The new Champions League format is proving to be quite balanced. Wednesday, October 2nd, offered plenty of intriguing insights, particularly for underdog teams and Italian clubs. Starting with Atalanta, who cruised past Shakhtar Donetsk with a commanding 0-3 win in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Djimisiti and Bellanova scored their first-ever goals in the tournament, with Lookman adding another in between.
Juventus played one of the craziest matches of the day, winning 2-3 in Leipzig despite being down to ten men. Vlahovic netted a magical brace, and Conceicao sealed the victory. Bologna walked away from Anfield with honor, falling 2-0 to Liverpool. The English side scored once in each half, first with Mac Allister and later with Salah, 15 minutes before the final whistle.
Alongside Brest, who is still perfect after Tuesday's matches, Aston Villa also sits atop the standings. They claimed an impressive 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich, thanks to John Duran's brilliance in the second half. A late first-half penalty from Jonathan David secured a shocking win for Lille over reigning champions Real Madrid.
Atletico Madrid suffered a heavy defeat against Benfica, losing 4-0. The Portuguese side had four different scorers: Akturkoglu, Di Maria, Bah, and Kokcu. There was an entertaining draw between Dinamo Zagreb and Monaco, with the French team coming back from a 2-0 deficit. Another incredible match saw Girona fall 2-3 to Feyenoord, with three own goals, two missed penalties, and plenty of drama. The round concluded with Club Brugge’s away win over Sturm Graz.