The first round of Champions League matches has concluded, marking the debut of the new league-format system, replacing the traditional group stage. In an impressive display, three German teams – Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen – sit comfortably within the top five of the standings after securing strong victories. Bayern Munich, in particular, made headlines by breaking a record, scoring nine goals against Dinamo Zagreb in a dominant performance.
The league phase table after Matchday 1 🧐#UCL pic.twitter.com/PFtqURqHkQ
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 19, 2024
One of the standout observations from this round is the most common result, with four matches ending 2-1, all of which were played on Tuesday. Meanwhile, only three of the 18 matches finished in draws, each with a 0-0 scoreline. Interestingly, in each of these encounters, an Italian team was involved. Bologna played to a draw with Shakhtar Donetsk, Atalanta’s penalty miss cost them the victory in their tie with Arsenal, and Inter held Manchester City to no goals at the Etihad Stadium.
When it comes to individual performances, four players managed to score more than once in the opening round, and all represent German teams. Harry Kane led the charge, netting four goals in Bayern’s historic win over Dinamo Zagreb, while his teammate Michael Olise added two. Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens scored a brace in their win against Club Brugge, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz found the net twice in the victory over Feyenoord.
Discipline was largely maintained, with only three red cards shown across the 18 matches, keeping the excitement high in this fresh format of Europe’s top competition. The first round has set the tone for what looks to be an exciting new era in the Champions League.