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Champions League briefing: Has Vinicius Jr sealed the Ballon d’Or? Plus a Pulisic olimpico

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It was an evening of notable targets by notable goalscorers because the Champions League returned for matchweek three.

Vinicius Junior’s second-half hat-trick on the Bernabeu accomplished yet one more Actual Madrid European comeback as guests Borussia Dortmund went from two targets up after an hour to 5-2 down by the ultimate whistle, the Brazilian making a well timed assertion forward of subsequent Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.

However there was additionally an uncommon aim from Christian Pulisic, whereas Viktor Gyokeres and Jhon Duran maintained their sizzling streaks, the latter serving to Aston Villa go clear on the prime of the league-phase desk.

These are the massive speaking factors from Tuesday’s motion.

Is Vinicius nailed on for the Ballon d’Or?

At half-time in Madrid, Dortmund had been dreaming of their first ever victory on the Bernabeu, 2-0 up and flying.

Defending European champions Actual, having been crushed 1-0 away by France’s Lille on matchweek two, had been at risk not solely of shedding their 14-match unbeaten dwelling file within the competitors, but additionally placing their qualification hopes in jeopardy with a second defeat in three video games.

Enter Vinicius Jr. A blistering second-half hat-trick from the Brazilian settled this rematch of final season’s last in fashion. Dortmund have to be sick of the sight of him.

His first was a mere tap-in, however the second was a gallivanting 60-yard run on the counter-attack that ended with a bullet of a drive into the nook.


Vinicius will get his second aim (Denis Doyle/Getty Photos)

His third, in the meantime, was a mazy run previous three gamers earlier than blasting above goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.


Vinicius completes his hat trick (Denis Doyle/Getty Photos)

Vinicius Jr was completely sensible within the second half and Dortmund had been helpless as to cease him. Accolades and reward will proceed to fall the best way of the mercurial 24-year-old — and on Monday, he could be named because the world’s finest participant this yr when the newest Ballon d’Or winner is introduced.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

How is the Ballon d’Or 2024 winner determined?

He’s the runaway favorite for the prize — awarded by a jury of journalists from the international locations represented within the prime 100 of the FIFA world rankings, and primarily based on final season’s performances — when the ceremony takes place in Paris. Solely Rodri, the Manchester Metropolis and Spain midfielder, appears to be thought of a critical contender.

Vinicius Jr’s hat trick additionally took the shine of the evening for a younger expertise who will hope to emulate him within the close to future.

Jamie Gittens’ star continues to rise, and he turned the youngest Englishman to attain in opposition to Madrid, aged simply 20 years and 75 days (beating Alan Smith’s file when he was with Leeds United in 2001), when he put Dortmund two up after 34 minutes .

Gittens’ time within the highlight could come quickly, however for now the stage belongs to Vinicius Jr.

Pulisic’s Olympic

What do Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Megan Rapinoe and now Pulisic have in frequent?

They’re all right-footed? They’ve all performed both in MLS or for america? Nicely, sure, however the reply we’re in search of is that they’ve all scored an olimpico.

In soccer parlance, that’s a aim scored instantly from a nook kick. It’s a really uncommon feat and it definitely isn’t simple to realize, as Lionel Messi will inform you. One of many biggest gamers to ever kick a ball has by no means caught one in straight from a nook, nevertheless it hasn’t been for the need of making an attempt, as our Felipe Cardenas detailed earlier this yr .

However Pulisic joined the membership within the first half of AC Milan’s essential 3-1 dwelling win in opposition to Membership Bruges.

Video for UK readers

Video for US readers

Did he imply it? Nicely, with Bruges’ ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet dawdling off his line and leaving a yawning hole on the close to submit for him to focus on, we must always give Pulisic the good thing about the doubt.

The olimpico ought to have been the inspiration Milan wanted to take cost of a must-win sport, with the Italians having already misplaced to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen. They made a large meal of it although, with Bruges equalizing regardless of happening to 10 males when Raphael Onyedika was despatched off.

When Milan’s star man Rafael Leao was surprisingly subbed off on the hour, the San Siro crowd loudly voiced their displeasure at supervisor Paulo Fonseca. However simply 29 seconds later, with Leao nonetheless trudging across the pitch again to the bench, certainly one of Fonseca’s substitutes Noah Okafor arrange Tijjani Reijnders to make it 2-1.

Ten minutes later one other sub, Samuel Chukwueze, assisted Reijnders to seal an enormous victory – and serve up vindication for Fonseca.

Can Villa’s fairytale proceed?

OK, we all know Unai Emery is sweet, however come on, that is getting foolish now.

Who had Aston Villa down as potential Champions League leaders after three matches? Nicely, Emery’s crew are sitting proudly on the prime of the desk, making up for misplaced time after 4 many years away from Europe’s premier competitors.

Wins over Younger Boys, Bayern Munich and now Bologna, all with out conceding a aim, maybe putting Villa in the dead of night horse class of this season’s competitors. Emery definitely is aware of win a European trophy, after 4 Europa League triumphs in seven years with Sevilla (three) and Villarreal from 2014 to 2021…


Villa are prime of the Champions League – can they keep there? (Darren Staples/AFP through Getty Photos)

Villa didn’t have it simple at dwelling in opposition to a cussed Bologna aspect, however second-half targets from John McGinn (whose crossed free kick from out huge bounced by way of a crowd of gamers) and a seventh aim of the season from Jhon Duran (who was subbed instantly afterwards and, properly, took that fairly badly) had been sufficient.

With Villa, Monaco and Sporting Lisbon in first, second and third, the early desk has an unpredictable look to it.

It was only a disgrace Villa Park wasn’t full for the event, with some followers postpone by the Birmingham membership charging among the many highest ticket costs within the competitors .

Giants are wobbling

Home leagues such because the Premier League and Serie A are solely simply settling down after eight matches… however how lengthy earlier than the Champions League’s first ever league-phase desk does?

Midway by way of matchweek three, there are many huge weapons who haven’t began to cement their spots within the prime eight but, which is able to imply they advance straight to the spherical of 16, and poor outcomes for Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday have opened up the automated qualification race even additional.

Juventus could also be unbeaten within the Italian prime flight however within the Champions League they’ve conceded 5 targets in three video games, and so they had been deservedly crushed by Stuttgart in Turin tonight.

The Germans mashed 22 pictures (10 on course) to Juventus’ seven (one on course) however left it late to take the factors, El Bilal Toure brilliantly ending a well-worked transfer in stoppage time, Enzo Millot having missed a penalty a couple of minutes earlier.


Juventus react to their poor dwelling defeat to Stuttgart (Marco Bertorello/AFP through Getty Photos)

In the meantime, PSG’s iffy Champions League kind continues. They wanted a stoppage-time howler from Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to win in matchweek one, then misplaced to Arsenal, and have now labored to a 1-1 draw with Dutch guests PSV Eindhoven.

Ousmane Dembele spurned two comparatively easy probabilities as Luis Enrique’s profligate crew scored simply as soon as from 26 makes an attempt, with the French aspect grateful for one more goalkeeping mistake when Walter Benitez allowed Achraf Hakimi’s long-range shot by way of his legs.

The outlook doesn’t look nice for PSG, who should face Atletico Madrid, Bayern, Manchester Metropolis and Juventus’ conquerors Stuttgart over their remaining 5 matches.


PSG solely have 4 factors from three video games (Franck Fife/AFP through Getty Photos)

Gyokeres’ sizzling streak continues

If Viktor Gyokeres performed within the Premier League, La Liga or Bundesliga and scored as usually as he’s proper now, he’d be a celebrity of European soccer.

The very fact he plies his commerce for Sporting within the lower-profile Portuguese league means the 26-year-old Swede nonetheless in all probability goes below the radar, however there’s a case for calling him one of many hottest strikers within the sport proper now.

The numbers are eye-popping. Gyokeres has performed 11 matches within the Primeira Liga and Champions League this season and scored 13 occasions, after which there’s the 4 targets and three assists from 4 Swedish appearances.

Final season, he scored 43 in 50 in all competitions for Sporting, and also you marvel what number of golf equipment remorse not difficult Sporting for his signature when Coventry Metropolis, of England’s second-tier Championship, bought him in 2022.

His newest, which helped safe a 2-0 away win in opposition to Austria’s Sturm Graz, was majestic.

Video for UK readers

Video for US readers

Gyokeres lately acknowledged that his launch clause of €100million (£83m/$108m) is perhaps a tad excessive, but when he retains this manner up there’ll undoubtedly be golf equipment ready to pay it.

Tuesday’s outcomes

  • AC Milan 3 Membership Brugge 1
  • Monaco 5 Pink Star Belgrade 1
  • Arsenal 1 Shakhtar Donetsk 0
  • Aston Villa 2 Bologna 0
  • Girona 2 Slovan Bratislava 0
  • Juventus 0 Stuttgart 1
  • Paris Saint-Germain 1 PSV Eindhoven 1
  • Actual Madrid 5 Borussia Dortmund 2
  • Sturm Graz 0 Sporting Lisbon 2

What’s subsequent?

The remaining 9 fixtures for matchweek three of the eight-round league part happen on Wednesday.

  • Atalanta vs Celtic (5.45pm BST/12.45pm ET)
  • Brest vs Bayer Leverkusen (5.45pm BST/12.45pm ET)
  • Atletico Madrid vs Lille (8pm BST/3pm ET)
  • Barcelona vs Bayern Munich (8pm BST/3pm ET)
  • Benfica vs Feyenoord (8pm BST/3pm ET)
  • Manchester Metropolis vs Sparta Prague (8pm BST/3pm ET)
  • RB Leipzig vs Liverpool (8pm BST/3pm ET)
  • Pink Bull Salzburg vs Dinamo Zagreb (8pm BST/3pm ET)
  • Younger Boys vs Inter Milan (8pm BST/3pm ET)

(High images: Vinicius Junior and Christian Pulisic; Getty Photos)



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