Vincent Kompany was pleased with the way Bayern Munich attacked at home to Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday, despite only winning 1-0.

The victory ended a run of back-to-back defeats for the German team in the competition, leaving them 17th in the league with six points from four matches. 

"It's important for us to win a game this way. In the past, we always scored three, four or five goals, but today we stayed calm," Kompany told the official club website.

"We had 24 shots on goal and the opposition had one. Not every finish was dangerous, but we controlled the game. There are games in which the last pass just isn't as precise as necessary.

"We know we can decide matches within the first five minutes if we're on good form. That didn't happen today. But in the end, it's the Champions League. It was a good game and a good win."

Midfielder Jamal Musiala scored the only goal of the game in the 67th minute, turning home Harry Kane's knockdown after Leroy Sane had played the ball across the box.

Sane is yet to start a game in any competition for Bayern this season, coming on in the 56th minute on Wednesday, but his contribution was not lost on Kompany.

"Obviously, I'm really happy to have the quality of Leroy Sane and Michael Olise in the same position - not to forget Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry. You can say Leroy turned this game around today," he said.

The goalscorer Musiala, meanwhile, was pleased after scoring his fifth goal in all competitions for the club this season.

“We had good moments, but the opposition played and defended well. Of course, there are still things we can improve, but it's important to have won the three points," he said.

"I don't know what's going on with me scoring headers at the moment. The ball dropped nicely for me a few times and I just keep trying to get into good positions I can score easy goals from.

"We all knew we had to win tonight and we did a good job. We had a tough time settling into the game, but we can't win by four or five goals every time. Sometimes a 1-0 win has to be enough.”

Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid's precision is to thank for their last-gasp 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Warren Zaire-Emery had given PSG an early lead, though Atletico drew level through Nahuel Molina before substitute Angel Correa snatched the victory in the 93rd minute.

However, Atletico were far from dominant, managing just four shots, three of which were on target, to PSG's 22.

Last time out in the Champions League, they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Lille despite taking an early lead in that game. But Simeone feels his side have now put things right after ending a three-match losing streak on the road in the competition.

"You remember the last match against Lille, it was the same situation," Simeone said. "We had seven or eight goalscoring opportunities without being able to convert.

"In the end, football is about success. While collective play is beautiful, one can attack from all angles, but it's precision that positions you and brings success.

"Against Lille, we lacked that success, and in this match, Paris was better, but we managed to seize our opportunities.

"We defended with great collective work against a team that attacks very well. [Jan] Oblak had a great night, and we had a forcefulness that we did not have against Lille. We took a game that compensates for Lille's."

Three of Correa's UEFA Champions League goals for Atletico Madrid have come away from home, while it is their fifth 90th-minute winner in the competition since 2021-22, more than any other side.  

He was brought on in the 67th minute to replace Julian Alvarez, and Simeone was pleased with the impact of his substitute.

"We believe in the footballers we have," he added. That was the compensation to have a goal option in Correa, who has the name of Angel for something.

"When you enter the field, things always happen. We argue. I tell him because he wants to play the 90 minutes, like all players. But he knows how important 12 of the team is."

Luis Enrique blamed Paris Saint-Germain's 2-1 home defeat to Atletico Madrid on bad luck, admitting their hopes of Champions League qualification were in danger.

PSG applied their usual possession pattern but were again pretty much toothless in attack, owing Warren Zaire Emery's opener to a defensive blunder.

Nahuel Molina equalised quickly and Atletico's resilience paid off three minutes into injury time thanks to second-half substitute Angel Correa's goal at the end of a counter-attack - a scenario that Luis Enrique labelled a 'bad joke'.

PSG had a handful of clear chances through Achraf Hakimi, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele but, with no out-and-out striker, were unable to convert.

"There are no words. I think that in our three home games, we were highly superior to our opponents but we did not have any luck," Luis Enrique said.

"As long as there are matches, we will fight," he added, with PSG next set to travel to Bayern Munich on November 26.

PSG are 25th in the 36-team league, just in the elimination zone, midway through the group phase.

They have lost five of their last eight games in the Champions League (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 19 games in the competition, while this is the first time they have failed to win successive home group games in the competition (D1 L1).

On Wednesday, they had 22 attempts on goal to Atletico's four, as they accumulated 2.12 expected goals, with their opponents showing their clinical edge after creating just 0.67. 

"I've been in the game for over 30 years and I can't explain it. It's just bad luck. We were infinitely superior to our opponents," Luis Enrique added.

"We would have deserved to win our three home games. Comfortably."

Asked if PSG's chances to go through the league phase were in danger, he said: "Undoubtedly.

"We created 50 chances in three games and we failed to convert so many of them... we need 20 clear chances to score and our opponents sneeze and they score... it sounds like a bad joke.

"Creating chances is the team's responsibility and I'm responsible for the team, so I'm responsible for the results. If I fail, I will fail with my ideas. We're on the right path."

Simone Inzaghi praised Inter's defending after they shut out Arsenal in the Champions League, just as they did Manchester City earlier in the competition.

A controversially awarded penalty, given for a handball against Mikel Merino and converted by Hakan Calhanoglu on the stroke of half-time, proved enough for a 1-0 victory. 

It leaves them fifth in the table after four games, one of four teams on 10 points, as they extended their unbeaten home run in the Champions League to 11 games (W9 D2), keeping nine clean sheets in this run.

What is more, Inter are one of two sides, along with Atalanta, that are yet to concede a goal in this season's Champions League. Indeed, four successive clean sheets is their longest-ever such run in the competition.

"We had a great performance, zero goals conceded to Arsenal and Man City. It's a source of great pride, but now we need to continue like this," Inzaghi said.

Arsenal had 20 goal attempts to Inter's seven but rarely looked like scoring as Inzaghi's side performed a defensive masterclass with Yann Bisseck outstanding.

"Bisseck was very good, but he doesn't have to prove anything to me," Inzaghi said. "I know how good he is, and he has played two great games against teams like City and Arsenal this season.

"His only problem is that we have other great defenders so he cannot play all the time, but I know how good he is."

Inter were under siege in the second half, facing 13 shots from the Gunners while having just one of their own. Arsenal also had 30 touches in Inter's box after the break, but the hosts' resilience kept them at bay.

"The best thing about this match is the three points, then the team spirit and the desire to fight that we put out on the pitch," Inter skipper Lautaro Martinez said.

"These matches are very important for the league table. We didn't concede any goals, and this is positive because in the [domestic] league we conceded too many.

"We must continue to raise the level. We want everything. The history of this club says so. I want to win everything."

Hansi Flick was delighted with Barcelona's focus and determination as they earned a commanding 5-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice to set them on their way, with Inigo Martinez, Raphinha and Fermi Lopez also getting on the scoresheet as Barcelona remained in control throughout.

It was a victory that lifted Barca to sixth place in the 36-team Champions League table on nine points, having scored a competition-leading 15 goals in four games.

In fact, Barcelona have netted 55 goals in 16 games across all competitions in 2024-25, the most of any team from the big-five European leagues. Meanwhile, their 14 wins are the joint-most of any side, along with Liverpool.

After a third consecutive triumph in the Champions League, Flick said he liked how his side got things done with the seriousness required.

"The most important thing is the three points. It's not easy to win away from home in this competition, the Champions League is complicated," Flick, who led Bayern Munich to the 2020 Champions League title, told Movistar Plus.

"I'm very happy, I really value what we're doing. We've been very good on the ball, and we've put a lot of pressure on.

"Red Star played very well, they knew how to play with the ball, and it's difficult to defend against them. I really appreciate my players being focused for 90 minutes because it's not easy."

Lewandowski's double means he is level with team-mate Raphinha, Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres as the competition's top scorer with five goals.

The Pole has scored 19 goals in 16 appearances for Barcelona this season; the most of any player for a team in Europe’s big-five leagues across all competitions. 11 of those 19 goals have come in away matches, which is also the most of any player this term.

And Lewandowski is thrilled with Flick's aggressive approach.

"Since the beginning of the season we have had a goal: we have to play a very attacking football but without losing sight of how well our defensive line has been playing," Lewandowski said.

"Everything that works so far is almost perfect. We have to look at what we can do better, sure, but I feel very good, the team is very happy.

"I think in this new Champions League format, winning away games is very important. In the first half, we played a bit slow, but in the second half, we had a lot of chances.

"Sometimes, when a team plays very defensively like Red Star today, we need a bit of patience. I'm always looking for a free space to be able to touch a ball and score. That's why I'm very happy. As a team, we played very well."

Brest continued their exceptional start in the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague on Wednesday.

Edimilson Fernandes fired Brest, the surprise package of the new-look league phase, ahead in the 37th minute from a half-cleared corner, his shot zipping across the rain-soaked surface and in.

Ten minutes before full-time, Brest had daylight thanks to an own goal from Sparta's Kaan Kairinen, who got the final touch following a scramble on the goal line.

Victor Olatunji reduced the deficit deep into stoppage time, but Sparta were unable to find a leveller and sit just outside the play-off spots with four points from as many matches. 

Brest, meanwhile, are now in a fine position as they target the knockout stages, sitting fourth with 10 points, level with Sporting CP, Monaco and Inter.

Data Debrief: Brest join exclusive club

Brest are the fourth French side to go unbeaten through their first four matches in the Champions League, taking to Europe's premier club competition like a duck to water.

Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux previously achieved that feat, while only Liverpool (12) have won more points than Brest in the competition this term.

Mikel Arteta felt Arsenal were "very harshly done by" in a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Inter that was decided by Hakan Calhanoglu's penalty.

Inter scored the only goal of the game after Mikel Merino was punished for handling inside his own area on the stroke of half-time.

But boss Arteta felt that decision was harsh, and particularly so when Merino had earlier not been awarded a spot-kick of his own.

The Spain midfielder appeared to beat Yann Sommer to a high ball in the Inter box and took a punch to the head in the process.

That incident was cleared following a VAR check, while the decision to penalise Merino at the other end of the pitch was quickly approved.

"I am very proud of my players, the level of domination we had," Arteta told TNT Sports. "We were very harshly done by in the sense that is obvious. Both penalties.

"If you are going to give a penalty, the other one has to be because he punches him in the head.

"There is no deflection, nothing you can do in the box, so can he get away from it? If he is going to give that, the other has to be 100% a penalty."

Arteta, who reintroduced Martin Odegaard as a late substitute following injury, also sought to focus on the positives, however.

Although Inter made a number of changes to their first XI, Arteta was enthused by the manner in which Arsenal dominated their opponents, having disappointed in another 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Saturday.

"We should have scored a couple at least, but the way the team played, that was us at least," he added. "Every decision in the box makes a difference.

"The way we played tonight, the team can go to Chelsea and win."

Karim Konate scored twice as Salzburg picked up their first points in the Champions League this season by upsetting Feyenoord with a 3-1 away win.

Feyenoord had won their last two games away at Girona and Benfica and were fancied to continue their momentum, only to be stunned on their return to De Kuip by the youthful Austrian outfit.

Twenty-year-old Konate, who helped Ivory Coast win the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year, put Salzburg ahead two minutes into first-half stoppage time.

An errant roll out by home goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther led to Oscar Gloukh crossing for Konate to head home.

Feyenoord were then caught napping in the 58th minute when Kamil Piatkowski looped a header up in the air from a corner and Konate reacted quickly to volley home a second.

The hosts' position turned worse when substitute Chris-Kevin Nadje was sent off for a studs-up tackle in the 79th minute, though they pulled a goal back just two minutes later through Anis Hadj Moussa.

Salzburg should have settled the outcome when a VAR intervention handed them an 85th-minute penalty, but Konate fluffed the chance for a hat-trick as he rattled the crossbar.

However, Daouda Guindo came off the bench and with his first contribution slammed home a long-range effort to ensure the points would return to Austria.

Data Debrief: Worth the wait for Salzburg

Salzburg have now ended their eight-match run without a win in the Champions League (one draw, seven losses), while scoring for the first time in four games. 

They have now won each of their last three games against Dutch opponents in European competitions after failing to win any of their first four (two draws, two defeats).

Stuttgart suffered a first home defeat in more than a year as second-half goals from Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo gave Atalanta a 2-0 win in Germany.

Not since a 3-2 Bundesliga reverse against Hoffenheim in late October 2023 had Stuttgart been beaten at Neckarstadion, but that run was ended in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Atalanta arrived in Stuttgart undefeated in eight and having stunned Serie A leaders Napoli away from home at the weekend, yet this latest upset only became possible with the half-time introduction of Charles De Ketelaere.

He quickly created the breakthrough goal for Lookman after beating two defenders, and the German side faced an uphill struggle thereafter.

They could not come up with an equaliser and instead conceded a clinching second goal when Zaniolo pounced on a defensive error and slipped the ball past Alexander Nubel.

As victory took Atalanta up to ninth on eight points, Stuttgart fell out of the play-off places with four points at the halfway stage of the league phase.

Data Debrief: Home form not reflected in Europe

Despite Stuttgart's previous dominance at home, their European record at Neckarstadion continues to leave a lot to be desired.

Having drawn with Sparta Prague earlier in this campaign, Stuttgart are winless in eight home matches in major European competition. In fact, they are without a home Champions League goal since 2007.

The joy of an away win against Juventus will count for little if Sebastian Hoeness' side cannot turn their fortunes around at home, where in domestic competition they have been so strong.

Meanwhile, seven of Atalanta's 10 Champions League wins have now come on the road.

Jamal Musiala scored a header in the second half to give Bayern Munich a crucial 1-0 home victory over Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Germany international Musiala scored with a bullet header from close range in the 67th minute with Bayern dominating and missing several chances before eventually breaking the deadlock.

Musiala’s chance was set up when Harry Kane headed Leroy Sane’s cross back across the face of goal.

The result was much needed to get Bayern’s campaign back on track, with the win seeing them bounce back from suffering two consecutive defeats in the competition – against Aston Villa and Barcelona – for the first time since 2017.

A win lifted the Germans to six points from four matches and into 17th place with Benfica, who were toothless in attack, also on six points in 19th place.

Europe's top club competition has switched from a group stage to a league phase this season, where 36 teams play eight matches each. The top eight in the table progress directly to the next round, while the next 16 teams enter a two-legged playoff.

Bayern have a crunch clash against Paris Saint-Germain next in the competition on November 26.
 

Data Debrief: Unlucky 13 for Benfica

Benfica have now played 13 major European matches against Bayern and have never tasted victory, collecting only three draws and suffering 10 defeats.

That trend rarely showed signs of ending in this match, with Benfica not threatening. The visitors failed to register a shot on target for the first time in 45 Champions League matches. The last time they did not trouble the goalkeeper in this competition was in October 2017 against Manchester United. Bayern, by comparison, racked up 10 attempts on target.

Benfica also only had four touches in the opposition box, their lowest tally on record since Opta started recording that data in the Champions League in 2007-08, with Bayern tallying 51.

As for Kane, the assist means he has now been directly involved in 80 goals across all competitions (61 goals, 19 assists) since the start of last season. That is 16 more than any other player across Europe’s biggest five leagues in this period.

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski scored a goal in each half to help them secure a comprehensive 5-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.

Defender Inigo Martinez opened the scoring with a close-range header from a Raphinha free-kick in the 13th minute, nodding across goal to find the bottom-left corner.

However, Barca were pegged back when Silas beat their aggressive offside trap to equalise with a tidy finish from a quick counterattack 14 minutes later.

Lewandowski then tucked home on the rebound after Raphinha struck the post in the 43rd minute, before extending Barca's lead eight minutes into the second half with a first-time strike from a Jules Kounde cross.

The France full-back also set up Raphinha for Barca's fourth then recorded his third assist in the 76th minute, putting the ball on a plate for Fermin Lopez to fire home Barca's fifth from inside the box.

Substitute Milson reduced the deficit for the home side six minutes from time, but Red Star remain without a point in 35th place, while Barca are sixth in the 36-team table with nine.

Data Debrief: Lewandowski out on his own 

Lewandowski has now scored 19 goals in 16 appearances for Barcelona this season; the most of any player for a team in Europe's big five leagues across all competitions. 

Eleven of those 19 goals have come in away matches, which is also the most of any player this term.

As a team, Barca have netted 55 goals in 16 games across all competitions in 2024-25, the most of any team from the big five European leagues. 

Paris Saint-Germain's disappointing Champions League campaign stumbled to a new low on Wednesday as a last-gasp 2-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid left them in the elimination zone.

After defeat to Arsenal and a draw with PSV, PSG were hoping to get back on track in Europe and scored first through Warren Zaire Emery on 14 minutes.

But Nahuel Molina had Atleti level just four minutes later, and a largely disappointing encounter looked set for a draw until Angel Correa's dramatic winner three minutes into second-half stoppage time.

On as a substitute, Correa stabbed past Gianluigi Donnarumma following a rapid counter-attack, prompting an angry reaction from the home crowd.

PSG are left on just four points from four matches, down in 25th and facing an early exit from the competition.

Diego Simeone's Atleti themselves badly needed this victory but are now two points and two places above their opponents at the halfway stage of the league phase.

Data Debrief: Classic Atleti punish profligate PSG

This was Simeone's Atletico in a nutshell. They had just 29% of the ball and attempted only four shots, yet two of those found the back of the net to stun PSG.

The Ligue 1 giants entered this matchweek as the Champions League's biggest under-performers in terms of expected goals since the start of last season, and again they were too wasteful in the final third after creating 1.9 xG.

Atleti, who have consistently proven far more clinical, had chances worth just 0.7 xG but ruthlessly stole victory.

Hakan Calhanoglu maintained his perfect penalty record for Inter to secure a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Neither side had conceded a goal in their opening three games in the competition this season, but Arsenal's defence was finally breached after Mikel Merino was punished for a handball inside his own box shortly before half-time.

Calhanoglu calmly beat David Raya from the spot for his 19th successful conversion from 19 penalties in all competitions since joining Inter.

The much-changed Nerazzurri were good value for their lead at that stage, having earlier hit the post through Denzel Dumfries, yet Arsenal then laid siege to the home goal.

While Kai Havertz was denied by Yann Sommer and saw another effort deflected wide, Inter defended superbly and held on for another win that takes them to 10 points from four matches.

Arsenal are three points back, outside the top eight, but at least welcomed captain Martin Odegaard back from injury as a late substitute.

Data Debrief: Stubborn Inter frustrate Arsenal again

For Arsenal, this felt like a familiar, frustrating story. Just as against Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, the Gunners dominated the possession (63%), attempted more shots (21) and created more expected goals (2.2) than their opponents but could find no way through in a 1-0 defeat.

Yet this also followed a trend for Inter, who came into this match without having conceded a goal in the Champions League this season despite facing 53 shots. They have now kept four consecutive clean sheets in the European Cup for the first time in their history.

Odegaard might have been the man to break down that dominant Nerazzurri defence, but he appeared only as a 93rd-minute substitute and touched the ball just once.

Aston Villa bemoaned the controversial penalty decision that condemned them to a first Champions League defeat at Club Brugge on Wednesday.

On their return to Europe's elite club competition, Villa won their first three matches without conceding, but that run was ended in a 1-0 reverse in Belgium.

The decisive goal was highly contentious, however. Tyrone Mings was penalised for picking up a pass from Emiliano Martinez, apparently believing the Villa goalkeeper had not yet taken a goal-kick.

That error was punished as Hans Vanaken converted the consequent penalty, and Villa could not recover from a moment that boss Unai Emery felt altered the shape of the game.

"In the second half, the mistake changed everything," Emery said. "A team like [Brugge], they are playing at home, defensively strong, they then focus 100% to stop us. They were better than us."

Mings' defensive colleague Ezri Konsa described his frustration at the incident, suggesting Mings would have been sent off had there been a genuine infringement.

"It killed the game," Konsa said. "If it is a handball, deliberate, then he should get a second yellow.

"He's on a yellow already, so why not send him off for that then? It killed the game.

"But look, it happened, there's nothing we can do, we've just got to move on from it."

Villa have now lost three consecutive games in all competitions, matching their worst such run under Emery. They face Premier League and Champions League leaders Liverpool next at Anfield.

Shakhtar Donetsk staged a quick first-half comeback to earn a 2-1 home victory over Young Boys in their Champions League clash on Wednesday.

Both sides entered the game winless, and Young Boys grabbed the lead in the 27th minute when Kastriot Imeri struck from close range.

But Shakhtar responded swiftly in Gelsenkirchen as Oleksandr Zubkov tapped in four minutes later to restore parity.

And Heorhii Sudakov, who teed up the equaliser, then put Shakhtar ahead four minutes before the interval, with that goal proving enough to take maximum points.

Shakhtar now have four for the campaign, while Young Boys are still waiting on their first point after four straight defeat to begin the campaign.

Data Debrief: Breakthroughs at last on matchday four

Not only were both teams looking for their first wins on Wednesday, neither had even found the net.

Imeri broke Young Boys' duck with their 40th shot of the campaign, but the lead was short-lived as Shakhtar's 25th attempt of the season brought them level.

The Ukrainian outfit went on to register their third Champions League home win in four matches as they pursue a place in the play-off round, while Young Boys are really up against it.

They have not won any of their 11 away games in the competition and must surely end that run against Stuttgart or Celtic to have any hope of advancing.