Champions League Roundup: Benfica Reignite Their Campaign As Real Madrid Fall To Manchester City

‎The Champions League delivered another gripping night of high-stakes drama, standout individual performances, and shifting narratives across Europe.

‎Here’s a complete breakdown of all the major action across the continent.

‎Benfica Reignite Their European Campaign 

‎Benfica took a huge step toward the knockout rounds with a commanding 2–0 victory over Napoli, driven by a brilliant performance from Richard Ríos, who scored one goal and assisted the other.

‎After a slow start to the competition, this win, Benfica’s second in a row, lifts them to six points and 25th in the overall standings, just outside the playoff places.

‎Napoli, however, find themselves sinking further, dropping to 23rd on seven points.

‎Benfica started aggressively, with Nicolás Otamendi heading over inside six minutes. Napoli’s goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic kept the hosts at bay with several impressive stops, including a reflex save in the 11th minute.

‎A poor clearance by Milinkovic-Savic later opened the door for Fredrik Aursnes, who fired into the side netting.

‎The pressure paid off after 20 minutes when a floated cross led to a scramble in the box.

‎Franjo Ivanovic’s knockdown dropped perfectly, and Ríos reacted quickest to steer home from close range.

‎The second goal arrived early in the second half when Ríos turned creator, rolling a precise pass across the box for Leandro Barreiro, who flicked the ball inside the near post.

‎Benfica pushed for a third, but Milinkovic-Savic produced more strong saves to deny Vangelis Pavlidis. Napoli attempted a late comeback, but their attacks lacked conviction as they fell to a third defeat in the competition.

‎Mounting Pressure on Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid Fall to Manchester City

‎Real Madrid’s problems deepened after a 2–1 defeat to Manchester City, a result that increases the scrutiny on head coach Xabi Alonso. 

‎Madrid took the lead through Rodrygo in the 28th minute, but City struck back before halftime through Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland.

‎Madrid’s attack looked blunt without Kylian Mbappé, who was on the bench but not used. Vinicius Junior missed two close-range chances, while Jude Bellingham lifted another effort over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.

‎Alonso cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as he watched his side struggle to convert key opportunities.

‎Currently sitting seventh in the standings, Real Madrid are outside the automatic qualification spots for the round of 16. Alonso insisted his focus remains on the team rather than speculation surrounding his own future, saying he is worried about the next match, not about his job.

‎Jude Bellingham later voiced the squad’s support for the coach, insisting the team has everything needed to turn the situation around.

‎Asked if he was worried about his future, Alonso said, “I’m worried about our next match. The important thing here is Real Madrid.

‎”It’s about the team, the players, and how I can help them. This isn’t about me.”

‎Bellingham said the squad was “100 per cent” behind Alonso.

‎“The noise will not be helpful. So it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room,” Bellingham told TNT Sports.

‎“As a player inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around,” Bellingham said.

‎“I’ve got full faith that this season isn’t over just because we’ve been on a bad run of form, and obviously, as players, it kills us, and we’re going to try to turn it around.”

‎Despite the confidence expressed internally, Madrid have now won just two of their last eight matches and suffered back-to-back home defeats, leaving fans and pundits alike questioning what comes next.

‎Arsenal Extend Unbeaten Run 

‎Arsenal strengthened their position at the top of the standings with a convincing 3–0 win over Club Brugge.

‎The result keeps them three points clear and preserves their unbeaten record in this year’s competition. With a balanced, organized side and growing momentum, Arsenal look increasingly like genuine contenders for the title.

‎PSG Frustrated in Goalless Draw Against Athletic Bilbao

‎Paris Saint-Germain were held to their first goalless draw of the season in a hard-fought match at Athletic Bilbao. Despite being under pressure for much of the first half, PSG created the clearest chances after the break but found Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simón in exceptional form.

‎Simón denied multiple strong efforts from the French champions, with PSG noticeably missing the creativity of Ousmane Dembélé.

‎The result keeps PSG in third place with a comfortable grip on a direct qualification spot, while Athletic Bilbao remains just outside the playoff positions.

‎Dortmund Held to a Draw by Bodø/Glimt

‎Borussia Dortmund were forced to settle for a 2–2 draw against Bodø/Glimt in a match filled with momentum swings.

‎Julian Brandt scored both goals for Dortmund, the first following a loose pass and the second coming from a rebound early in the second half.

‎Bodø/Glimt equalized twice, however, with Jens Petter Hauge securing the second equalizer 15 minutes from time.

‎Dortmund now sit 10th in the standings with 11 points, while Bodø/Glimt remain winless and near the bottom.

‎Juventus Secure Their First Home Win of the Campaign

‎Juventus finally recorded their first home win of the Champions League season with a 2–0 victory over Pafos.

‎The game was tightly contested, with Pafos matching the Italian giants for large stretches. A strong second-half performance from Juventus made the difference, as Weston McKennie and Jonathan David found the net to seal the points.

‎The win lifts Juventus to 17th on nine points, keeping them within striking distance of the knockout places.

‎Ajax Produce Dramatic Late Comeback to Beat Qarabag

‎Ajax earned their first points of the season spectacularly, coming from behind to beat Qarabag 4–2 in Azerbaijan.

‎After conceding twice, Ajax were staring at elimination, but a dramatic late surge turned the match around. Oscar Gloukh spearheaded the comeback, scoring twice in the final minutes, while Anton Gaaei added another with a powerful finish.

‎The victory keeps Ajax alive in the competition after a dismal start.

‎Copenhagen Sink Villarreal With Last-Minute Winner

‎Villarreal’s nightmare run continued as they fell 3–2 at home to Copenhagen, conceding a decisive goal in the 90th minute.

‎Despite twice clawing their way back into the match, Villarreal could not hold on, with Andreas Cornelius capitalizing on a rebound to score the late winner.

‎While Copenhagen boosted their hopes of reaching the playoffs, Villarreal, who are impressing in La Liga, now find themselves on the verge of an early Champions League exit.