Madrid, City humbled, Liverpool enjoy Alonso’s return

AP:

EUROPEAN HEAVYWEIGHTS Real Madrid and Manchester City both suffered big defeats in the Champions League yesterday.

Defending champions Madrid were humbled 3-1 at home by AC Milan, while Erling Haaland missed a penalty and City squandered a fourth-minute lead as they lost 4-1 at Sporting Lisbon, whose coach will soon take charge of their crosstown rivals.

It was a much better evening for Liverpool, as Luis Diaz scored a hat-trick and Cody Gakpo grabbed another goal in a 4-0 win over German champions Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield that marred Xabi Alonso’s return to his old home.

The Leverkusen coach was given a warm welcome on his return to the club where he became a fan favourite as a player over five seasons between 2004 and 2009. Alonso won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005.

Liverpool moved top of the league phase table with four wins from four games, followed by Sporting and Monaco, both on 10 points after three wins and a draw.

Under the new 36-team format introduced by UEFA this season, the top eight teams advance directly to the next round, and those from ninth to 24th enter play-offs to reach it, while the bottom 12 are eliminated.

A flying start

Before their game, Sporting fans displayed a huge tifo thanking Rúben Amorim in his last home game before he takes over Manchester United.

Phil Foden then got City off to a flying start in the fourth minute, only the second goal Sporting have conceded in four games of the competition.

But Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres scored a hat-trick as Sporting came roaring back. Gyökeres first equalised in the 38th after a perfect through ball from Geovany Quenda, before Maximiliano Araújo made it 2-1 right after the break. Gyökeres then made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after Joško Gvardiol was penalised for a shove on Francisco Trincão in the area.

Haaland’s penalty hit the crossbar, before Gyökeres showed the Norwegian how it’s done with another spot kick at the other end to complete the scoring.

It is the first time since 2018 that City have lost three straight games, coming off a defeat to Tottenham in the English League Cup and a loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League.

“In my seven and a half years at the club, I don’t remember losing three games in a row,” City midfielder Bernardo Silva said.

In Spain, Christian Pulisic sent in a corner for Malick Thiaw to head Milan into a 12th-minute lead, ensuring Madrid trailed in a third straight game in the Champions League this season. The 15-time champions had already lost to surprise team Lille in their second game.

Vinícius Júnior equalised from the penalty spot in the 23rd after he’d been tripped, but Álvaro Morata pounced on the rebound after Andriy Lunin saved Rafael Leão’s shot to restore the visitors’ lead against his former club.

Morata had already been given a hostile reception from the home fans, who evidently remember the goal he scored to take Juventus through to the 2015 final at their team’s expense.

Tijjani Reijnders scored Milan’s third goal as the home fans made their frustrations known at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

“The last two defeats are inexplicable. We have to analyze and react quickly,” Lunin said, referring to Madrid’s 4-0 loss to Barcelona in their previous Spanish league game.

It’s the first time since 2009 that Madrid have lost two successive games at home with at least three goals conceded in each, according to Opta.

“We have to get back on track,” Lunin said.

Liverpool 4-0 Leverkusen

Sporting 4-1 Man City

Bologna 0-1 Monaco

Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig

LOSC 1-1 Juventus

Real 1-3 Milan

Dotmund 1-0 Sturm Graz

PSV 4-0 Girona

Bratislava 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb