Barcelona, Inter Milan Win Again, Brest Surprises in Champions League
Barcelona and Inter Milan continued their impressive form in the Champions League on Wednesday, securing victories that keep them in contention for the knockout stages. However, both teams trail upstart Brest, which has emerged as a surprise contender in the inaugural season of the league-phase format.
Aston Villa, which had started the week atop the standings, suffered a setback after a bizarre penalty decision resulted in a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge. The English club plummeted to eighth place, while Paris Saint-Germain languishes in 25th after Atletico Madrid’s stoppage-time winner at Parc des Princes.
Barcelona’s prolific scoring continued with a 5-2 triumph at Red Star Belgrade, extending their winning streak to seven games and maintaining their average of four goals per match. Robert Lewandowski netted twice, bringing his season tally to 21.
Inter Milan stifled Arsenal in a 1-0 victory at San Siro, with Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s first-half penalty proving decisive. The Italian side remains unbeaten with 10 points, one behind Brest, which claimed a 2-1 win at Sparta Prague. The French debutant is poised to advance to the knockout phase in February.
Atalanta and Salzburg also secured victories, with the former prevailing 2-0 at Stuttgart and the latter earning their first points with a 3-1 triumph at Feyenoord. Bayern Munich edged Benfica 1-0 at home, but the match was marred by a medical incident for a fan and a delayed start due to crowd congestion.
Shakhtar Donetsk’s Heorhiy Sudakov showcased his talent with an assist and a stunning goal in a 2-1 victory over Young Boys. The Ukrainian playmaker is expected to be the club’s next big-money sale.
Liverpool, which routed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on Tuesday, remains atop the standings at the midway point of the eight-round program. The Reds are the only team with four straight wins, while five teams have suffered four losses.
Two Italian teams, Inter Milan and Atalanta, have yet to concede a goal in four games, while Bologna is the only side without a goal scored.