🖐️ things we learned from Wednesday’s Champions League action

Wednesday’s Champions League match-ups provided entertainment in abundance.

Here’s what we made of it all.

Raphinha’s impressive revival continues

Barcelona’s meeting with Bayern Munich was always set to deliver on narratives with Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski facing their old club.

The two sides also have a shared history in this competition with the Bavarians dominating recent meetings but the tables turned in Montjuïc.

Lewandowski did return to haunt his former employers yet it was Raphinha who took star billing with a hat-trick to confirm the Blaugrana’s dominance.

For a time, it appeared that the Brazilian would not be hanging around amid Flick’s side pursuing a move for Nico Williams last summer.

Yet Raphinha has turned that potential setback into a watershed moment by racking up 15 goal involvements from 13 games so far this season.

No let-up from Man City’s machine

Manchester City’s five-goal drubbing of Sparta Prague confirmed their status as an undisputed great of European football.

A 26th consecutive victory among the continental elite saw Pep Guardiola’s side claim the longest unbeaten run in the competition.

Erling Haaland’s second-half brace capped off a comfortable evening at the Etihad Stadium while also adding a touch of unmistakable class.

The statuesque Norwegian produced a sublime backheeled strike in midair before adding another to take his Champions League haul to 44 goals.

City are often considered to be a well-oiled machine which is both relentless and ruthless with Haaland still one of their most important cogs.

Celtic still capable of holding their own

Celtic’s Champions League adventures threatened to be over before it had even begun after a 7-1 drubbing by Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.

Accusations that the reigning Scottish champions lacked the fortitude to compete among Europe’s elite were heightened by that humbling at Signal Iduna Park.

Few gave the Bhoys a hope of taking anything away in their outing against Atalanta, who stunned some of the continent’s big hitters in last season’s Europa League.

Credit where it is due, however, as Brendan Rodgers’ side dug in to claim a hard-fought point in northern Italy with a highly disciplined team performance.

More of the same in their remaining league phase outings might allow them to dare to dream of reaching for the stars.

Atlético’s consistency struggle goes on

It’s been a strange old time for Atlético de Madrid after their last Champions League outing heralded the end of an unbeaten start to the season.

Diego Simeone’s side were comprehensively beaten by Benfica and Wednesday’s second-half capitulation against Lille confirmed back-to-back losses.

Their visitors produced the rare feat in downing two teams from the Spanish capital, having bested Real Madrid in the previous round of fixtures.

But the Colchoneros haven’t really gotten going in the competition, and they are all the more bewildering by their impressive LaLiga form to date.

Atleti are often at their best when the odds are against them and they now need that siege mentality to stand a chance of making the knockout stage.

Slot maintains Liverpool’s steady hand

Arne Slot’s biggest challenge at Liverpool is fast proving to be his greatest strength after claiming a gritty 1-0 win away to RB Leipzig.

A trip to Jürgen Klopp’s future employers threatened to add a fresh twist to the scrutiny that the Dutchman’s Anfield reign will potentially face.

Yet the Reds appeared comfortable in consolidation rather than the chaos which Slot’s predecessor often induced, to great effect it must be said.

Profligacy remains an issue of which Slot’s charges remain guilty from time to time, with their trip to east Germany a particular case in point.

Still, 11 wins out of 12 in all competitions proves that Klopp’s successor is getting more right than he is wrong so far.