Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Barcelona thrashed Young Boys 5-0 on Tuesday, bouncing back from their opening Champions League defeat at Monaco.

Hansi Flick's team were beaten 2-1 by Monaco in their first game in the competition's new-look league phase, but there were no surprises when Young Boys visited Montjuic on matchday two.

Lewandowski gave the hosts the lead in the eighth minute by tapping in a low Raphinha cross, following good combination play between the Brazilian and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

After the hosts squandered some decent chances, a quickfire double from Raphinha and Inigo Martinez gave Barca a 3-0 lead, the Brazilian netting a rebound in the 34th minute and Martinez scoring with a towering header less than three minutes later.

Lewandowski got his second and Barca's fourth shortly after half-time, nodding a Martinez corner home from inside the six-yard box, then Young Boys defender Mohamed Camara bundled the ball into his own net while trying to clear Alejandro Balde's cross late on.

Data Debrief: Lewandowski level with Messi

As well as helping Barca to a crucial victory following their matchday one defeat, Lewandowski's double saw him draw level with Lionel Messi as the most ruthless finishers in Champions League history.

He now averages 0.79 goals per 90 minutes in the competition, a figure only matched by Blaugrana great Messi among all players to play a minimum of 50 matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo (0.77 goals per 90), Ruud van Nistelrooy (0.77) and Karim Benzema (0.59) trail Lewandowski and Messi for that metric.

The Poland star has also now scored 51 Champions League goals after turning 30 years old, becoming just the second player to accomplish that feat after Ronaldo (68).

Manchester City got their Champions League campaign up and running with a 4-0 rout of Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday, with Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and James McAtee scoring.

The Premier League champions set up camp in Slovan's half and laid siege to their goal for the duration of the contest at the Stadion Tehelne Pole.

They only needed eight minutes to make the breakthrough as Gundogan scored his first goal since returning to the club after a single season at Barcelona, with his shot deflecting in off Kyriakos Savvidis.

Foden then doubled City's lead with his first goal of the season in the 15th minute, latching onto a pass from Jeremy Doku and curling a strike into the bottom corner. 

Haaland killed the game as a contest just before the hour mark, sprinting onto Rico Lewis's pass then stepping around goalkeeper Dominik Takac before slotting into the empty net for his 42nd goal in Europe's premier club competition. 

Foden then added an assist to his earlier goal in the 74th minute, teeing up youngster McAtee for his first ever City goal with a dinked pass.

City, winners of the 2022-23 Champions League, opened this season's campaign with a 0-0 draw with Inter and now sit fourth in the standings. Slovan, meanwhile, are 35th after also losing 5-1 to Celtic on matchday one.

Data Debrief: City equal United record

City's victory saw them stretch their unbeaten run in the Champions League to 25 matches, with a penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Madrid last season the only blot on their record since the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

It is the joint-longest streak in the competition's history, alongside Manchester United's run between September 2007 and May 2009, which included them lifting the trophy in 2007-08.

City have won 17 and drawn eight of their matches in that run, plundering 64 goals to just 38 by United on their streak.

They will have the chance to overhaul their neighbours outright on matchday three, when they host Sparta Prague.

Karim Adeyemi scored a first-half hat-trick as Borussia Dortmund hammered Celtic 7-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, scoring their first five goals in the opening 42 minutes.

The 80,000-strong crowd started the celebrations early at the Westfalenstadion, with Emre Can scoring from the spot in the seventh minute after Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel upended Jamie Gittens and was booked.

Celtic momentarily hushed the deafening Yellow Wall two minutes later when Daizen Maeda bundled in a cross from Arne Engels but Adeyemi restored the lead with a shot deflected in off Auston Trusty in the 11th minute.

The Germany winger extended the hosts' lead just before the half-hour mark when he lashed a shot into the top corner past a diving Schmeichel, then won a 39th-minute penalty for Serhou Guirassy to tuck away before completing his hat-trick three minutes later.

Guirassy grabbed his second goal of the night midway through the second half for last season’s Champions League runners-up.

BVB substitute Felix Nmecha then completed the rout with 11 minutes left, with Celtic having Schmeichel to thank for keeping the sobering scoreline to seven.

It is two straight wins for Dortmund to start this season’s competition, while Celtic have been brought emphatically back down to earth after putting five goals past Slovan Bratislava on Matchday One.

Data Debrief: Adeyemi matches Gomez feat

Gittens was Dortmund’s star man in their opening win against Club Brugge, but it was Adeyemi who came to the fore here, becoming only the second German player to score three goals in the first half of a Champions League match.

The only other such player to achieve the feat was Mario Gomez for Bayern Munich in 2011 against Napoli.

Guirassy, meanwhile, has joined Gittens and Adeyemi in making a fine start to the tournament, racing on to three goals with his double. 

Dortmund were rewarded for their attackers' accurate finishing, getting 13 of their 16 attempts on target and vastly outperforming their xG total of 2.91.

Abdallah Sima scored twice as Brest maintained their perfect Champions League start by thrashing Salzburg 4-0 at the Red Bull Arena, completing an Austrian double.

Brest kicked off their first-ever European campaign with a 2-1 home win over Sturm Graz two weeks ago, and they built on that victory with a clinical counterattacking performance in Salzburg on Tuesday.

Brest had one shot on target in the opening half, and it was all they required to take the lead. The visitors cleared their lines from a Salzburg attack and Ludovic Ajorque's pass found Sima, who held off his marker to slip his finish past the goalkeeper.

Salzburg had spurned chances in the opening half with Amar Dedic and Karim Konate both shooting wide, and in the second half they were completely opened up by the visitors.

A long clearance from visiting goalkeeper Marco Bizot in the 66th minute ended with Mahdi Camara doubling Brest's lead with a superb strike, then four minutes later, Sima pounced on a rebound for his second.

Things got worse for the home side with 15 minutes remaining when Mathias Pereira Lage struck from outside the area to complete the rout and leave Salzburg still waiting for their first point of the campaign.

Data Debrief: Rare feat for Brest

It is fair to say Brest have taken to Europe's premier club competition smoothly.

They are the first team to win their first two matches in the Champions League since Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol managed the feat in 2021.

They are also just the second French club to achieve it, after Paris Saint-Germain did so back in 1994.

Stuttgart were held to a 1-1 home draw by Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Sparta midfielder Kaan Kairinen cancelled out an early opener from Enzo Millot.

His goal came against the run of play in the seventh minute, as Millot connected with an excellent lofted cross from Maximilian Mittelstadt to head home.

Sparta almost responded through Martin Vitik, who hit the post, but they had the goal they had been working towards when Kairinen expertly fired a free-kick into the top-right corner.

Midfielder Veljko Birmancevic had chances to put Sparta in front either side of the break, while Stuttgart had the upper hand throughout most of the second half but could not seal the three points.

It was a step in the right direction for Stuttgart in their first home Champions League game since the 2009-10 season, but they have just one point from their opening two matches, after losing to Real Madrid last time out.

Data Debrief: Free-shooting Millot gets his reward

Millot's goal came from one of his five attempts, which set the record for a Stuttgart player in a single Champions League match.

Of the 1.8 expected goals (xG) Stuttgart accumulated, Millot was responsible for 0.61.

Stuttgart ended up having 26 shots, 12 more than the visitors, and some 47 touches in the opposition box, but could not turn that dominance into a winner.

Real Madrid will make a late call on whether Kylian Mbappe is ready to return to the side for their Champions League clash at Lille, so says Carlo Ancelotti.

Mbappe sustained a muscle injury during Madrid's 3-2 win over Deportivo Alaves in September.

He was subsequently forced to sit out Sunday's derby against Atletico Madrid, which finished 1-1, and was expected to miss around three weeks.

However, the 25-year-old has recovered sufficiently to travel to northern France for Wednesday's Champions League tie.

"Mbappe has recovered very well, very quickly," Ancelotti said.

"He trained yesterday, and today, he will do the full training session with us. Then we'll make the decision together because the last thing we want to do is take risks.

"Mbappe has had an overload... and in less than a week he has recovered well.

"He wanted to travel to play. We'll see what training he does today. If he's at full strength, he can play. If there is no risk, he will play from the first minute."

Madrid are second in LaLiga, three points behind rivals Barcelona after eight matches.

And Ancelotti knows there is room for improvement, especially when they face Lille, who sit fifth in Ligue 1.

"We have to get points, taking into account the value of the opponent. They are a team that plays very well. They like to play with the ball, they have young players with quality," the Italian said.

"Every match has to be fought. That's why we're here. We are doing well. We are convinced we can improve. We are ready. There are a lot of games, but we are pretty good."

Ancelotti was also asked about the heated Madrid derby. On Monday, Atletico permanently banned a fan for throwing an object onto the pitch during the game at the Metropolitano Stadium.

The derby was suspended for just over 20 minutes after home fans hurled objects onto the pitch as the visitors celebrated the opening goal.

"The point is that violent people are not allowed in football. Not at Atletico, but on any pitch. Football doesn't need them," Ancelotti said.

"Let them stay somewhere else, somewhere that is not dangerous. I'm talking in general. Whether it's a violent person from Madrid, Barca, Atleti, Villarreal, it doesn't matter. Let the violent ones leave us in peace."

Juventus are yet to concede a goal in Serie A this season and will face another solid defence when they take on RB Leipzig in the Champions League, but Thiago Motta expects an open game.

The Italian giants have played six Serie A games without conceding while Leipzig have the best defensive record in the Bundesliga, where they are unbeaten after five games and have only shipped two goals.

"The numbers mean a lot, it gives us solidity," Motta told reporters ahead of Wednesday's trip to Germany.

"We are two teams that don't sit back and wait for the opponent's mistakes. I expect an open game, a dynamic match against a competitive team who play good football.

"To do well, we will have to play with quality and maintain a good defensive phase as we have done so far, facing different teams, as well as the offensive phase of course."

The only goal Motta's side have conceded this season came in their opening Champions League game, a 3-1 win over PSV, but the former midfielder has dismissed suggestions the Bianconeri have played differently in Europe.

"It's not a question of the cup or the league. All games are different, when it comes to how we will face the opponent," Motta said.

"One thing is certain, we will not sit back, we will always try to compete for control of the game.

"We have never played defensively, not even in the league, and we will not do it this time."

Motta has no new injury worries and remained tight-lipped regarding his lineup, but he has already made his mind up over who will take to the pitch against Leipzig.

"No doubts about the formation, I am very sure of the choices," Motta said.

"Of course, that's if nothing happens between now and the game. I can't tell you, but the players already know the team."

Unai Emery wants to make Champions League nights a regular fixture at Villa Park in the coming seasons, as Aston Villa prepare to host Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 1982 European Cup final.

Emery led Villa to a fourth-placed Premier League finish in his first full campaign at the helm last term, and they beat Young Boys 3-0 in their first match in the Champions League last month. 

On Wednesday, they welcome Bayern, who they beat 1-0 to win the European Cup at De Kuip 42 years ago, to the West Midlands for their second game back among Europe's elite.

Emery is determined to ensure this European adventure is not a one-off, saying: "Hopefully we can play more times in the Champions League, but it's the first match after a long time. 

"It's a new competition for us because before it was the European Cup. I want to play matches like this and I want to play consistently. In the Premier League, we are facing teams like them, favourites – Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal – that can win this competition this year.

"They are favourites with other teams like Bayern Munich."

Villa have received a boost in recent days with long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara, as well as full-back Matty Cash, returning to training. However, none of that trio will be available to face Bayern.

"The injured players, I know it's the worst for them. Every player wants to play in the Champions League and matches like this. We have to accept it," Emery said.

"I want the best players on the field tomorrow and I want to face their best players. I want to play with our best players, accepting that we have some players injured. We're ready to compete.

"Matty is starting to train with us but for tomorrow, he is not going to be available. Kamara and Tyrone Mings are training but also not going to play tomorrow."

Forward Ollie Watkins, who could face his England team-mate Harry Kane, was speaking alongside Emery and said excitement was building ahead of Wednesday's game.

"It's been a long time since Champions League nights at Villa Park. Everyone is excited and looking forward to it," Watkins said.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to feature in their Champions League clash with Serie A side Bologna at Anfield, despite the Portuguese forward's absence from training on Tuesday.

Jota received a knock in the 2-1 Premier League win at Wolves on Saturday but is set to play instead of Federico Chiesa, who arrived at training on Tuesday with an injury.

The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus in August and grabbed an assist in the 5-1 EFL Cup rout of West Ham but will miss out on facing familiar opponents on Wednesday.

"It's a shame for him because he was looking forward to a Champions League night at Anfield, especially because we face an Italian team," Slot told reporters of Chiesa.

"How long is he out? It's always difficult because it happened yesterday but I am not expecting him to be out for a very long period of time.

"We will see if he can be in the team for Saturday [a Premier League match at Crystal Palace]."

Liverpool are off to a strong start in Slot's first season in charge. They top the Premier League standings on 15 points, opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over Milan, and have booked their spot in the EFL Cup's last 16.

"One of the reasons we can compete is we have a lot of quality. We have a lot of cohesion in the team. Those who are not playing are happy with us scoring and winning so those are two really positive things," Slot added.

Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had kind words for how well the Dutchman has done in filling the huge shoes left by former manager Jurgen Klopp.

"He's definitely an amazing manager. You can see how he's been from the first day," the Argentine said.

"We understand what he wants from us, and I think that's the main thing as a coach, to get the ideas in the players."

Liverpool are back in the Champions League after a one-year absence and Slot hopes to see the hunger reflected in his team on Wednesday.

"What I want from the players is them to show they missed this. I want to see this, I want to feel this," Slot said. "I am hoping it's the same from our fans. I hope they feel this desire to show Europe that you missed us."

Girona have been rocked by a couple of injury blows ahead of the first home Champions League game in their history, but coach Michel says they will go all out to beat Feyenoord.

The Catalan side, who qualified for Europe's premier club competition for the first time by finishing third in LaLiga last season, lost 1-0 at Paris Saint-Germain on matchday one.

On the domestic front, they played out a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo on Sunday, losing key men Oriol Romeu and Daley Blind to injury.

The former is expected to miss around eight weeks with the latter likely to be sidelined for a month, but Michel is choosing to remain upbeat ahead of Girona's historic outing.

"It's our new reality. We need to take it one game at a time," Michel told reporters ahead of Wednesday's game at the Estadi Montilivi.

"The midfield without Romeu is short-handed. But tomorrow, we need the best possible eleven to win. We have to look at it like that.

"I'm especially worried about the psychological issue. Romeu didn't play against Rayo Vallecano and got injured. The most important thing is that the head is fine. My concern is to go game by game and the team that plays will be the best possible."

After going toe-to-toe with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona for much of the last campaign, Girona are now being tested by the best sides in Europe and Michel acknowledged it is a challenge to juggle domestic and continental duties.

Girona have had an underwhelming start to the season in LaLiga, winning two and drawing three of their eight matches to sit 12th with nine points.

"The pressure of playing LaLiga and Champions League is difficult. We want to win because making history in the Champions League is a dream for us and for our fans, those who will be on the pitch and those who will be away," Michel said.

"Hearing the Champions League anthem at home will be historic in Girona. The maturity of this squad is great. We have players with a lot of experience who know how to handle this situation.

"From my perspective as a coach, from a management point of view, it is easier to manage the change towards the Champions League. 

"From the 'boom' of playing in the Champions League you need to return to the reality of the league, which is what is going to give us the possibility to continue growing."

John Stones says that while Manchester City will miss Rodri, his absence will give other players in the team a chance to shine.

The Spaniard suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that required surgery in City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League on September 22.

Rodri played 50 matches in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's side last season, proving a key player as they won a fourth-consecutive top-flight title.

The team often struggled without him in the squad though, with their win rate dropping from 76% to 55.6% in the nine games they played without him.

With Kevin De Bruyne also currently on the sidelines, Rico Lewis, Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan played in midfield in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday.

And Stones, who has also been utilised in midfield by Guardiola in the past, says it is an exciting opportunity for the other players to step into the role.

"He's a big miss for us, we all know that," Stones told TNT Sports.

"We're still in contact off the pitch, and we miss him on there, as we do anyone who gets injured.

"We all wish him a speedy recovery. He's a big presence for us on the pitch in how he plays the game and what he's done over the past few years.

"But then again, we've got incredible players that can play in that position, and it's time and a chance for them to, not step up, but step in and show their qualities, whoever plays in that position which is quite fluid sometimes.

"He'll be a big miss for us this season, as anyone would who had that injury. It's exciting for us as players to fill that position and see what comes of it."

City's next match is against Slavan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday. 

Brendan Rodgers says Celtic are under "no illusions" they are in for a tough test against Borussia Dortmund in front of the 'Yellow Wall' in the Champions League.

Celtic got off to a flying start in the last round, brushing aside Slovan Bratislava 5-1 last month to win their Champions League opener for the first time, and sit second in the table behind Bayern Munich. 

Having also won their final group-stage match last season, Rodgers' side are looking to win three consecutive matches in the competition for the first time since 1976.

But coming up against last season's runners-up, who began their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Club Brugge, is a different prospect for the Scottish champions.

Asked if this was the "acid test" for his side, Rodgers said: "I think this level is about as much about the head as it is about the skill. I don't doubt that with this team.

"I think we arrive in a great place. I am very relaxed and focused that we can get a result that builds on the first result."

Celtic have started the season in fine form and top the Scottish Premiership having won all six of their games, scoring 20 goals while conceding none.

Despite their strong start, Rodgers is looking back to pre-season to draw inspiration, after beating Manchester City and Chelsea in friendlies, scoring four times past both in back-to-back matches.

"I track it back to pre-season," he said. "The games that we played there, played some big teams and how we wanted to play at this level.

"We got off to a very good start in the last round, so we come here to a stadium very much like Celtic Park in that they breathe football, and we're very excited by the challenge.

"We are under no illusions that we are up against a team who are challenging at the very top of elite football, but for us, I've always said, whether domestically or away in this competition, it is about making us very difficult to play against with and without the ball.

"Offensively, Dortmund are very good. They lost some players in the summer, but I look at the team, and they have some fantastic players in that middle-to-top area, so will put you on the back foot at times.

"It is a top side with top players, and we have to be right on it to get a good performance and result."

Paulo Fonseca warned his Milan side they to be "defensively perfect" to get a result at Bayer Leverkusen in Tuesday's Champions League clash.

Milan suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool in their European opener despite Christian Pulisic firing the Rossoneri into a third-minute lead.

The Serie A giants will be looking to get off the mark at the Bay Arena but head coach Fonseca said they must be flawless at the back.

"I don't think about changing (much), we need to have continuity. We know it's a different game, (but) I think it will be a similar game to the one against Liverpool," Fonseca told a press conference on Monday.

"Defensively I think the team has grown, it's a good test to see our defensive capabilities at the moment. I told the players that to beat a strong team like Leverkusen we need to make a defensively perfect team."

Xabi Alonso's Bundesliga champions began their campaign in Europe with a 4-0 win at Feyenoord but they have conceded 10 goals in their first five league games after letting in just 24 in 34 matches in the 2023-24 domestic season.

Seven-time European champions Milan, the only Italian side to triumph more than once in the Champions League era, are the top scorers in Serie A with 14 goals in six games this term.

"It is true that we have done well in the league in the last few games, but I have to say that Serie A is very different from these games we have in the Champions League," Fonseca said.

"Today I was made to read Xabi Alonso's words. When we talk about Italian teams, we always say the same thing - that (they) are good at defending and playing on the counter-attack. I would like other things to be said when we talk about Milan.

"We don't want to be like that. Tomorrow we will obviously defend because we will play against a very strong team, but when we have the ball we still want to play.

"I'm curious to see the team's behaviour in a different game to those we had in Serie A."

Milan may be without Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who opened the scoring in their 3-0 home win against Lecce on Friday despite starting with a slight knock.

"He (Morata) made a big effort to play the last match," Fonseca said. "He is doubtful and we will manage him. Let's see how he is tomorrow. We don't want to take any risks." 

Pep Guardiola predicted it will not be long until Phil Foden is back to his best for Manchester City.

Foden was named PFA Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Year following an exceptional season in 2023-24.

However, after featuring for England at Euro 2024, Foden has begun four of his five games this season on the bench, with his only start coming against Watford in the EFL Cup.

Speaking ahead of City's Champions League clash away in Slovakia against Slovan Bratislava, Guardiola said he was not concerned, though.

"Maybe I can have some doubts in many things, but Phil Foden is going to be back! As much as he feels good, he will be back," Guardiola told reporters.

"I think in 30 minutes at St James' Park [against Newcastle on Saturday], I felt already something that I like that I didn't see for example against Watford."

Foden is yet to score this season but an away trip to Bratislava, beaten 5-1 in their opening game at Celtic, could be the moment for him to open his account.

"Don't forget after the Euros he didn't have any training for two months, he had problems with some niggles and some problems in his health," Guardiola said.

"But now he is smiling and he's in his rhythm. He was the best player in the Premier League last season so we need him, he was important for us, but I have no doubts with his love for football and his training and passion, he will be back."

City drew their opening Champions League group game 0-0 at home against Inter and will be expected to dispatch of Bratislava on Tuesday with ease.

"I have incredible respect for all the teams in the Champions League especially when you play away," Guardiola said. "Hopefully we can be aggressive and take the result that we need.

"I have learned (in my career) that nothing is for granted. Nothing comes for free."

Should City, as expected, avoid defeat, they will equal the record for the longest unbeaten run in European Cup/Champions League history, which is held by Manchester United (25 games between September 2007 and May 2009).

Guardiola's side have won 16 and drawn eight of their last 24 matches in the Champions League, scoring 60 goals and conceding just 18 in return in that run.

Luis Enrique explained he axed Ousmane Dembele from Paris Saint-Germain's squad for the Champions League encounter at Arsenal for the good of the whole team.

French media reported the PSG head coach had a discussion with his star winger following PSG's 3-1 win over Rennes on Friday and has been omitted from the squad to face the Gunners due to disciplinary reasons.

Luis Enrique said there was no argument between himself and Dembele but explained why he took the decision he did.

"If someone doesn't comply with the requirements of the team, it means that they are not ready," Luis Enrique told a press conference ahead of Tuesday's clash at Emirates Stadium.

"It means in such an important week, with such an important game coming up, we need every player to be fully available.

"My objective is to do the best for the team and that was my decision."

Luis Enrique was pressed further on making such an important choice, leaving out a player who has scored four league goals in six games, for such a key European game.

"You think it is easy to create a team. You press a button and the 11 best players play and everything goes well," the manager said.

"No, making a team takes a certain amount of circumstances that can be difficult. Yesterday I had to make a difficult decision but I think it is the best decision without any doubt.

"I would make it 100 more times. That doesn't mean the situation is irreversible. But the best situation for the team right now is this, in my opinion."

The coach would not give further details on what happened with Dembele, but said that his job is to create a team and that is what he will continue to do.

"I am not going to make a soap opera out of it, there was no argument between the player and me. There was a problem with the player's responsibility to the team. Nothing else," he said.

"I signed for PSG last season to create a team. That is something I can guarantee. Until the last day that I am in Paris, I am going to make a team.

"A team that is brave, daring, plays good football or tries to. The first day I cannot do that I will go back home."

PSG won their opening Champions League game 1-0 against Girona while Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw away to Atalanta. 

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