More Champions League action returned on Wednesday with nine games on the schedule.
Following yesterday’s drama, we’re expecting plenty more excitement. Follow it all here.
Red Star Belgrade fight for Stuttgart comeback
Scorers: Silas 12′, Krunic 31′, Ivanic 65′, Radonjic 69′, 88′; Demirovic 5′
German club Stuttgart were looking to sneak into the top 24 of the table, but a 5-1 comeback from previously winless Red Star Belgrade crushed those dreams.
The trip got off to a flying start for the visitors when Ermedin Demirovic volleyed home within the opening minutes.
But the hosts hit back quickly – and never slowed down.
Former Stuttgart man Silas’s solo run and tidy finish levelled the game before Rade Krunic completed the comeback with an expert finish near the penalty spot.
Stuttgart maintained a stunning 72% possession of the ball but Red Star’s precision was the difference on the night and they secured their first UCL win of the season.
Mirko Ivanic turned things 3-1 following a corner before Nemanja Radonjic later curled home a fourth on a slick counterattack and added a late fifth to pile on the misery.
Sturm Graz silence Girona
Scorer: Biereth 58′
Another basement battle saw winless Sturm Graz stun Girona 1-0 as the LaLiga side hoped to move closer to playoff contention.
And the visitors had a glorious chance to open the scoring only for a wide-open Iván MartÃn to sky his effort over the bar from point-blank range at the back post.
The hosts, meanwhile, would initially feel hard done by after not converting three of their five efforts on target in the first half against the run of play.
But then they found their luck and took their biggest chance when it arrived in the second half.
Pinball in the box led to Mika Biereth blasting home Sturm Graz’s first Champions League goal of the season, and they also earned their first win of the campaign.
Before the result, the hosts had lost all four of their games. It was also goalkeeper Daniil Khudyakov’s official debut, yet Girona couldn’t make it a night for him to forget.
Coming up…
Liverpool v Real Madrid
Juventus v Aston Villa
Monaco v Benfica
Celtic v Club Brugge
Bologna v Lille
Dinamo Zagreb v Dortmund
PSV v Shakhtar Donetsk
Here we go!
📸 Srdjan Stevanovic – 2024 Getty Images