Champions League review: Real beat Inter in blockbuster clash as Como make dream debut

[p]And just like last season, [i][b]Flashscore[/b][/i] will dissect the big talking points from all three days in our Champions League review. However, the format is slightly different.[/p][p]The main focus will be on the winner and loser from each day rather than the previous approach, which looked at the Matchday as a whole, with different teams receiving awards.[/p][p]Holders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a], a free-scoring [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] all won by big margins this week, reminding Europe of their class. It was a brilliant start to the competition for the English clubs too, with last season's runners-up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] spearheading five Premier League sides that were all victorious.[/p][infobox id="45e615b0-e521-49e0-bf3c-9fb2423b8bed" /][h2]Tuesday's champion - Real Madrid[/h2][p]There were some impressive wins on Tuesday, but none beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real's[/a] victory against Serie A champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter[/a] in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/inter-Iw7eKK25/real-madrid-W8mj7MDD/?mid=foBRjez1"]Jose Mourinho's return to the Champions League and his former club[/a]. It might not have been the perfect performance from Mourinho's men, but it was the type of game they would have drawn or lost last season.[/p][p]And aside from a disappointing slip-up last weekend against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Real Betis[/a], the early signs suggest Real Madrid will win more football matches this campaign. [/p][p]'The Special One' has done well to understand who his star players are and make an effort to make them feel loved. When Jose is on your side, any elite player would want to play under him. And it was one of his stars, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a], who gave Real the lead early on after capitalising on a poor error by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bisseck-yann-aurel/b3kUQZ4h/"]Yann Bisseck[/a]. [/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="72962277-2593-446b-88c2-6013fa55e6e9" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="efb342a1-01ec-456c-bd09-2855c7262bec" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/valverde-federico/nscfER6B/"]Fede Valverde[/a] would then pounce on a second glaring Inter error, and Real Madrid were 2-0 up after 23 minutes. Inter pulled one back through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/augusto-carlos/QZQkZOWj/"]Carlos Augusto[/a] in the second half and pushed for a late equaliser, but Real deserved the win on balance. [/p][p]The hosts were happy for Inter to dominate possession and the visitors did, but Los Blancos created nine big chances to Inter's four and also had one more shot on target.[/p][p]It wasn't vintage Real Madrid, but it was a big win against one of Europe's stronger sides, and it was the dream return to the Champions League for Mourinho. [/p][infobox id="c5ce5f5a-ccb6-468f-9fce-bb4a330c372a" /][h2]Tuesday's flop - Lille[/h2][p]This one feels a bit harsh on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Lille[/a], but last season's Ligue 1 third-placed finishers were 2-1 up at half-time against Real Betis and looked in control of the clash. But less than 10 minutes into the second period, they found themselves 3-2 down after a quickfire double from Betis turned the game on its head.[/p][p]An [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-ethan/OADlCrGQ/"]Ethan Mbappe[/a] red card three minutes after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/parrott-troy/K6H9Uptn/"]Troy Parrot[/a] put Betis in front rubbed salt into the wounds - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/lille-pfDZL71o/?mid=StY6NNoJ"]this wasn't going to be Lille's day[/a]. [/p][image alt="Match result" id="d23844b3-853b-4db4-bf0c-c976671adf09" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0dcfdf14-2866-4f74-8d0c-253aa88782eb" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]In the end, the home fans will be disappointed that the promise of the first half didn't translate into points on the board. Those are the type of games Lille need to win if they want to make the play-offs and keep their European dream alive.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/uefa-champions-league-26-27-league-phase-matchday-1-stats/QZLQG8KG/"]Check out our Champions League stats piece here[/a][/h2][h2]Wednesday's flop - Napoli[/h2][p]As the night before, Wednesday evening was not a great advert for Serie A. Now, of course, Arsenal are the Premier League champions and last season's UCL finalists, so this was always going to be a tough challenge for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a]. However, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/napoli-69Dxbc61/?mid=juiAv14K"]1-0 defeat[/a] in Naples was considerably more damning than the scoreline suggests. [/p][p]If Arsenal had been more clinical (and they should have been), this could have easily been a uglier scoreline for the home side. What will have concerned Massimiliano Allegri just as much was how little his side created despite playing in front of their home fans.[/p][p]Five shots, three on target and zero big chances with an xG of just 0.23 is bleak for a team in Europe and should lead to an inquest ahead of their return to Serie A action against Bologna. [/p][embed guid="50cc424d-9636-41e4-8c11-20e6f8d38859" url="https://x.com/OptaAnalyst/status/2097961985384030701" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Wednesday's champion - Ferran Torres[/h2][p]A shoutout has to go to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] for the way they came from a goal down to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a] at Anfield in the most impressive performance of the Andoni Iraola era so far. But it would be unfair to give Wednesday's champion to any team or player other than [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torres-ferran/AVAVLaLt/"]Ferran Torres[/a]. [/p][p]On his PSG Champions League debut, the man who scored the World Cup final winning goal was deadly for his new side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/psg-CjhkPw0k/slovan-bratislava-QRaWdwQf/?mid=vRfGDXa4"]on Wednesday evening[/a].[/p][p]The Spaniard's opener was a trademark Torres goal as he got on the end of a teasing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] delivery to put the hosts 3-0 up. Two second-half strikes in 10 minutes completed a debut hat-trick before the hour mark - a masterclass in being clinical. [/p][image alt="Ferran Torres' recent form" id="b12f068d-03f6-49c8-9277-4d42d07800d5" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="81a31d58-2aa6-48c0-a8bc-24b617ea638f" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]With the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a], Dembele and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doue-desire/KIUWH2Jq/"]Desire Doue[/a] around him creating chances, Torres will score a silly amount of goals this season for PSG. Five goals in his first four appearances for the Parisians, as he only begins to find his feet, is proof enough already.[/p][h2]Thursday's champion - Como [/h2][p]When [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fabregas-cesc/YXIDwoe5/"]Cesc Fabregas[/a]' vibrant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/como/ttyLthOA/"]Como[/a] were preparing to make their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/como-ttyLthOA/rb-leipzig-KbS1suSm/?mid=WhVkZZ2L"]Champions League debut on Thursday night[/a] after a rapid rise from Serie B to Europe's elite, they couldn't have dreamt of a more perfect outcome than what transpired against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rb-leipzig/KbS1suSm/"]RB Leipzig[/a]. [/p][p]Under the lights, with the stunning Lake Como in view, it felt like a destination destined for this great competition even before a ball had been kicked.[/p][p]On the pitch, Como quickly proved why they will be an exciting addition to the Champions League this season after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baturina-martin/0WWy1lhR/"]Martin Baturina[/a] continued his red-hot form, showing excellent composure in the box before finding the bottom corner just 18 minutes in. [/p][image alt="Match stats" id="fc56bccd-2a94-40c4-961a-ae49b190f42e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="4b09c13b-e9b6-40d5-95cc-209a83da9976" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The sense that this was going to be a special night for Como only grew stronger when their talisman striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/douvikas-anastasios/YgPGkQYi/"]Anastasios Douvikas[/a] was sent free on goal and was never going to miss.[/p][p]Two stars of the present and future, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paz-martinez-nicolas/GG6EYRT0/"]Nico Paz[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diao-assane/rZziaoTk/"]Assane Diao[/a], combined to make it 3-0 early in the second half, and Paz did brilliantly to set up fellow Argentine [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perrone-maximo/vmcGpMJM/"]Maximo Perrone[/a] to make up for a Leipzig consolation goal earlier in the half.[/p][p]It was the perfect result to kickstart their campaign, but it was more the performance that caught the eye.[/p][p]It was an electric display from a side that loves to score goals and won't rest until the final whistle: while there is still time, Fabregas demands more and more and more.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/champions-league-team-of-the-round-dembele-and-olise-perfect-on-matchday-1/zqv9NB0D/"]Check out our Champions League Team of the Round[/a][/h2][h2]Thursday's flop - Roma[/h2][p]We have a hat-trick of flops from Serie A this week in a damning admission of the state of Italian football. After three wins from three, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]Roma[/a] have made a flying start to the season in Serie A and Gian Piero Gasperini's side were fancied to carry that over into Europe.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/as-roma-zVqqL0ma/fenerbahce-MsbmracL/?mid=p4qtPzNN"]Heading to Istanbul[/a] to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fenerbahce/MsbmracL/"]Fenerbahce[/a], the Italian giants would have been confident of a win and even of making a statement that we mean business. [/p][p]However, it wasn't long into Thursday evening's early kick-off when it dawned that this Roma side are very much a work in progress.[/p][p]And until [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cristante-bryan/t6u0o3h7/"]Bryan Cristante[/a] scored out of nowhere in the 39th minute, there was very little evidence to suggest this is a Roma side to be feared. Now, of course, this was just one game, and facing a side from Istanbul in Europe is never going to be easy, but it was still underwhelming. [/p][image alt="Match stats" id="8c8b1149-3494-4f62-bf42-500816007eda" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c77872ca-2e76-4f93-9a94-5fb03cc30b39" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]And if the first half failed to impress, then the second period was concerning. Roma's defence looked to still be in the dressing room when English full-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-archie/p6vn3k5m/"]Archie Brown[/a] equalised in the 48th minute after dinking the ball over Mile Svilar.[/p][p]The hosts went on to create the better chances and looked the more dangerous side for most of a second half that passed Roma by. [/p][p]It might have been one game, but the evidence is there from the performances of Serie A sides in the Champions League last season and the start of this campaign that the league is a long way from where it should be.[/p][infobox id="938dea4e-717b-43a6-9d12-646fc87ad9a9" /]