Champions League: Kylian Mbappe made a powerful statement on the opening night of the new Champions League campaign, scoring twice from the penalty spot to help Real Madrid come from behind and secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Marseille at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real’s quest for a record-extending 16th European title didn’t start smoothly, as Timothy Weah gave the visitors a shock lead early in the match. But Mbappe, unfazed by the pressure, equalised from the spot shortly after before calmly slotting home a second penalty to seal the comeback and all three points for the hosts, according to Sky Sports.
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ. pic.twitter.com/44pUed4DYf
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 16, 2025
Goals Galore as Juventus and Dortmund Share an Eight-Goal Thriller
Elsewhere, in what was arguably the wildest match of the night, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund played out a dramatic 4-4 draw. All eight goals came in an explosive second half filled with twists and turns.
Karim Adeyemi opened the scoring for Dortmund before Kenan Yildiz pulled Juve level. Felix Nmecha restored Dortmund’s lead, only for Dusan Vlahovic to equalise again. Then, goals from Yan Couto and Ramy Bensebaini gave Dortmund a 4-2 advantage with minutes to go—but the drama wasn’t over. Vlahovic struck again in stoppage time, followed by a late equaliser from Lloyd Kelly to snatch a dramatic point for Juventus.
Benfica Collapse as Qarabag Pull Off Stunning Comeback
Benfica looked to be cruising after racing to a 2-0 lead over Qarabag FK within the opening 16 minutes, thanks to early strikes from Enzo Barrenechea and Vangelis Pavlidis. But the Azerbaijani side had other plans. Leandro Andrade began the comeback, followed by goals from Camilo Duran and Oleksii Kashchuk, as Qarabag pulled off a stunning 3-2 upset on the road.
Union Saint-Gilloise Shock PSV in Dream Champions League Debut
Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise couldn’t have asked for a better Champions League debut. They stunned PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in a confident and stylish performance.
Promise Akinpelu converted an early penalty, setting the tone. Anouar Ait El Hadj then produced the highlight of the match with a sensational solo goal, sprinting half the pitch before calmly finishing to make it 2-0. Kevin Mac Allister bundled in a third late on, while Ruben van Bommel grabbed a late consolation for PSV in stoppage time.
Opening Night Delivers Fireworks
From comeback wins and eight-goal thrillers to debut heroics and unexpected upsets, the opening night of the Champions League league phase delivered all the drama fans could hope for. And if this is just the beginning, football lovers are in for one spectacular season.
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