Matchday four of Champions League play got off to a wild start with Sporting Club Portugal securing an upset victory over Manchester City. Erling Haaland missed a penalty and Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat trick as Ruben Amorim preps for taking over Manchester United during the November international break. That makes it now three consecutive losses for City in all competitions but they aren't the only club worrying.
Real Madrid fell 3-1 to Milan. The attack struggled with Kylian Mbappe as the nine and it continued. Christian Pulisic started things off by assisting Malick Thiaw from a corner kick, but Los Blancos leveling from a corner kick wouldn't stop Milan's run. Rafael Leao marked his return to the XI with a pair of assists and Madrid's spiral after losing El Clasico and watching Vinicius Junior lose the Ballon d'Or to Rodri continues. Carlo Ancelotti will want to turn this around quickly, but it is becoming a concern
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Arne Slot whose strong start to life at Liverpool continues, defeating Bayer Leverkusen 4-0. Xabi Alonso returned to Anfield as a manager and his Leverkusen side played a strong first half of soccer, but when the Reds found their footing, it was over. Luis Diaz had a hat trick in the second half to pace things while Cody Gakpo has now scored in three consecutive matches in all competitions.
It was a landmark day for Americans with nine Americans appearing in matches, which is the most of any single day in UCL history, but Pulisic and Malik Tillman were the standout performers. In PSV's 4-0 victory over Girona, Tillman netted a goal and an assist.
Bologna 0, Monaco 1
Celtic 3, RB Leipzig 1
Borussia Dortmund 1, Strum Graz 0
Lille 1, Juventus 1
Real Madrid 1, Milan 3
Sporting CP 4, Manchester City 1
Liverpool 4, Bayer Leverkusen 0
Slovan Bratislava 1, Dinamo Zagreb 4
PSV 4, Girona 0
Not one, not two, but three goals for Luis Diaz. Liverpool won the ball back and then broke to cut the Leverkusen defense apart. It's all came in the second half and the reds will keep their good form under Arne Slot going.
This one is out of reach as Liverpool have now netted three second half goals to put this one out of sight.
This time it's Reijnders as Leao continues his excellent game by playing in the Dutchman. It was a great settle and take and Milan now leads by two goals late in Madrid.
At this stage, Milan are looking to close down a match away to Real Madrid. These are weird words to type but Los Blancos haven't shown up at their home stadium and only 18 minutes remain to get something from this.
It took a while for them to get their first goal but it only took three minutes for Cody Gakpo to follow things up with their second goal of the match. Again after getting an opener, it didn't take long for another to come as Gakpo now has four goals in his last three matches in all competitions.
It's Luis Diaz and the Reds are ahead. It's not surprising at all that they got the opener, it's just surprising that it took so long to come. Does Leverkusen have an answer?
It was almost 3-1 Milan as Pulisic setup Leao. It was quite a strike but the keeper got a strong hand to it as Real Madrid's struggles continue in the second half.
Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni have been replaced by Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Diaz in the second half of play. A change in attack is needed and this will bring just that.
Right in the kickoff in the second half of play, Sporting scored via Maxi Araujo and then Josko Gvardiol conceded a penalty to put City behind by two goals only 50 minutes into the clash. They'll need to turn things around quickly at this rate.
It's still level entering the second half of play and it's anyone's game. The Reds have been strong in the second half of matches so far and it could continue here.
Tsimikas is beaten and Frimpong has the ball in the back of the net but it won't count due to a hand ball by the right back in the buildup. You've gotta play to the whistle but this one won't cost the Reds.
Pulisic feeding Leao was saved but Alvaro Morata was there to clean things up knocking it past Lunin in goal. Madrid's defensive issues continue.
Outside of the penalty and a Kylian Mbappe chance, Real Madrid haven't had many dangerous chances while Milan has created a bit from open play and corner kicks. They'll want more set pieces as the game progresses but there's been no issue with pushing up the flanks via Theo Hernandez so far.
It's taken a bit but the Reds are beginning to get some shots off. They've only put one on target but this is the period where Liverpool will take control of a match if allowed to impose their will.
Vinicius Junior is taken down by Emerson Royal in the box and it's a penalty to Madrid int he 21st minute of play. It wasn't much contact but it was reckless enough in the box to give Madrid a chance to draw level in the match and it's a chance that they wouldn't miss with Vinicius Junior finishing his penalty take.
Frimpong and Van Dijk got into a tussle in the box but it's one that the Liverpool defender won to ensure that the chance was cleared. It has been a slow start for the Reds at home but they've avoided getting into too much danger.
We've got an opening goal in Madrid and it came from a corner kick delivered by Christian Pulisic. It found the head of Thiaw who finished with power. Yet again, Madrid are behind the eight ball.
Theo Hernandez was able to work his way down the flank but couldn't get the ball to Pulisic. You have to take any chance that Madrid provides and that was a good one less than six minutes into the tie.
It falls to Victor Boniface who put it wide of the post. While that was taken care of it shows how quickly Leverkusen can make things happen if allowed.
Bologna 0, Monaco 1
Celtic 3, RB Leipzig 1
Borussia Dortmund 1, Strum Graz 0
Lille 1, Juventus 1
Real Madrid 1, Milan 3
Sporting CP 4, Manchester City 1
Liverpool 4, Bayer Leverkusen 0
Slovan Bratislava 1, Dinamo Zagreb 4
PSV 4, Girona 0
It's a return to the XI for Leao
Real Madrid: Lunin, Mendy, Rudiger, Militao, Vazquez, Modric, Tchouameni, Valverde, Vinicius Junior, Mbappe, Bellingham
Milan: Maignan, Emerson Royal, Thiaw, Tomori, Hernandez, Musah, Fofana, Reijnders, Leao, Morata, Pulisic
Ibrahima Konate is fit to start in a big boost to the XI for Arne Slot
Liverpool: Kelleher, Tsimikas, Van Dijk, Konate, Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Diaz, Gakpo, Salah
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Frimpong, Tabsoba, Tah, Hincapie, Grimaldo, Xhaka, Palacios, Wirtz, Boniface, Garcia
Dinamo Zagreb brushed aside Slovan Bratislava 4-1 to shoot up the table. After a rough start against Bayern Munich, Zagreb are now undefeated in their last three UCL matches to head into the late matches on seven points. A few more picked up and this team could be one of the surprises to make it to the playoff stage. PSV secured their first victory of the league phase in epic fashion putting four goals past Girona. American Malik Tillman was at the center of that scoring a goal and assisting another during the match as PSV can now get their campaign following.
All times Eastern
| TUESDAY, NOV. 5 | TIME | HOW TO WATCH |
|---|---|---|
UEFA Champions League Today pre-match | 2 p.m. | |
| Champions League Matchday | 2:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network |
The Golazo Show | 3 p.m. | |
Borussia Dortmund vs. Sturm Graz | 3 p.m. | |
Celtic vs. RB Leipzig | 3 p.m. | |
Real Madrid vs. AC Milan | 3 p.m. | |
Lille vs. Juventus | 3 p.m. | |
Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen | 3 p.m. | |
Sporting Lisbon vs. Manchester City | 3 p.m. | |
Bologna vs. Monaco | 3 p.m. | |
UEFA Champions League Today post-match | 5 p.m. | |
Scoreline | 5 p.m. | |
The Champions Club | 7 p.m. |
Malik Tillman has already gotten this UCL slate off to a good start for Americans with a goal and an assist as PSV leads Girona while Slovan Bratislava continues to lek goals allowing four to Dinamo Zagreb. It's quite a slate of action today so strap in for the ride as we finish out the early slate and get ready for mouth watering late matches.
