Liverpool Beat Real Madrid as Bayern Edge PSG in Dramatic Champions League Night

Liverpool claimed a crucial Champions League victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday night, with Alexis Mac Allister scoring the only goal in a tense encounter at Anfield. Meanwhile, Luis Diaz netted twice before being sent off as Bayern Munich defeated reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 2-1 in a heated clash at the Parc des Princes.

How Did Liverpool Break Madrid’s Resistance?

Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois once again proved to be a wall between the posts, producing eight saves that kept Liverpool frustrated for most of the game. His performance was reminiscent of his heroics in the 2022 Champions League final, where Madrid edged Liverpool 1-0.

However, this time, Mac Allister found a breakthrough just after the hour mark with a powerful header from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick. “He is a fantastic ‘keeper, we all know,” Mac Allister told Amazon Prime. “But today I think we were better and deserved to win.”

The night also saw Trent Alexander-Arnold, now playing for Madrid, make a late substitute appearance to a chorus of boos from his former Anfield crowd. The win ended Liverpool’s poor run of six losses in eight games and handed Real Madrid their first defeat in any competition since September’s 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid. “It’s a tough blow to take because we came from a run of good games, but the important thing is to move forwards,” Madrid’s Fede Valverde said.

Can Bayern and Arsenal Keep Their Perfect Records?

At the Parc des Princes, Bayern Munich extended their flawless start to the season, securing a 16th straight victory in all competitions. Coach Vincent Kompany praised his team’s resilience: “I know the Champions League winner is not decided now, otherwise PSG would not have won it last season. But this was a very important three points.”

Luis Diaz stole the spotlight early, scoring twice before being shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Achraf Hakimi, who had to be helped off the pitch. PSG tried to fight back after Joao Neves scored in the 74th minute, but it wasn’t enough to avoid their first defeat of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Arsenal continued their dominant form with a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague, as Bukayo Saka opened the scoring and Mikel Merino added two more. The Gunners have yet to concede a goal in this year’s tournament. “We are a very strong team, we are performing amazingly with a lot of clean sheets,” Merino said. “But we know that this is just the beginning.”

With Bayern, Arsenal, and Inter Milan all chasing perfection, this season’s Champions League is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years.

By Yockshard Enyendi