Champions League Fireworks: Arsenal Remain Flawless As Real Madrid Run Riot And Spurs Shine

Arsenal, Real Madrid, Sporting CP and Bodø/Glimt delivered a thrilling Tuesday night as Matchday 7 of the UEFA Champions League produced goals, controversy and a stunning upset.

At the San Siro, Arsenal underlined their growing European pedigree with an assured 3-1 win over Inter Milan. Gabriel Jesus set the tone with a first-half brace, netting his first Champions League goals since November 2023.

Inter responded through Petar Sučić, briefly raising hopes of a comeback, but Arsenal stayed composed. Goalkeeper David Raya made several crucial saves before substitute Viktor Gyökeres wrapped up the victory late on, sealing the Gunners’ eighth consecutive win in the competition. Mikel Arteta’s side once again showed maturity and control on the continental stage.

Real Madrid were ruthless at the Santiago Bernabéu, dismantling Monaco 6-1 in a statement performance. Kylian Mbappé haunted his former club with two early goals to put Los Blancos firmly in charge.

The onslaught continued after the interval, with Franco Mastantuono adding to the tally, followed by a Thilo Kehrer own goal and a brilliant strike from Vinícius Júnior. Jude Bellingham completed the rout, while Jordan Teze’s consolation goal for Monaco did little to slow Madrid’s dominance.

The biggest surprise of the night came in Norway, where Bodø/Glimt stunned Manchester City with a famous 3-1 victory. Kasper Høgh struck twice in quick succession, both goals set up by Ole Didrik Blomberg, after City’s early pressure failed to produce rewards.

Jens Petter Hauge then ignited the home fans with a superb goal shortly after half-time. Rayan Cherki pulled one back for City, but the task became tougher when captain Rodri was sent off. Hauge nearly added a fourth as his effort crashed off the crossbar.

Tottenham Hotspur also impressed in north London, recording a comfortable 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund to strengthen their push for a top-eight finish. Cristian Romero opened the scoring by converting a cross from Wilson Odobert.

Spurs took complete control after Daniel Svensson was shown a red card, and Dominic Solanke marked his return from injury with a well-taken second goal, allowing Ange Postecoglou’s side to see out the game with ease.

Sporting CP also claimed a notable victory, edging Paris 2-1 in Lisbon. Despite Paris dominating large spells and having two goals disallowed, it was Luis Suárez who broke the deadlock late on. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia briefly restored parity with a curling effort, but Suárez struck again, heading home a rebound to secure maximum points for Sporting.

Elsewhere, Club Brugge cruised to a 4-1 win over Kairat Almaty, Napoli were held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man Copenhagen, Olympiacos defeated Bayer Leverkusen 2-0, and Ajax snatched a dramatic 2-1 away victory against Villarreal thanks to a late goal from Oliver Edvardsen.

Wednesday’s Champions League Fixtures

• Galatasaray vs Atlético Madrid (6:45 p.m.)

• Qarabağ vs Eintracht Frankfurt (6:45 p.m.)

• Atalanta vs Athletic Club (9 p.m.)

• Chelsea vs Pafos (9 p.m.)

• Bayern München vs Union SG (9 p.m.)

• Juventus vs Benfica (9 p.m.)

• Newcastle vs PSV (9 p.m.)

• Marseille vs Liverpool (9 p.m.)

• Slavia Praha vs Barcelona (9 p.m.)