Champions League news

Robert Lewandowski’s Barcelona future remains uncertain as Deco hailed the striker as “a phenomenon at every level” while insisting his contract situation should not be debated publicly. The Poland international, who scored two match-winners last week and is now eyeing Wednesday's Paris Saint-Germain challenge, is reportedly being monitored by AC Milan as his deal runs down, but Barca remain patient over renewal talks.

Ajax’s Champions League campaign went from bad to worse on Tuesday night as they were thrashed 4-0 by Marseille at home, their second straight defeat in the competition that has piled even more pressure on their under-fire manager John Heitinga. But despite the humiliation, the Dutchman insists he is not worried about his position at the Eredivisie side.

Free-scoring Harry Kane continued his exceptional run, bagging a brace in the Champions League clash with Pafos, and subsequently claimed his Bayern Munich side "made it look easy". Kane has already scored 21 goals for club and country this season, including four in the Champions League, and enjoyed an easy ride during the clash in Cyprus where the German giants dominated throughout.

Barcelona’s long-awaited return to the Spotify Camp Nou may face further delays, with November’s clash against Athletic Club now emerging as the likeliest homecoming date. Despite nearing approval for an early-October reopening, the club are weighing financial, logistical and sporting factors that could push Flick’s side to stay at Montjuic a little longer.

Florian Wirtz endured a torrid evening for Liverpool against Galatasaray as the Reds fell to a 1-0 defeat in the Champions League. Wirtz played the full 90 minutes but struggled to make a significant impact on the game, and he is still waiting for his first goal contribution for the Reds after eight appearances. His latest performance has led to criticism from fans and pundits, with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher among those who believe he should be dropped from the starting lineup.

Victor Osimhen fired Galatasaray to a stunning 1-0 Champions League win over Liverpool and declared the Turkish giants “the best team in the world” after the final whistle. The Nigeria striker’s first-half penalty settled a raucous contest in Istanbul, piling pressure on Arne Slot after back-to-back defeats for the Premier League champions.

A difficult night in the Champions League for Liverpool was compounded by a tongue-in-cheek social media post from Galatasaray, using the Reds' famous anthem You'll Never Walk Alone against them. Arne Slot's side lost 1-0 on the evening, making it back-to-back defeats following the 2-1 reversal at Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend.

Every month, GOAL brings you the top stories involving teenage wonderkids and the world's best young footballers. During September, there was plenty to be said about the likes of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid's Franco Mastantuono, but there were also plenty of other headlines made by the planet's emerging stars in both the men's and women's games.

TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods reacted to being "pied" by Jose Mourinho on live TV after Benfica suffered a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Chelsea. The visitors were undone by a cruel own goal from Richard Ríos in the 18th minute of the game, and for Mourinho, it marked yet another frustrating return to Stamford Bridge.

Antoine Griezmann created history for Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League during their 5-1 drubbing of Eintracht Frankfurt. After the game, head coach Diego Simeone was delighted with his performance and reserved special praise for the former France international. The Argentine expressed his gratitude to Griezmann and said that "talent has no age."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was at his brilliant best in Marseille’s 4-0 Champions League win over Ajax on Tuesday, but it was his simple act of humility that impressed Roberto De Zerbi as his 'new-spirited' team rounded off a perfect week. The veteran ran the show as the French side ran rampant with their third straight win since they opened their Champions League campaign with a defeat to Real Madrid.

Kylian Mbappe bagged himself a hat-trick in the Champions League and became the third quickest to reach 60 goals in Europe's premier competition, which puts him on course to beat Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible record tally. The Real Madrid superstar reached the landmark in just 89 games, courtesy of a treble against Kairat, while it took Ronaldo 98 games to reach the same number. And the France international is the second youngest to hit 60 goals, beaten by a matter of days, by Lionel Messi.

Manuel Neuer was left helpless as Mislav Orsic fired a spectacular strike past him during Bayern Munich’s 5-1 Champions League win over Pafos. The veteran goalkeeper later offered a cheeky explanation in a lively exchange with a reporter, insisting there was little he could do to stop the goal, while, Bayern’s stars Harry Kane and Michael Olise shone once again in a dominant performance.

Jose Mourinho was grateful for the warm reception he received from Chelsea fans but made it clear that it was no consolation after Benfica's Champions League defeat at Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese walked back into the stadium that made him a legend and was met with a roar only reserved for serial champions. But while the love was loud, the night was cruel for Benfica.

Bayern Munich extended their winning streak to nine with a 5-1 Champions League win over Pafos on Tuesday. While many have been surprised by the German giants’ form under Vincent Kompany, midfielder and team captain Joshua Kimmich insists it is no accident.

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has lavished praise on his players after they hammered Ajax 4-0 in the Champions League clash at the Orange Velodrome. Mason Greenwood was on the scoresheet once again and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang provided a couple of assists and bagged a goal himself, but Igor Paixao grabbed the headlines with a quick-fire first-half double to get the ball rolling for the French giants. After the match, former Brighton manager De Zerbi described his team's performance as "perfect".

Harry Kane opened up on his relationship with Nicolas Jackson after Bayern Munich's Champions League rout of Pafos. The Bavarians unleashed a merciless storm in Cyprus, tearing apart Pafos with a crushing 5-1 continental triumph. Kane bagged a brace, Raphael Guerreiro and Michael Olise also chipped in, and Jackson grabbed his first goal since arriving from Chelsea in the summer window.