Tyrone Mings' calamitous mistake proved costly as Aston Villa lost 1-0 to Club Brugge in the Champions League.

Villa had won their opening three games in the competition, but their unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt in Belgium on Wednesday.

Mings was at fault as he conceded a bizarre penalty early in the second half.

On his first Champions League appearance, Mings inexplicably picked the ball when it was passed his way by Emiliano Martinez, believing it was not in play.

The referee pointed to the penalty spot, with the spot-kick confirmed by VAR, and Hans Vanaken converted from 12 yards.

Unai Emery's side failed to create much of note from then on, and finished with just 0.4 expected goals (xG) from what was a disappointing attacking display.

Brugge are now on six points, three behind Villa.

Data Debrief: Brugge finally claim an English scalp

This was Brugge's first win over an English team in Europe since they beat Chelsea in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1995, ending a run of 14 matches without a victory against English teams.

Villa, meanwhile, failed to become just the fourth team to win their first four Champions League matches, after Milan (1993), Paris Saint-Germain (1994) and Juventus (1995).

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has suffered an ankle sprain and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Spanish champions revealed on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old France international was replaced by compatriot Eduardo Camavinga in the 46th minute of their stunning 3-1 loss to AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Athletic subsequently reported Tchouameni is set to miss at least four weeks due to the injury, and Madrid have now confirmed the blow.

"Following tests carried out today by Real Madrid's Medical Services on our player Aurelien Tchouameni, he has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle. His progress will be monitored," the club said in a statement.

Madrid, who are second in LaLiga with 24 points from 11 matches, nine fewer than leaders Barcelona who have played a game more, next host fifth-placed Osasuna on Saturday. 

They then visit Leganes in the league after the international break and Liverpool in the Champions League on November 27.

France, meanwhile, will host Israel in the Nations League on November 14 and travel to Italy three days later. 

 

Thiago Motta feels Juventus "deserved more" against Lille, insisting "I cannot be happy" with the 1-1 draw in the Champions League.

The spoils were shared at Stade Pierre Mauroy, where a second-half Dusan Vlahovic penalty cancelled out Jonathan David's opener in the 27th minute.

Juve responded well to falling behind, controlling large periods of the contest after the break, but were unable to turn their superiority into a winning goal.

That moved the Bianconeri onto seven points after four games, though Motta believes their tally should be greater.

"I'm happy with the players, but I cannot be happy with the result, we deserved more than a draw," he said.

"We faced a team who were well-organised, defended very well and who were ready to hurt us on the break. Lille know what they are doing, they are full of confidence at the moment. But it was a great performance from my lads.

"We certainly could've done better in the final third, though the quality of our football improved in the second half.

"We wanted a different result and created the opportunities to get that, but I am happy with the performance. We can improve certain things but, overall, I am satisfied with the way the team played."

Motta also praised the performances of Francisco Conceicao and Kenan Yildiz, with the pair carrying some of Juventus' greater threats down the wings.

"The two wingers who started were in good form, we knew that we would have to go down the flanks to break Lille down," the Bianconeri coach added.

"It was tough for us to push through the middle today because Lille were closing up all the spaces, so we had to attack wide with the wingers, and also the full-backs overlapping.

"Kenan and Francisco are very good at taking men on in one-on-one situations to break down teams that are clammed up.

"I really liked them in the second half, as they were in the right zones to accept the ball, and I am glad about what they both did."

Nuri Sahin lauded "a very important win" for Borussia Dortmund, after Donyell Malen's late strike sealed a narrow 1-0 victory over Sturm Graz.

Last year's Champions League finalists claimed their third win from four matches in this season's competition, with substitute Malen securing all three points with five minutes remaining.

The Netherlands international executed a neat one-two with Serhou Guirassy to put Dortmund fourth in the league table on nine points.

And though they left it late, Sahin felt his side were worthy of their victory.

"A very important win," he told reporters during his post-match press conference. "It was a deserved win, even if we scored late. We controlled the game for the most time.

"We stayed clear. I thought it would happen earlier [the goal]. But even though we scored a late goal, it's nine points for us so far."

Meanwhile, Sturm Graz are left rooted to the foot of the table, and still seeking their first points of the competition.

"In my opinion, we had the better opportunities in the phase before they scored," coach Christian Ilzer said.

"But then the goal was scored and we were left empty-handed. That's very annoying. But we have to take the lead in a game like this."

Ruben Amorim was lifted into the air by his players following Sporting CP's 4-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday in his final home game in charge.

City had initially gone a goal ahead through Phil Foden inside four minutes, but the Portuguese side came roaring back.

Viktor Gyokeres equalised before half-time, while Maximilaino Araujo put the home side ahead within seconds of the restart. Gyokeres had his second from a penalty three minutes later, while Erling Haaland hit the bar from the spot in the second half.

The rout was complete with a Gyokeres hat-trick and another penalty with 10 minutes to go, and Amorim agreed after the game that it was a magical way to sign off 

"Looking at the game, it was written on the wall," he told reporters. "The opponent missing a penalty. There are days when things have to happen in a certain way.

"I couldn't ask for a better farewell. I'm very happy for this moment. It will still be better if we win in Braga, but I don't think I could ask for better.

"The result helped with the farewell. Everyone deserved this moment. We were very happy here in the [Jose] Alvalade [Stadium]. We've been through difficult times and to finish like this is special."

While Amorim has achieved incredible success at Sporting – winning two Portuguese titles and 10 games out of 10 this season – he said that he understands the need for a different approach at United.

"When I'm at the next club, the approach will have to be different. Not much is taken from here because we will have to play differently in the future," he said.

"Both are historic clubs. It will certainly be a different game."

He also vowed to ignore the press and pressure from social media to begin with.

"I'm certainly not going to read anything for six months. I did the same at Sporting. I'm not going to read anything or have access to anything. It's the only way to do my job." he said.

Paulo Fonseca saluted AC Milan's "courage" during their 3-1 victory over reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid.

Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders were on target as the Rossoneri condemned Madrid to successive home defeats for the first time under their former boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Milan became the first side in the history of the competition to score three times against Los Blancos at Santiago Bernabeu on two occasions, also achieving the feat in October 2009.

And Fonseca was delighted at the way the players executed his game plan, which he acknowledged was slightly different to normal.

"We won because the players had the courage to come here and not be afraid of anything, playing the game we wanted," he told reporters during his post-match press conference.

"We prepared for a match in which we wanted to keep the ball. In the first half, we did important things and, in the second half, we suffered more. But we deserved to win, no doubt about it.

"Today, we showed that an Italian team came to the Bernabeu to play and not to defend alone. We can still grow a lot. I have to be honest. This type of game is totally different to what we have in Serie A. 

"In Italy, perhaps, we don't have the chance to play with this aggressiveness. I don't think it's possible to do what we did today. Here, there are no teams that press man-to-man all over the pitch."

Carlo Ancelotti has said he was worried about Real Madrid's level of performance in their 3-1 home defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The result marked the first time in three years that they have suffered back-to-back defeats in all competitions, having been hammered 4-0 by Barcelona at the Bernabeu last time out.

Following the match, Real Madrid are 17th in the Champions League table – just three points off dropping out of the play-off positions – with Wednesday's games to come.

"We have to be concerned, the team is not playing well," Ancelotti told a press conference on Tuesday.

"The team is not compact, we need to be more compact, more organised, we've conceded a lot of goals ... The team is not well organised on the pitch and we need to work on this.

"We have to focus on what we have today, which is a team that is not at its best, and get back to our level so we can fight for all competitions."

Real Madrid have conceded nine goals in their last three matches, while a Vinicius Junior penalty on Tuesday was their only goal in their last two. Players such as Aurelien Tchouameni and Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, were booed by fans.

"It is not an issue of motivation or attitude, it's a collective thing that we need to fix quickly," said Ancelotti.

"On the pitch, something is missing and we have not been able to show our best version. We have to fix this, but the nights are going to be very long and we have to recover the solidity that we are lacking.

"That's the problem above all, we've conceded too many goals for a team that is built on solidity.

"We have to accept criticism and accept reality. We want to do better because it's very difficult to get to the end of the season like this. We have to defend better and we have to look for solutions, without going crazy after drastic changes.

"It's good that the players are down like I am. We can all think about how to improve our version. We are confident that this team will improve." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Bernardo Silva acknowledged Manchester City are "in a dark place right now" following their disappointing 4-1 defeat at Sporting CP.

Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick inspired the Primeira Liga leaders to a commanding victory at Estadio Jose Alvalade, where Ruben Amorim was overseeing his final home game before taking over the reins at Manchester United on November 11.

Injury-hit City, who were without the likes of Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and John Stones, have now suffered three successive defeats in a season for the first time since April 2018.

Having been knocked out of the EFL Cup by Tottenham, the Citizens also saw their 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League ended by a 2-1 loss at Bournemouth on Saturday.

And Silva knows he and his team-mates must address the slump quickly.

"At the beginning of the second half, we just gave them too many opportunities to be there and to score goals," the City winger said.

"[It's] disappointing because we're a bit in a dark place right now, and everything looks to be going the wrong way - even when we play well.

"Definitely, we need to look inside, check what we're not doing well and start being better very quickly. Otherwise, it will be difficult to come back from these losses.

"It's football, it's difficult to find reasons for what's happening right now to us.

"Obviously, we need to do better. Our injured players need to come back because we need them. It's just not good enough at the minute."

Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola insists he is "not giving up" with the Spaniard relishing the opportunity to put things right.

"It is a tough challenge, but I am here," the head coach added. "It will be a tough season - we knew that from the start. But this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players.

"I have to try and find an explanation. Sometimes, it is just football. We have to accept it. Life is that, sport is that. Sometimes, we have bad moments, but we face the reality.

"Everyone has to try to be better. We are still alive in all competitions, and we continue. I am not giving up."

Arne Slot insisted he will continue to look at "one game at a time" after leading Liverpool to a 4-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Luis Diaz's second-half hat-trick along with Cody Gakpo's 63rd-minute strike spoiled Xabi Alonso's Anfield return, moving the Reds top of the 36-team standings. 

Liverpool have now won all four of their Champions League games under Slot. It’s only the second time that they have won all four opening games in a single season. 

The Reds are now top of both the Premier League and Champions League, though Slot was keen to focus on the next task, which comes in the shape of Aston Villa on Saturday.

"I don't know if it was that much to do with intensity, but we took more risk," Slot said. 

"They overloaded the midfield a lot, and we adjusted at half-time and took the risk to play one v one all over. We had better chances in the first half and they weren't a goal threat.

"As much as this time, how good they are in Europe, sometimes a strong target man is better than someone a bit faster.

"Curtis Jones did an incredible pass, and then you have someone with the pace of Lucho to finish it off. The pass was as good as the goal, in my opinion.

"You don't look ahead as a manager in the next three months. You're always one game at a time. We've got Aston Villa on Saturday, another tough game."

Diaz's treble saw him become only the second Colombian player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League, after Faustino Asprilla for Newcastle against Barcelona in 1997. 

And he insisted that things have started brightly for Slot at Anfield, but said his team-mates must continue to perform to have something to show for it at the end of the season.

"The most important thing is the three points in this edition of the Champions League so we can keep progressing in the competition," Diaz said. 

"Things have gone so well with the new manager, it wasn't easy for him to come in and fill Jurgen Klopp's shoes.

"Hopefully, we'll have something to show for it at the end of the season.

"We have top-quality players all over the pitch and I really enjoyed playing in that position today. I'm just happy to be on the pitch.

"I need to go and find that ball now because I need to keep it somewhere special at home."

For Alonso and Leverkusen, meanwhile, it marked a first Champions League defeat since 2022, while also conceding four or more goals in an away match in the competition since 2013 against Manchester United.

"It's painful the result more than the performance, probably," Alonso told Amazon Prime.

"But this is the Champions League, this is the highest level, and today it wasn't enough for us."

"It's too early to tell, but I can see that Liverpool have a very good balance, a very complete team.

"They work with 11 players, and they have the power to hold a clean sheet, which is important in the Champions League.

"In the Premier League, let's see. It's early to tell but it's looking good."

Alonso, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, was serenaded by the home supporters at Anfield during the contest. 

"I tried to separate the game and the pain from the result from the nice feelings to come back. I'm really happy and thankful for that reception," he added. 

Monaco defender Thilo Kehrer scored a late goal to earn a 1-0 Champions League victory for his side at Bologna on Tuesday.

Monaco captain Kehrer, left unmarked in front of goal four minutes from time, stretched out a leg to poke the ball home from a flicked-on corner to snatch the points.

The visitors maintained their unbeaten start to this season’s Champions League while also dealing Bologna their first-ever home defeat in European competition.

Both sides saw goals chalked off in the first half, Monaco's Wilfried Singo being penalised for a foul on Lukasz Skorupski before Santiago Castro saw a curling strike disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

The two Polish goakeepers, Monaco's Radoslaw Majecki and Bologna's Skorupski, both made several fine saves to keep the game goalless until Kehrer got the all-important touch on an inswinging corner late on.

The win puts Monaco in third place with 10 points, while Bologna are down in 30th spot with one point after four games.

Data Debrief: Long-awaited shutout for Monaco 

Monaco have now won consecutive games in the Champions League for the first time since a run of three in 2017, also ending a 23-game run without a clean sheet in the competition.

Bologna, meanwhile, are the only side in this season's Champions League to play four matches and fail to score, despite registering 48 shots in total and an xG tally of 3.19. 

Celtic's Nicolas Kuhn scored twice as the Bhoys fought back to clinch an impressive 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Coming off a goalless draw at Atalanta on matchday three, Celtic recorded their second home win in the Champions League this season, moving up to 13th in the standings on seven points.

They had to do things the hard way, falling behind to Christoph Baumgartner's close-range header after a corner came off Cameron Carter-Vickers in the 23rd minute.

However, Kuhn levelled in the 35th minute with a superb curling effort from the edge of the box, then tapped into an open net for his brace shortly before half-time.

Benjamin Sesko and Baumgartner went close to equalising after the break but Celtic's birthday boy, 38-year-old goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, pulled off a couple of fine saves before Reo Hatate sealed victory with a close-range finish in the 72nd minute. 

Leipzig's wait for a first point in the Champions League this campaign continues, with their chances of reaching the knockout stages fading after four defeats in as many games.

 

Data Debrief: Celtic flying high

Celtic may have been humiliated in a 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on matchday two, but that was a mere blip in what has so far been an impressive European campaign.

Their total of seven points is already their most in a Champions League campaign since 2012-13, when they collected 10, while they last netted more goals (currently nine) in a Champions League/European Cup campaign in 1977-78 (13). 

Donyell Malen netted an 85th minute winner to hand Borussia Dortmund a narrow 1-0 victory over winless Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Tuesday. 

A dominant showing from Nuri Sahin's side made it three wins from four games so far in the competition, moving them up to fourth in the new 36-team league. 

Dortmund started brightly at the Westfalenstadion but were unable to find a breakthrough, with Marcel Sabitzer, Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy going close. 

They recorded 13 shots in the first half, their most in the opening 45 minutes of a Champions League match without scoring since Opta recorded this data (since 2003-04).

But Sturm Graz offered a threat on the break after the interval, with Jusuf Gazibegovic curling an effort narrowly wide before Mika Biereth missed a header from close range.

However, Dortmund left it late to seal the win as Malen pounced on Emanuel Aiwu's loose pass before being sent through by Guirassy, with the Dutchman rattling the ball beyond 
Kjell Scherpen to seal another Champions League home win.

Data Debrief: Home comforts

While Sahin has come under fire for Dortmund's displays away from home, there is no arguing with his record at the Westfalenstadion.

He became the first Dortmund coach since the Bundesliga was founded to win each of his first seven home matches in charge (all competitions), while BVB are now unbeaten in 13 consecutive Champions League home games (W9 D4) - an extended club record. 

Malen’s winner was timed at 84:56, Dortmund’s latest winning goal in a Champions League match since Kevin Groskreutz netted against Marseille in December 2013.

Lille held firm to hold Juventus to a 1-1 draw at home on Tuesday in the Champions League, extending their unbeaten run to nine matches.

Jonathan David had fired the French club ahead in the first half, before Dusan Vlahovic scored a second-half penalty to level things up and leave both sides on seven points after four matches.

Things didn't start well for the home side, with Teun Koopmeiners thinking he had scored the opener for Juventus only for it to be disallowed for offside.

David put Lille ahead just three minutes later with their first chance of note in the match. The Canadian turned home to convert from a slick counter-attacking move.

Goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had to be on form to keep the home side ahead before half-time, sensationally saving a Vlahovic half-volley 10 minutes before the break. Koopmeiners, meanwhile, had another effort chalked off in the 42nd minute.

Juventus upped the pressure in the second half, with Chevalier also upping things and pulling off two impressive saves in quick succession.

But ultimately, the Lille resistance was broken by a Vlahovic penalty on the hour after Francisco Conceicao had been fouled by Benjamin Andre.

The result leaves Juventus 10th and Lille 12th in the Champions League table.

Data debrief: Lille looking good for qualification

After drawing 1-1, Lille are unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions and three matches in the Champions League.

The French side had beaten Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in back-to-back European games.

They now have a seven-point buffer between themselves and the bottom eight in the league table.

Sporting CP marked their final home game under Ruben Amorim in stunning fashion as Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 Champions League rout of Manchester City.

Amorim – who will take over as head coach of City's fierce rivals Manchester United next week – oversaw a stunning fightback after Phil Foden put Pep Guardiola's men in front.

Foden blasted past Franco Israel at his near post after dispossessing Hidemasa Morita near the edge of the Sporting area, as City dominated the early stages.

However, in-form striker Gyokeres raced clear of the City backline to lob Ederson seven minutes before half-time, netting his 21st goal of the season in all competitions.

City were then caught cold at the start of the second period as Maximiliano Araujo finished a flowing move almost straight from the kick-off, before Gyokeres extended their lead from the penalty spot following Josko Gvardiol's foul on Francisco Trincao.

Erling Haaland had the chance to drag City back into the game but struck the crossbar with a penalty awarded for Ousmane Diomande's handball, then Gyokeres claimed the match ball by converting the game's third spot-kick, conceded by former Sporting man Matheus Nunes.

Amorim, who will arrive at Old Trafford on November 11, leaves Sporting in a fantastic position in the Champions League's group phase with 10 points from four games. 

City's first defeat in the competition this season, and their third in a row overall, leaves them on seven points. 

Data Debrief: Three of the best for Gyokeres, three of the worst for City

Gyokeres is the first Sporting player to score a hat-trick in the European Cup/Champions League since Antonio Oliveria did so versus Dinamo Zagreb in 1982, and the first player to net a treble against City in the competition since Christopher Nkunku for RB Leipzig in 2021.

Following their EFL Cup exit versus Tottenham and Saturday's loss at Bournemouth, City have now suffered three straight defeats for the first time since doing so between May and August 2021. They last lost three on the spin within the same season, meanwhile, in April 2018.

It is also just the third time a Guardiola team has conceded four goals in a Champions League match, along with a 4-0 defeat against Real Madrid with Bayern Munich in April 2014 and a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona with City in October 2016.

Luis Diaz scored a second-half hat-trick for Liverpool in their 4-0 victory at home to Bayer Leverkusen as they maintained their 100% start to their Champions League campaign.

Arne Slot's side lead the 36-team league within Europe's main competition following the result, with only Aston Villa alongside them as the only other club to have won every game. They play Club Brugge on Wednesday in their fourth match.

Back in Liverpool, things got off to a slow start with the scores level until the 61st minute. Diaz lifted the ball over goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky to get things moving before Cody Gakpo made it two just two minutes later.

Gakpo's goal was initially ruled offside by the on-field official, though was overturned following a VAR review.

Diaz then scored his second and Liverpool's third of the night in the 83rd minute after picking up Mohamed Salah's cross and slotting past Hradecky. The Colombian rounded things off deep into stoppage time with a tap in from close range.

The result leaves Leverkusen 11th in the table with seven points, having tasted their first defeat of the competition at Anfield.

Data debrief: Slot has Liverpool purring

Liverpool are now top of both the Champions League standings and the Premier League and continue to go from strength to strength under Slot.

They looked much more threatening in the second half compared to the first, registering 3.48 xG in the second period after just 0.64 in the first half.

Diaz, meanwhile, has now scored nine goals in 15 matches in all competitions.

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