2' min
The fourth day of the Champions League group stage brought significant results, with some surprises and standout performances. Among the Italian teams, Inter and Atalanta secured crucial victories. Simone Inzaghi’s Inter triumphed over Arsenal at San Siro with a 1-0 score, thanks to a penalty converted by Calhanoglu in first-half stoppage time. Despite facing challenges in the second half, the Nerazzurri managed to defend their lead until the final whistle. This victory marked an important redemption from their heavy 5-1 defeat by the Gunners at San Siro back in 2003. Inzaghi’s team, like Atalanta, has maintained a clean sheet so far, an impressive achievement at this stage of the competition.
Gasperini’s Atalanta also enjoyed a night of glory, defeating Stuttgart 2-0 away. The goals came in the second half, with Lookman and Zaniolo securing three crucial points to keep alive their hopes of reaching the Round of 16 and avoiding the playoffs. The performances of both Italian teams strengthened their positions in the standings, raising hopes for a positive continuation of their European campaigns.
Among other notable matches, Bayern Munich responded to their 4-1 loss to Barcelona by defeating Benfica 1-0, with a goal from Musiala. Barcelona, in turn, overpowered Red Star with an emphatic 5-2 win, climbing up the standings. In Paris, PSG and Atletico Madrid produced a thrilling encounter: after the French took the lead through Zaire Emery, the Spaniards equalized thanks to Molina, and then found the winning goal in stoppage time with Correa, punishing PSG on the counterattack. This loss has complicated PSG’s position in the standings, casting doubt on their future in the competition.
Brest’s unexpected performance saw them claim their third win in four games, reaching 10 points with a 2-1 away victory over Sparta Prague. A peculiar incident took place in the Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa match: a handball by Mings in his own penalty area, off a pass from his goalkeeper on a goal kick, granted a penalty to the Belgians, who handed the English team their first tournament loss. That same evening, Shakhtar Donetsk beat Young Boys 2-1, while Salzburg defeated Feyenoord with a convincing 3-1.
The standings have thus taken an interesting shape. In this new league-style format, Liverpool tops the table with 12 points and four straight wins, followed by an unexpected group of top teams including Sporting CP, Monaco, and Brest, all with 10 points, along with Inzaghi’s Inter, which remains the highest-ranked Italian team. Completing the group of teams currently qualified for the playoffs are Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Aston Villa, each with 9 points.
Atalanta follows with 8 points, on the edge of the playoff zone, accompanied by Manchester City, Juventus, and Arsenal, all with 7 points. Further down are prestigious clubs like Real Madrid and Milan, both with 6 points. PSG’s situation is surprising, stuck at only 4 points and temporarily in 25th place, which would result in elimination. Among the Italian teams, Bologna closes the group with just one point, making playoff qualification increasingly unlikely.
