Here’s the group tables after tonight.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feyenoord | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Atletico Madrid | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Lazio | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 4 | Celtic | 3 | -3 | 1 |
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSG | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | Borussia Dortmund | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| 3 | Newcastle | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | AC Milan | 3 | -3 | 2 |
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 2 | RB Leipzig | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Young Boys | 3 | -4 | 1 |
| 4 | Red Star Belgrade | 3 | -4 | 1 |
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 3 | 7 | 9 |
| 2 | FC Porto | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 4 | Antwerp | 3 | -9 | 0 |
Jamie Jackson was in Bern to see Manchester City win once more.
And Ewan Murray’s report from a lively Celtic Park.
Here’s Louise Taylor’s report from a disappointed St James’.
Other full-time scores
Antwerp 1-4 Porto
Leipzig 3-1 Red Star
Feyenoord 3-1 Lazio
Barcelona 2-1 Shakhtar
Full-time: PSG 3-0 Milan
There may be life in the new PSG yet. Mbappe was the key man, of course, but in Dembele and Lee, he has decent foils. And Zaire-Emery looks a superstar of the now, rather than the future. Lionel and Ney who?
Full-time: Young Boys 1-3 Manchester City
Two goals for Haaland. Normal service? It was harder than it looked. Now, how much did that take out of City ahead of Sunday’s derby?
Full-time: Celtic 2-2 Atletico
That’s a point celebrated by Diego Simeone whose handshake with a bemused Brendan Rodgers is brief. Celtic gave everything but couldn’t get the final run on Atleti after that sending-off.
Full-time: Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund
Into injury time and it’s the Dortmund fans who can be heard. Tonali forces a corner. The crowd order Nick Pope to go up, and Eddie Howe agrees. It’s headed away. But then after a series of bounces the ball comes off the bar and is cleared behind. One final corner. Almiron smashes over. And that’s over.
Celtic 2-2 Atletico
Griezmann has what looks a minor knock, and Simeone wants his physios on. He’s throwing them on, and they have no idea why they have been called on. Griezmann has forgotten he is supposed to be injured.
PSG 3-0 Milan (Lee, 89)
Milan chasing shadows and the sub, Lee Kang-in, the flying winger, completes the counterattack.
Updated
Goal! Young Boys 1-3 Manchester City (Haaland, 86)
A right foot hammer from the big man and the job is done.
Updated
Goal! Leipzig 3-1 Red Star (Dani Olmo, 84)
The Spanish star, such a good player, is back and scoring. That’s that.
Goal! Antwerp 1-2 Porto (Evanilson, 84)
A hat-trick from the Brazilian.
Red card at Celtic!
That’s more like it! Rodrigo de Paul – any relation of Lynsey? – shows that it’s 1974. This town isn’t big enough for the both of us.
Updated
Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund
The noise of that PSG game has been replaced by boos and whistles and the sound of Geordie anxiety. Dortmund are hardly the most psychologically tough team in the world so there’s still time yet.
Celtic 2-2 Atletico
No sendings-off as yet in this 1974 revival. No Paper Lace, Barry White or Wall Street Shuffle, either.
Manchester City goal ruled out!
Rodri forces the ball out, and then Haaland plays a nice assist and Alvarez, on for mere seconds, slides the ball in. There was a handball in the buildup says the VAR. It seemed a bit harsh.
Goal! Leipzig 1-2 Red Star (Stameric, 70)
An instinctive finish after a cross pinged all over the box, and Red Star are back in it.
Goal! Antwerp 1-3 Porto (Evanilson, 69)
Porto so improved since the first half and their in-form striker Evanilson scores a well-taken, first time shot.
Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund: Tonali is on for Newcastle now, just as he expects to learn of his betting ban tomorrow morning. This should be the last the Toon Army see of him playing until next season. Joelinton is on, too.
Goal! Young Boys 1-2 Manchester City (Haaland, 66 pen)
Penalty to City after a crunching tackle on Rodri, who looks to be in pain, though was OK to take part in the celebrations once Haaland has slotted home.
Updated
Joe Pearson gets in touch: “Thanks for the Django link! I always love a soundtrack when watching the Spanish language telecasts. Incidentally, it’s kind of amazing that two of the greatest guitarists of their respective eras, Django Reinhardt and Jerry Garcia, played with either badly damaged fingers (Django) or a missing one (Jerry).”
There’s also Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, who invented metal when having to replace the top of his fingers with tops made of Fairy Liquid bottles.
Goal! Leipzig 2-0 Red Star (Xavi, 59)
Xavi Simons, the Dutchman, scores a beauty, cutting in from the left, and smashing the ball into the top-right corner. The goals are flying in across Europe.
Updated
Goal! Celtic 2-2 Atletico (Morata, 54)
The man who scored the goal against Scotland for Spain, notches from Llorente’s cross. It was a move started by the coolness of Axel Witsel in escaping the chase from Celtic’s attackers and then starting the attack.
Updated
Goal! Antwerp 1-2 Porto (Eustaquio, 54)
The comeback is complete. And Eustaquio scores a beauty.
Goal! Young Boys 1-1 Manchester City (Elia, 52)
What a goal! As soon as Haaland has a shot saved, Young Boys escape down the field and their Congolese striker scoops in a beauty. Ederson needed scaffolding to reach that and yet it dropped like a feather into the net.
Goal! PSG 2-0 Milan (Kolo Muani, 53)
PSG didn’t wait long. Mbappe was the creator and Muani taps in the rebound. Milan’s defence was all over the show.
Goal ruled out....PSG 1-0 Milan
Has Giroud got something in his eye? Some concern for the French legend…but Mbappe breaks away and sets up Dembele. Tomori tied up in knots as they broke away and scored. There’s a VAR check for an earlier foul, and it’s pulled back. And ruled out….
Goal! Antwerp 1-1 Porto (Evanilson 46)
Just a few seconds in the second half and the striker speeds away and thwacks home.
Goal! Young Boys 0-1 Manchester City (Akanji, 48)
He’s suspended for the derby but he enjoys the moment. Rodri sets off an attack and the cross from the left is eventually knocked in by the Swiss defender.
Updated
We are back underway in the second halves.
The details from those earlier matches.
Kári Tulinius gets in touch: “PSG look in the groove. It helps that they’re in their familiar 4-3-3 shape, unlike at Saint James, when Luis Enrique channeled another famous Parisian club, and allowed his inner Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli to jazz up the selection and sent his team out in a 4-2-4.”
And some half-time reading:
The other half-times
Antwerp 1-0 Porto
PSG 1-0 Milan
-
Leipzig 1-0 Red Star
And from before
Feyenoord 3-1 Lazio
Barcelona 2-1 Shakhtar
Half-time: Young Boys 0-0 Manchester City
Not as expected though Pep’s pre-match complaints about the pitch have been brought to bear in an oddly stilted display.
Half-time: Celtic 2-1 Atletico
That’s been a classic first half from Celtic, scoring two fine goals. What spirit they have shown against a still top-class Atleti team. Can they hang on?
Half-time: Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund
Rather controversially, Dortmund are pulled back by the half-time whistle when they had escaped on another counter like the one from which they scored.
Goal! Newcastle 0-1 Dortmund (Nmecha, 45)
On the counter, Reus plays the ball wide after a fine tackle by Schlottenberg, whose pass out of defence is excellent.The ball is slipped inside to Nmecha, who scores a fine goal. That was a little too easy.
Young Boys 0-0 Manchester City
City seem a bit bogged down by the plastic pitch though Jeremy Doku has just had a shot saved. It’s all a bit slow.
PSG 1-0 Milan
Suddenly Mbappe seizes on a loose ball and he plays in Dembele, who then has a shot saved. The Parisians looking by far the better team. Or certainly more dangerous.
Celtic 2-1 Atletico
Matt O’Riley forces a fine save from Oblak from the edge of the area. Chances at both ends for both teams in a match doing justice to its historic status.
Goal! Antwerp 1-0 Porto (Yusuf, 36)
The ball drops to the Nigerian via a deflection and the finish is glorious from Alhassan Yusuf.
Updated
Goal! PSG 1-0 Milan (Mbappe, 32)
The great man cuts in the from the left, shifts the ball from foot to foot and scores. Zaire Emery’s run from deep made it. What a player he is when he’s bothered.
Updated
Leipzig 0-0 Red Star
Red Star were given a penalty that’s now been ruled out.
Goal! Celtic 2-1 Atletico (Palma, 28)
Celtic back in front, the ball swinging from the left, and from the right, Palma takes one touch and wallop.
Updated
Goal! Celtic 1-1 Atletico (Griezmann 25)
Oh no. You can’t keep a player like Griezmann down. Greg Taylor committed a foul, and Griezmann took a penalty that Hart saved only for the rebound to fall to the World Cup winner.
Updated
Young Boys 0-0 Manchester City
Lots of neat passing by the holders but not much else happening.
Newcastle 0-0 Dortmund
It all sounds so tense at St James’ as the home team have come under serious pressure
Celtic 1-0 Atletico
A tale of blonde ambition as Antoine Griezmann has a shot saved down low by Joe Hart.
Antwerp 0-0 Porto
Well done to Pepe, one of the nicest men in football. Off the pitch.
At 40 years and 241 days, Porto captain Pepe becomes the oldest-ever outfield player to feature in the #UCL.🍷 pic.twitter.com/nmpyfVqvVi
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 25, 2023
Newcastle 0-0 Dortmund
Isak has had to come off, and that brings on Callum Wilson. Isak must be a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Wolves.
Goal! RB Leipzig 1-0 v Red Star (Raum, 12)
A goal that came at speed, as Leipzig went from wire to wire and Raum finished from a tight angle.
Updated
Newcastle 0-0 Dortmund
Two fines saves from Nick Pope, first from Malen and then from Fullkrug.
PSG 0-0 Milan
Pulisic seems to be taking the dead balls for Milan and he takes one short and inventive to Leao who smashes wide.
Young Boys 0-0 Manchester City
Matheus Nunes, no longer one of the best players in the world since he joined City, goes close, and takes a nasty skid on that plastic pitch in Bern. I’ve actually been to a game there before the plastic and it became like a quagmire at the Wankdorf.
Celtic 1-0 Atletico
Looks like Hatate, such an important player for Celtic, has damaged his hamstring. He’ll be a big loss as he leaves the field.
Goal! Celtic 1-0 Atletico (Kyogo, 4)
That one’s for the boys of 1974. A highly slick passing move and a superb finish by the Japanese poacher. What a noise too!
Updated
Young Boys 0-0 Manchester City
From a corner, Rodri heads wide.
Newcastle 0-0 Dortmund.
Instant chance for Dortmund as Malen bursts beyond the Newcastle defence and Nick Pope makes a fine save. That’s followed by Anthony Gordon forcing a save.
And we're off!
The mania has already set in among the crowd in Newcastle. Lots of boos when Dortmund have the ball.
Around Europe, the Champions League anthem is being heard. Nice banner of Jean-Paul Belmondo in Paris. Now, who will be left breathless?
Updated
Some Newcastle news, not welcome for the club but expected.
Although nothing has been confirmed, the 23-year-old’s lawyers have held a series of meetings with federal prosecutors in Italy and were understood to be finalising a plea bargain on Wednesday. Although the player’s alleged offences – namely the use of illegal gambling websites and the placing of bets on his former team, Milan – carry a mandatory three-year ban, that term can be reduced by admission of guilt, cooperation with investigators and a willingness to engage in counselling.
Full-time: Feyenoord 3-1 Lazio
Big big win for the men from Rotterdam, they top the group ahead of the grudge match in Glasgow. Santiago Gimenez, with his two goals, looks a good find.
Full-time: Barcelona 2-1 Shakhtar
Barca get a useful win, after goals from Ferran Torres and Fermin Lopez, and have a perfect record from Group H. They made heavier weather of that as it went on.
Goalflash: Feyenoord 3 Lazio 1 (Rodriguez Pedro Pen 83)
Lazio get one back. Long way back though.
Goalflash: Feyenood 3-0 Lazio (Santiago Gimenez 74)
A first ever match in the Champions League has gone very well indeed for the Mexican.
Updated
It’s all happening at Montjuic, Barcelona’s temporary home.
Bloody hell…
— Zorya Londonsk (@ZoryaLondonsk) October 25, 2023
Shakhtar concede for a fourth time this match but it’s ruled offside for a second time!
Still 2-1 pic.twitter.com/PsFNbA9706
Fermin Lopez had the ball in the net. only for it to be ruled out.
Goalflash: Barcelona 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Georgiy Sudakov 62)
Newcastle v Borussia Dortmund teams
Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Isak, Gordon. Subs: Dubravka, Karius, Dummett, Tonali, Wilson, Targett, Hall, Livramento, Murphy, Willock
Borussia Dortmun: Kobel; Wolf, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Can, Nmecha, Sabitzer; Reus, Fullkrug, Malen. Subs: Meyer, Lotka, Ozcan, Reyna, Haller, Moukoko, Sule, Adeyemi, Blank, Bynoe-Gittens.
Young Boys v Manchester City teams
Young Boys: Racioppi, Blum, Camara, Benito, Garcia, Niasse, Lauper, Monteiro, Ugrinic, Elia, Itten. Subs: Amenda, Lakomy, Colley, Chaiwa, Janko, Nsame, Persson, von Ballmoos, Lustenberger, Ganvoula, Males, Marzino.
Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Kovacic, Rodri, Doku, Matheus Luiz, Grealish, Haaland. Subs: Walker, Phillips, Stones, Ortega, Alvarez, Bernardo Silva, Gomez, Gvardiol, Carson, Foden, Bobb, Hamilton.
Celtic v Atletico Madrid teams
Celtic: Hart, Alistair Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, O’Riley, McGregor, Hatate, Maeda, Furuhashi, Palma. Subs: Lagerbielke, Phillips, Yang, Turnbull, Oh, Iwata,
Bernardo, Bain, Morrison, Forrest, Ralston, Michael Johnston.
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Savic, Witsel, Hermoso, Molina, De Paul, Koke, Saul, Galan, Morata, Griezmann. Subs: Grbic, Azpilicueta, Soyuncu, Correa, Llorente, Barrios, Riquelme, Gomis.
Antwerp v FC Porto teams
Antwerp: Butez, Bataille, Alderweireld, Coulibaly, De Laet, Vermeeren, Ekkelenkamp, Yusuf, Muja, Janssen, Balikwisha. Subs: Engels, Wijndal, Kerk, Ilenikhena, Ejuke, De Wolf, Van Den Bosch, Corbanie, Valencia, Lammens.
FC Porto: Costa, Joao Mario, Kleper Pepe, Carmo, Wendell, Andre Franco, Stephen Eustaquio, Varela, Galeno, Eduardo Pepe, Taremi. Subs: Fabio Cardoso, Grujic, Francisco Conceicao, Claudio Ramos, Sanchez, Gonzalez, Loader, Navarro, Baro,
Martinez, Evanilson, Borges.
PSG v AC Milan teams
PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Skriniar, Marquinhos, Hernandez, Zaire Emery, Ugarte, Vitinha, Dembele, Muani, Kylian Mbappe. Subs: Fabian, Goncalo Ramos, Danilo Pereira, Lee, Mukiele, Carlos Soler, Barcola, Letellier, Tenas.
AC Milan: Maignan, Kalulu Kyatengwa, Thiaw, Tomori, Hernandez, Musah, Krunic, Reijnders, Pulisic, Giroud, Leao. Subs: Calabria, Adli, Jovic, Kjaer, Pobega, Florenzi, Nava, Traore, Mirante, Bartesaghi.
As those early games kick off, here’s a look ahead to the later matches. Good to see Kevin Keegan still getting as excitable as ever.
And Pep having a good old whinge.
Half-time scores from those early matches:
Barcelona 2-0 Shakhtar
Feyenoord 2-0 Lazio
Fermín López scored a beauty for Barça’s second. Next talent off the production line? Lazio playing in a raucous old atmosphere in Rotterdam.
Preamble
After last night’s drama, there’s the chance of more in the last set of matches before the group stages turn for home. There’s some history on the line, too, since any Celtic FC fan will have bad memories of Atletico Madrid, 49 years ago, and the hacking that Jinky Jimmy Johnstone, Kenny Dalglish and the rest got from an Atleti team that finished with eight men. That Atleti have decided to wear the same strip as all those years ago seems provocative, to say the least. Let’s hope there’s not more of the same…who are we kidding here? If it ends up in a ruck and nobody gets seriously hurt these are scenes we probably want to see.
To set aside that, of the 8pm kick-off times, Newcastle v Borussia Dortmund should see the stadium seethe with atmosphere, while PSG v Milan in the other game in that group has pivotal look, too.
Manchester City to put Young Boys to the slaughter? That seems likely, and in their group, RB Leipzig and Red Star Belgrade are competing for second place, the Europa League.
A couple of early kick-offs, Barcelona v Shakhtar and Feyenoord v Lazio will have an affect on the games at Celtic and between Porto and Antwerp.
