European Super Football

Girona 0 - 1 Liverpool Liverpool are on the brink of securing their place in the Champions League last 16 after Mohamed Salah's penalty sealed a win against Girona. Author - William G from GMCR Football Liverpool maintain perfect Champions League record in 24/25 More reaction here - https://t.co/SoSZpMS13p https://t.co/95Hp43Tq62 — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) December 12, 2024 The decisive moment in the match came in the second half when Donny van de Beek, formerly of Manchester United and Everton , clipped Luis Díaz's heel in the box, handing Liverpool a spot-kick. Salah made no mistake, coolly converting from 12 yards and wrong-footing Girona's goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, to notch his 46th Champions League goal. At the other end, Alisson Becker, back in the Liverpool team, pulled off several excellent saves to preserve the Reds' unbeaten run in this season's competition. With this victory, Liverpool maintain their perfect record and top th...

 Arsenal 3 - 0 Monaco Bukayo Saka shone with a brace as Arsenal secured a crucial win over Monaco, bolstering their chances of advancing to the Champions League knockout stages. Author - DJ The Gunners dominated the first half but squandered several opportunities to make the result more emphatic. Arsenal broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when Myles Lewis-Skelly threaded a pass to Gabriel Jesus, whose low cross set up Saka for an easy finish. In the second half, substitute Kai Havertz capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Radosław Majecki in the 74th minute, allowing Saka to strike from close range for his second of the night. Saka then turned provider in the 88th minute, delivering a pinpoint cross for Havertz, who slotted in Arsenal’s third goal. Click here for more Arsenal news and stories Champions League: 2024/2025 A closer look at what happened Despite the late flurry of goals, Arsenal missed several clear-cut chances earlier in the match. Gabriel Jesus was twice...

Juventus 2 - 0 Manchester City Manchester City’s struggles continued as they suffered a potentially damaging defeat to Juventus, leaving their Champions League knockout stage hopes hanging by a thread. Author - Macca Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie sealed a crucial win for the Italian side, bolstering their chances of progressing automatically as one of the top eight teams in the league phase. For City, however, it marked yet another setback in a torrid run of form, with just one win from their last 10 games in all competitions and a seventh defeat during this miserable spell. The result leaves City languishing in 22nd place in the Champions League standings, with only two group games remaining. They face Paris Saint-Germain away on 22 January and host Club Brugge a week later. The top eight teams secure automatic progression, while those finishing between ninth and 24th must navigate a two-legged play-off. City remain just one point above PSG in 25th...

RB Leipzig 2 - 3 Aston Villa Aston Villa edged closer to securing a spot in the Champions League knockout stages with a dramatic late win over winless RB Leipzig, despite being pegged back twice. Author - Alex W Ross Barkley's deflected effort sealed the victory in the dying minutes after goals from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner had cancelled out strikes from John McGinn and Jhon Duran. The Premier League side made a flying start, taking the lead inside three minutes. Ollie Watkins expertly nodded down Matty Cash's cross, setting up McGinn to smash home from close range. Watkins came close to doubling the lead soon after, narrowly missing Lucas Digne's low cross across the box. However, Leipzig capitalised on a rare mistake by Emiliano Martinez. The Villa goalkeeper misjudged a long ball, allowing Openda to pounce and slot into an empty net. Villa thought they had restored their lead just before half-time when Watkins found the net, but the goal was ruled out fo...

Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic extended their unbeaten run in the Champions League to four matches, earning a valuable away point that leaves their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages firmly in their hands. Author - Sean M Brendan Rodgers' side now sit on nine points, with a home clash against Young Boys in January followed by a trip to Aston Villa. However, their wait for an elusive away victory in this competition continues – the last coming against Anderlecht under Rodgers seven years ago. Facing a Dinamo Zagreb side plagued by injuries and struggling for form, Celtic sensed an opportunity and started brightly, dominating possession for long periods. Yet, they struggled to break down their resolute opponents. In the first half, Celtic's best chance came from a 20-yard free-kick by Paulo Bernardo, which narrowly missed the target, despite the visitors enjoying nearly 70% possession. Dinamo, defensively disciplined throughout, consistently shut down spaces and l...

Manchester City 3 - 3 Feyenoord Manchester City squandered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League, extending their dismal run of form at a shell-shocked Etihad Stadium. Author - Macca A remarkable evening in Manchester https://t.co/SoSZpMS13p https://t.co/g5nOKIUHZj — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) November 28, 2024 The above tweet probably sums it up quite well.  A closer look at what happened Pep Guardiola’s team appeared to be in full control after Erling Haaland netted twice and Ilkay Gundogan added a third, giving the hosts a commanding lead. However, Feyenoord mounted a remarkable comeback, delighting their 5,000 travelling supporters. Anis Hadj Moussa capitalised on a Josko Gvardiol error to spark the revival, before substitute Santiago Gimenez scored in the 82nd minute. David Hancko completed the dramatic turnaround in the 89th minute, leaving Guardiola visibly frustrated and some City fans voicing their displeasure at full-time. City,...

Inter Milan 1 - 0 Arsenal Arsenal's unbeaten run in this season’s Champions League came to a frustrating end at the San Siro, as a contentious first-half penalty handed Inter Milan a narrow victory. Author - DJ Just before half-time, Inter were awarded a penalty when Mikel Merino was judged to have handled the ball following a flick-on from Mehdi Taremi. While there seemed little Merino could do to avoid it, VAR upheld the decision, and Hakan Calhanoglu confidently slotted the penalty down the middle. This marked Arsenal’s first goal conceded in Europe this season , yet they had ample time to respond. They came close in the second half, with Gabriel’s header from a corner cleared off the line by Denzel Dumfries. Arsenal kept the pressure on, with Inter’s keeper, Yann Sommer, making an outstanding one-handed save to deny Kai Havertz’s curling effort. Havertz nearly found the net again, only to have his shot expertly blocked by Yann Bisseck. Despite their dominance in the second ...

Celtic 3 - 1 RB Leipzig Nicolas Kuhn delivered an outstanding performance, inspiring Celtic to come from behind and secure a thrilling third consecutive Champions League home victory at the lively Celtic Park against Germany's RB Leipzig. Author - Sean M > After a dominant six-goal League Cup win over Aberdeen on Saturday and a tough draw away to Atalanta in the previous matchday, expectations were high for this game, despite Leipzig being the top seeds. Celtic very much delivered in what was probably their best performance in a European match for several years.  How the action unfolded - an unbiased reflection of a wonderful night for Celtic fans We burst onto the pitch with real intent, pressing high and applying pressure from the start. In the opening minute, Reo Hatate’s sharp pass to Daizen Maeda set the tone, and Arne Engels' shot—blocked by the Leipzig defence—signalled Celtic’s ambitions. RB Leipzig, struggling to match Celtic’s pace, nearly saw Kuhn break the dea...

Sporting 4 - 1 Manchester City New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim marked his final home game with Sporting by delivering one of his greatest triumphs, inflicting a third straight defeat on Manchester City. Author - Macca This was City’s heaviest loss since September 2020 and only the second time Pep Guardiola has suffered three consecutive defeats in a single season during his trophy-filled tenure. To add to City’s misery, star forward Erling Haaland smashed a second-half penalty against the crossbar. Sporting’s own Scandinavian star, Viktor Gyökeres, played a leading role with a fantastic hat-trick. He levelled Phil Foden’s early opener in the 38th minute, then held his nerve to score twice more from the spot in the second half. The first penalty followed a disastrous start to the second half for City, as Sporting took the lead just seconds after the restart when Maximiliano Araújo latched onto a through ball and struck a precise shot into the corner. Find more Champions...

Barcelona 4 - 1 Bayern Munich It was a disappointing night for Bayern Munich as Barcelona eased to a comfortable victory in the Champions League league stage. Author - Josh T Barcelona winger Raphinha was a hero on the night as he delivered an outstanding hat-trick. The Brazilian opened the scoring in under a minute, pouncing on a ball over the top and skilfully rounding goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. England captain Harry Kane levelled the score for Bayern in the 18th minute, volleying in Serge Gnabry’s cross at the back post. However, Barcelona continued to exploit Bayern’s high defensive line. Fermin Lopez broke through, poking the ball past Neuer to set up Robert Lewandowski for Barcelona’s second, 18 minutes later. Just before half-time, Raphinha, wearing the captain’s armband for the night, made it 3-1 with a sublime curling shot from the edge of the box. Soon after the break, he sealed his hat-trick by latching onto another long pass and drilling a shot into the far corner. A c...

Atalanta 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic secured a valuable Champions League point with a resilient defensive performance, holding last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football This result marked a notable shift in fortunes for Celtic, who had previously lost all seven of their matches in Italy in this competition. Despite facing relentless pressure from the hosts, the Scottish champions stood firm, taking a crucial step towards progressing to the knockout stages. Kasper Schmeichel played a pivotal role with several impressive saves, while Atalanta squandered several clear chances. Celtic’s defensive discipline proved key in denying the Serie A side, who grew increasingly frustrated as the match developed.  After two challenging away fixtures, Celtic now have the advantage of back-to-back home games against RB Leipzig and Club Brugge, with four points already secured.  Celtic’s Champions League campaign has been ...

Arsenal 1 - 0 Shakhtar Donetsk Arsenal secured a vital Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk, aided by an own goal from goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, as they bounced back from their weekend defeat to Bournemouth. Author - Craig H from GMCR Football  Gabriel Martinelli’s strike in the 29th minute rebounded off the post, hitting Riznyk’s back before creeping over the line, reflecting Arsenal’s strong start. The Gunners looked lively from the off, with Riccardo Calafiori missing a good early chance to break the deadlock. Gabriel Jesus then saw a solid opportunity saved by Riznyk after the opener. Shakhtar were well-drilled and posed a counter-attacking threat, with winger Eguinaldo keeping Arsenal’s defence busy throughout. Mikel Arteta’s side are already grappling with injury issues, missing key figures like captain Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka. The manager could face fresh concerns, as Ben White didn’t return for the second half, possibly due to being on a yellow card, and C...

AC Milan 3 - 1 Club Brugge Tijjani Reijnders netted two impressive second-half goals as AC Milan overcame a shaky start to defeat a 10-man Club Brugge. Author - Katrine Jonnson  The Belgian side began brightly, with Christos Tzolis nearly putting them ahead, only for a superb save by Mike Maignan to deny him. Milan, needing a victory after defeats against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, took the lead when former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic's   inswinging corner flew directly into the net. Referee Felix Zwayer showed a red card to Raphael Onyedika for a high tackle on Reijnders following a VAR review, leaving Brugge with what eventually proved to be a significant disadvantage. Despite the setback, Brugge managed to level the score with a well-crafted goal. Substitute Kyriani Sabbe finished off a slick team move, slotting the ball into the far corner. At 19, Sabbe became only the fourth teenager to score against Milan in the Champions League. Champions League: 2024/20...

It's time to for another sliding doors moment in football  We travel back to 2004. Manchester United face Porto in the last-16 of the Champions League.  Author - Liam C What actually happened? A ontroversial offside call against Paul Scholes became a pivotal moment in European football history. The disallowed goal cost United a place in the quarter-finals, while Porto, managed by the up and coming manager José Mourinho, went on to win the competition and launch Mourinho into the managerial elite. But what if Scholes hadn’t been ruled offside? How might this alternative scenario have changed the landscape of world and European football? Scholes wasn’t offside: United progress Had the linesman not flagged Scholes for offside, Manchester United would have progressed to the next round of the Champions League. Scholes' goal was legitimate, and had it stood, United would have won the tie on aggregate, knocking out Porto and ending their European dreams. With the Red Devils movin...

Aston Villa 1 - 0 Bayern Munich In an electrifying evening at Villa Park, Jhon Duran once again made a stunning impact off the bench, securing a glorious Champions League victory for Aston Villa over Bayern Munich. The occasion was steeped in history, evoking memories of Villa’s famous 1982 European Cup triumph against the German side in Rotterdam. This time, Duran replicated that iconic scoreline, netting his fifth goal as a substitute this season. Brought on in the 70th minute to replace Ollie Watkins, it took Duran just nine minutes to make his presence felt. Spotting Bayern’s experienced keeper, Manuel Neuer, out of position, he calmly lobbed the ball into the net. A closer look at a sensational night in the Midlands For Villa manager Unai Emery, this was another resounding success. The result builds on Villa's strong start to their Champions League   campaign having beaten Young Boys 3-0 in Switzerland in their opening match. Villa Park, hosting its first Champions Le...

Feyenoord 0 - 4 Bayer Leverkusen  Florian Wirtz shone on his Champions League debut, netting twice as Bayer Leverkusen secured a comfortable win over Feyenoord. The German champions took an early lead five minutes in, with Wirtz calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards out. Xabi Alonso’s adventurous wing-backs linked up beautifully for the second goal, as Jeremie Frimpong delivered a cross that found Alex Grimaldo, who finished easily and without much pressure from the home side's defence. Frimpong, a former Celtic player, then set up 21-year-old German international Wirtz for his second goal, a well-executed volley. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Leverkusen had effectively wrapped up the match before half-time when Edmond Tapsoba's header was deflected into the net by Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther. Despite having fewer attempts on goal than their opponents, the Bundesliga side displayed ruthless efficiency. ...

Atalanta 0 - 0 Arsenal David Raya pulled off a stunning double save from the penalty spot as Arsenal played out a draw against Atalanta in their Champions League opener. The Spaniard dived low to his right to deny Mateo Retegui’s penalty, then somehow scrambled across his goal to keep out the striker’s follow-up header right on the line. It was the only moment of excitement and quality in an otherwise forgettable match in Bergamo. Clear chances were hard to come by, with Raya not needing to make any other saves beyond that dramatic two-second sequence. Arsenal, on the other hand, didn’t manage a single shot between the 18th and 75th minute. Like their opponents, their only two shots on target came as part of a double save. Atalanta's keeper, Marco Carnesecchi, tipped away Bukayo Saka’s free-kick and then blocked Thomas Partey’s close-range follow-up. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) It looked as though the game might slip away from Arsenal when Thoma...

Manchester City 0 - 0 Inter Milan Manchester City were held to a goalless draw by a determined Inter side, as the Premier League champions experienced a frustrating start to their Champions League campaign. Despite City controlling possession, Inter posed a real threat on the counter-attack, managing 10 shots in the first half – the most City have faced under Pep Guardiola in a home Champions League match, and more than they’ve conceded in any Premier League game. City's chances were limited, with Phil Foden’s effort on his return the closest they came, while Ilkay Gundogan missed two promising headers. It was far from a vintage performance from Guardiola’s men. On the other hand, Inter’s manager, Simone Inzaghi, will likely be frustrated by his team’s inability to capitalise on their counter-attacking opportunities. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) A closer look at what happened in Manchester and the wider context of the result The extended format...

Celtic 5 - 1 Slovan Bratislava Celtic delivered a commanding performance at a lively Celtic Park to secure their first-ever opening Champions League victory in emphatic fashion, overpowering Slovan Bratislava. In a rare instance where they started as favourites in Europe's top competition, Brendan Rodgers' team produced an energetic and composed display. Liam Scales sent the home crowd into raptures in the 17th minute, heading in Arne Engels' corner. Despite creating several chances before half-time, the Scottish champions couldn’t extend their lead. Kyogo Furuhashi eased any nerves just two minutes into the second half, steering Nicolas Kuhn’s powerful cross into the net, putting fears of missed opportunities to rest. Visit this page for more Celtic news and stories Celtic continued to create chances, and after Alistair Johnston was fouled by Danylo Ihnatenko, the impressive Engels calmly slotted home from the penalty spot for a third. Although Kevin Wimmer's exqui...

The draw for the League Phase of the 2024/2025 Champions League phase has been made. The four Premier League teams in UEFA Champions League recently discovered their eight league phase opponents as the draw was made in Monaco for the 36 participating clubs. Manchester City and Arsenal will each face Inter Milan and PSG. The 2024 Premier League champions will face Inter at home in a repeat of the 2022/23 final, while Arsenal will travel to Italy and vice versa for their matches with PSG. Last season's Premier League top two also face an additional two Italian opponents, with City also facing Juventus as Arsenal travel to Atalanta. Liverpool will face a tough draw, facing the champions of Spain and Germany, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, at home, while also travelling to RB Leipzig and AC Milan.   Aston Villa will face Bayern Munich, whom they beat in 1981 to win the European Cup and fans will be dreaming of glory nights once again. How does the new Champions League...