GERARD PIQUÉ MADE Barcelona’s task more difficult than they might have been with a comical red card three minutes before half-time in their 3-1 victory over Olympiakos at Camp Nou.
The 30-year-old defender received a second yellow for palming the ball into the net, with Barca already leading 1-0 through an 18th-minute own goal by 19-year-old Greek defender Dimitris Nikolaou.
With his side down to 10, Lionel Messi doubled Barca’s advantage on the hour mark with a trademark free-kick – his 100th goal in European competition. French left-back Lucas Digne added a third just three minutes later before Nikolaou made amends – sort of – for his earlier error in stoppage time.
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Elsewhere in Group D, Juventus left it late to move into second spot with a 2-1 win over Sporting in Turin.
An early own goal by left-back Alex Sandro was cancelled out by a typically stunning free-kick by Miralem Pjanic on the half-hour mark, but it would be the 82nd minute before Juve finally grabbed the decisive goal, as new recruit Douglas Costa teed up Mario Mandžukić for a stooping header at the back post.
In Group A, Manchester United have one foot in the last 16 after a glaring error from Benfica’s teenage goalkeeper Mile Svilar gifted them victory at the Estadio da Luz – Marcus Rashford’s 45-yard free-kick carried across his own line by the 18-year-old record-breaker. You can read a full report of that one here.
United’s group rivals Basel followed an impressive 5-0 rout over the Portuguese outfit with a rather facile victory over CSKA Moscow at the VEB Arena.
Goals from Taulant Xhaka and Dimitri Oberlin saw the Swiss champions into second, while hosts CSKA failed to register a shot on target.
To Group B, and Paris Saint-Germain’s perfect start to the competition continued in style as they came away from Anderlecht with a 4-0 victory. Goals for best pals Edinson Cavani and Neymar on either side of half-time came sandwiched between Kylian Mbappé’s 3rd-minute opener and Angel Di María’s 88th-minute closer at the Constant Vanden Stock. PSG are yet to concede a goal in this season’s Champions League.
Chelsea remain top of Group C despite being held to a 3-3 draw at home to Roma – Eden Hazard the saviour at The Bridge after Chelsea collapsed from 2-0 up. Atlético’s miserable start to the competition continued, meanwhile: the Azerbaijan-backed La Liga club were held scoreless by minnows Qarabag in the Motherland, and remain in third place – three points behind Roma.
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Piqué handed comical red, 100 up for Messi, and the rest of tonight's CL results
GERARD PIQUÉ MADE Barcelona’s task more difficult than they might have been with a comical red card three minutes before half-time in their 3-1 victory over Olympiakos at Camp Nou.
The 30-year-old defender received a second yellow for palming the ball into the net, with Barca already leading 1-0 through an 18th-minute own goal by 19-year-old Greek defender Dimitris Nikolaou.
With his side down to 10, Lionel Messi doubled Barca’s advantage on the hour mark with a trademark free-kick – his 100th goal in European competition. French left-back Lucas Digne added a third just three minutes later before Nikolaou made amends – sort of – for his earlier error in stoppage time.
Elsewhere in Group D, Juventus left it late to move into second spot with a 2-1 win over Sporting in Turin.
An early own goal by left-back Alex Sandro was cancelled out by a typically stunning free-kick by Miralem Pjanic on the half-hour mark, but it would be the 82nd minute before Juve finally grabbed the decisive goal, as new recruit Douglas Costa teed up Mario Mandžukić for a stooping header at the back post.
In Group A, Manchester United have one foot in the last 16 after a glaring error from Benfica’s teenage goalkeeper Mile Svilar gifted them victory at the Estadio da Luz – Marcus Rashford’s 45-yard free-kick carried across his own line by the 18-year-old record-breaker. You can read a full report of that one here.
United’s group rivals Basel followed an impressive 5-0 rout over the Portuguese outfit with a rather facile victory over CSKA Moscow at the VEB Arena.
Goals from Taulant Xhaka and Dimitri Oberlin saw the Swiss champions into second, while hosts CSKA failed to register a shot on target.
To Group B, and Paris Saint-Germain’s perfect start to the competition continued in style as they came away from Anderlecht with a 4-0 victory. Goals for best pals Edinson Cavani and Neymar on either side of half-time came sandwiched between Kylian Mbappé’s 3rd-minute opener and Angel Di María’s 88th-minute closer at the Constant Vanden Stock. PSG are yet to concede a goal in this season’s Champions League.
Celtic, meanwhile, conceded three in Munich as Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern eased to victory at the Allianz Arena.
Chelsea remain top of Group C despite being held to a 3-3 draw at home to Roma – Eden Hazard the saviour at The Bridge after Chelsea collapsed from 2-0 up. Atlético’s miserable start to the competition continued, meanwhile: the Azerbaijan-backed La Liga club were held scoreless by minnows Qarabag in the Motherland, and remain in third place – three points behind Roma.
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Shoot-out heartbreak for UCD as their European adventure ends in Norway
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