Liverpool won 3-2 in the Battle of Atletico Madrid and Lionel Messi scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain beat RB Leipzig by the same score in a breathless night of Champions League action on Tuesday.
In other games, Karim Benzema netted for Real Madrid as the 13-time European champions beat Shekhar Donetsk 5–0 in Ukraine on the eve of the start of his trial in France on charges of complicity in blackmail.
Most of the night’s play took place in the Spanish capital’s Wanda Metropolitano, where Mohamed Salah scored another impressive goal that turned away from a string of Atletico’s defenders, before deflecting his shot off James Milner to open the scoring. Done.
Nabi Keita doubled Liverpool’s lead with a brilliant volley but Atletico scored twice with French international Antoine Griezmann to set the home crowd on fire.
Just as Atletico seemed to have the upper hand, Griezmann was given a straight red card for a high boot in the face of Roberto Firmino.
A pulsating play was decided from the penalty spot in the 78th minute as Salah fouled Jan Oblak after Mario Hermoso pushed Diogo Jota. Egypt’s 31st Champions League goal makes him the club’s top scorer in the competition, overtaking Steven Gerrard.
In a dramatic end, Atlético were denied a penalty when the referee studied the VAR and decided Jota had not fouled Jose Maria Jiménez.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport: “We played a really solid second half in a tough game with intense football from both teams.
“We got a penalty, then there was a red card and obviously it was in our favor.”
The Reds are at the top of Group B with three wins from three while Atlético are tied on four points with Porto, who beat AC Milan 1-0 in Portugal.
– Mbappe penalty –
At the Parc des Princes, Messi scored twice and Kylian Mbappe shone, but later missed a penalty as PSG beat RB Leipzig 3-2.
Mbappe gave the Qatar-backed club the lead, but a Leipzig team had previously lost 6-3 at Manchester City.
Leipzig went ahead with goals from Andre Silva and Nordi Mukile as PSG suddenly looked dissatisfied.
But Messi was leveled by Mbappe and then in the 74th minute cleverly slammed a penalty awarded for a foul on the French striker. Mbappe’s missed spot kick proved insignificant.
PSG are at the top of Group A with seven points but Manchester City bounced back from their defeat in Paris on the previous match day, beating Club Brugge 5-1 in Belgium.
Pep Guardiola declared City’s win “one of the best ever in Europe” when Riyad Mahrez scored twice and 19-year-old Cole Palmer was among City’s scorers.
In Kiev, Benzema, who is due to go to France on Wednesday in a “sextape” trial involving his former international partner Mathieu Valbuena, scored the final goal en route to Real’s Shakhtar.
Serhi Krivtsov’s own first-half goal put Real in their stride, before Vinicius Jr. scored two fine goals and Rodrigo set up for fourth before Benzema finished the job.
Sheriff Tiraspol’s story in the competition ended in a 3–1 defeat at Inter Milan.
Goals from Edin Dzeko, Arturo Vidal and Stefan de Verge sealed a victory for Moldova, but the Sheriff remains on top of Group D despite having the same number of points as Real.
Borussia Dortmund and Erling Braut Haaland had a closed night as they were beaten 4-0 by Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena.
Former West Ham striker Sebastian Haller scored his sixth Champions League goal in three games as Ajax held on to an ironclad finish on Group C with a maximum of nine points. Dortmund are second with six points.
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