristics. We'll have to see who has the character and personality to show it on the pitch.
"Liverpool have always been very competitive and very dangerous. They were under [Jurgen] Klopp, and it is with the new coach."
Real Madrid will be without star winger Vinicius Junior on Wednesday after he suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday's 3-0 league win over Leganes, while Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba are also out.
"We have also had seven anterior cruciate ligament (injuries)," Ancelotti added. "Avoiding them is difficult, because it's not only Madrid's problem, but also that of other teams.
"Each team handles these things in their own way, but what does not change are the injuries. We have to put up with this.
"We have to try to think like we did last year, that injuries have been a great opportunity for us to become better. It's no coincidence that the injuries of Militao, Lucas and Rodrygo against Osasuna have changed the dynamic of the team."
Despite the injuries, the Italian coach said his team's spirits were high after back-to-back wins, those results steadying things after a 3-1 home defeat to Milan.
"I'm fine, and the team is doing well too. Our last two games have gone very well," Ancelotti said.
"We are more solid, we have a good feeling and the same confidence as always, also for this game against very demanding opponents who are playing very well.
"However, I consider it a great opportunity for us to get back to our best level. I am totally confident that it will be a great game. After that, whatever happens, happens. But the team will be competitive tomorrow for sure."
Jude Bellingham feels as though he was made a scapegoat after England lost the final of Euro 2024 to Spain.
The 21-year-old played in every round during the tournament, following a season in which he made 47 appearances for club and country.
Having spearheaded Real Madrid's charge to a LaLiga-Champions League double, Bellingham failed to match those same heights for England in Germany.
Though he feels he came in for extra scrutiny.
"I lost my smile a lot playing for England after the Euros as I felt I was a little mistreated compared to what I contributed," Bellingham told reporters ahead of Real Madrid's game away to Liverpool in the Champions League.
"[The] smile is back [now].
"I think it was a bit harsh on me. I felt a bit like the scapegoat. Maybe I felt a bit sorry for myself.
"I felt I contributed some pretty big moments, but it felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me, especially in the three days after the final. It wasn't a nice feeling."
Bellingham scored two goals during the tournament, the first a winner against Serbia in the group stage and the second a last-minute bicycle kick in the round of 16 to force extra time against Slovakia.
He came in for criticism at Euro 2024 for his apparent refusal to speak to the media, but explained that there were complex reasons for his stance.
"That was reported in a way that made it sound like I think I'm above it, but it's not that at all," he said.
"I had some personal things going on where journalists had gone to see members of my family while I was at the tournament, my grandparents.
"I don't think that's fair, it crosses the line of respect. That's where I took it a little bit personally and decided I would just focus on the football and let that do the talking, instead of talking in the press to people that seemingly don't respect me.
"My family comes first, my nan didn't want to leave her house for the whole summer.
"Maybe I should have communicated that, so people understood my situation. But that was a little bit more personal to me, so that's why I decided to keep my mouth shut."
AC Milan earned their third successive Champions League win with a 3-2 victory at Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday, hanging on despite coming under fierce pressure late on.
The first half ended level with Milan's Christian Pulisic opening the scoring in the 21st minute before a quick counterattack led to Slovan's Tigran Barseghyan equalising three minutes later.
Milan struggled to put Slovan away before substitute Rafael Leao put them back in front in the 68th minute, staying onside from Youssouf Fofana's pass to tuck home.
Tammy Abraham then extended their lead by capitalising on a horror back-pass from David Strelec just three minutes later.
Slovan pulled a goal back through Nino Marcelli in the 88th minute and also had Marko Tolic sent off late on, as he picked up two yellow cards for dissent in a matter of moments.
However, Milan came through the late drama to move onto nine points while Slovan, with no points, remain rooted at the bottom of the standings.
Data Debrief: Pulisic flying the flag
Pulisic's opener made him just the second American player to score three goals in a single Champions League campaign, after DeMarcus Beasley for PSV in 2004-05.
Milan, meanwhile, have won three straight group-stage matches in the Champions League for the first time since 2004-05 under Carlo Ancelotti, when they reached the final but were memorably beaten by Liverpool after surrendering a 3-0 lead.
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