The Champions League is starting to rev up after delivering an entertaining round of action in matchday two.
Arsenal and Manchester United suffered shock defeats, but Newcastle United turned up in a big way by hammering PSG at home.
Here’s our weekly awards from the competition.
Moment of the Week
Arsenal seemingly set themselves on the way to a second consecutive win in the Champions League on Tuesday night when Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring with a lovely finish at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
But RC Lens, competing in the competition for the first time since 2002/03, did not wilt. Adrien Thomasson equalised in the 25th minute, before Elye Wahi put the French side ahead in the second half. Magnifique.
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RC Lens 2-1 Arsenal FC #FierDEtreLensois #RCLARS #UCL pic.twitter.com/02L5DFlntY
— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) October 5, 2023
After securing a famous victory, Lens coach Franck Haise told beIN Sports: “To beat Arsenal, after going 1-0 down, in our first game at home in the Champions League for 21 years… I would say that’s an upset.”
It was a hugely disappointing night for the Gunners, who didn’t put in their best performance and may have lost Bukayo Saka to injury ahead of the weekend’s meeting with Manchester City.
Player of the Week
Jude Bellingham continues to astound everyone with his performances for Real Madrid. This week he played a leading role in helping Los Blancos to an important 3-2 win over Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, scoring a phenomenal solo goal in the process.
JUDE BELLINGHAM TAKE A BOW! ????#UCL pic.twitter.com/48waXBD1E8
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 3, 2023
The Birmingham boy has now registered eight goals and three assists in his first nine games since joining Real.
Goal of the Week
Coming off the bench to save the day for Man City, Julian Alvarez found the net with a wonderful finish against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
Most impressively, the Argentine has to adjust his feet swiftly and with very little time as two defenders close in on him. To hit the target for perfect under such circumstances is marvellous.
Stop that, @julianalvarezzz!! ???????? pic.twitter.com/zcc0uZlLtA
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 5, 2023
Heartbreak of the Week
Three teams share this award after suffering heartbreaking defeats right at the death. Celtic thought they had gotten the better of Lazio with a late goal, but it was ruled offside before former Barcelona and Chelsea winger Pedro headed home a winner deep into injury time.
Royal Antwerp raced into a two-goal lead against Shakhtar Donetsk, but were overtaken in the second half. A late penalty handed them the opportunity to win their first ever point in the Champions League, but Toby Alderweireld screwed it wide.
Union Berlin were also searching for their first point in the competition, and like Antwerp they went two ahead of Sporting Braga on Tuesday. The Portuguese outfit grabbed goals either side of halftime and a draw would have been a fair result, but Andre Castro found the target in the dying moments of the contest.
Nunca é demais… ????
O golo de Castro narrado em diversas línguas e perspectivas ???? #PorMais | #UCL pic.twitter.com/HFBGogRdDy
— SC Braga (@SCBragaOficial) October 5, 2023
It was a devastating end to the game for Union after Jude Bellingham scored a last minute winner for Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last month.
Meanwhile, PSV Eindhoven denied Sevilla all three points with an equaliser in the 95th minute.
Donkey of the Week
For the second matchday running, Andre Onana picks up the gong for biggest donkey after putting in another poor showing for Manchester United.
The goalkeeper made a right hames of things when he passed the ball straight to Galatasaray on Tuesday night, which forced Casemiro into making a late challenge to stop Mauro Icardi, resulting in a red card.
Although the Argentine missed from the spot, the gaping hole in midfield came back to haunt the Red Devils soon after, as Icardi raced through before deftly chipping the goalkeeper.
Masterclass. ???? pic.twitter.com/rBNE1wsTjO
— Galatasaray SK (@GalatasaraySK) October 5, 2023
A disaster for Man United, who have lost both of the first two games in the group stage.
Read – Newcastle star living ‘crazy’ dream after first Champions League goal
See Also – Every goalkeeper to score in the Uefa Champions League
