Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen Steal the Spotlight in Champions League Shockers
Chelsea thrilled Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night with a dominant 3-0 victory over Barcelona in Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen delivered one of the biggest surprises of the round, defeating Manchester City at the Etihad. It was a night that reshaped the European football landscape.
At Stamford Bridge, all eyes were on the showdown between teenage sensations Estevao and Lamine Yamal. But it was Chelsea’s youngster who stole the show. Ten minutes into the second half, the 18-year-old cut inside from the right, navigated past two defenders, and fired a powerful shot into the top corner of Joan Garcia’s goal — his tenth goal of an impressive debut season.
Barcelona, already trailing and down to ten men after captain Ronald Araujo received a second yellow card, had little chance to respond. Chelsea sealed the win when Liam Delap tapped in from close range in the 73rd minute after VAR overturned an offside call. Earlier, a short-corner routine had caused chaos in Barca’s box, resulting in Jules Kounde’s own goal for Chelsea’s first strike.
The home crowd celebrated relentlessly, roaring as Yamal exited the pitch late in the game. This marked Chelsea’s third win in five European outings, keeping them firmly in contention for a top-eight finish and a place in the last 16.
In England, Manchester City faced a nightmare at home. Pep Guardiola’s decision to rotate his squad backfired, as Bayer Leverkusen claimed a stunning 2-0 win. Guardiola rested stars like Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, and City struggled to find their rhythm.
Leverkusen struck first through Alex Grimaldo midway through the first half after exploiting defensive lapses. Despite City dominating possession, they lacked cutting edge, and clear chances from Omar Marmoush and Tijjani Reijnders went begging. Halftime substitutions, including Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, and Nico O’Reilly, made little difference. Leverkusen doubled their lead in the 54th minute when Patrik Schick headed home Ibrahim Maza’s teasing cross. City never recovered, even after Haaland’s late introduction.
The result marked City’s first Champions League home group-stage loss since 2018, ending a 24-match unbeaten run. Coupled with their weekend defeat to Newcastle, questions are mounting about their title challenge.
Other Champions League Results (Matchday 5)
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Ajax 0-2 Benfica
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Galatasaray 0-1 Union Saint-Gilloise
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Bodø/Glimt 2-3 Juventus
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Napoli 2-0 Qarabag
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Marseille 2-1 Newcastle
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Dortmund 4-0 Villarreal
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Slavia Praha 0-0 Athletic Club
