The 2024/25 Champions League kicked off with a stunning slate of results including broken records and stunning comebacks.
Here are the five biggest talking points from all of the action in Europe.
Mbappé off the mark
It was a big night for Kylian Mbappé as he started his first Champions League game for new side Real Madrid.
His goal just after half-time put Real Madrid ahead, and marked the first of what will surely be many for Los Blancos.
It wasn’t an easy outing for the competition holders as Stuttgart found a way to level the scores, but the Frenchman will be relieved that his side found a way to win and that he got off the mark in European competition.
There’s no stopping him now.
Harry Kane keeps on breaking records
Tonight, Harry Kane became the most prolific Englishman in Champions League history as he equalled, and then broke Wayne Rooney’s record of 30 goals scored in the competition.
The fact that three of his four goals on the night were penalties should do nothing to take away from his achievement as he ended the evening on 33 goals in Europe’s most elite competition.
Kane now has more goals than games for Bayern Munich, with 53 goals in his 50 appearances and he builds on the hat-trick he netted in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
Could this be the year he finally adds silverware to his formidable goal record?
Is Viktor Gyökeres Europe’s best-kept secret?
If you’d not heard of Viktor Gyökeres before today, it’s time to get up to speed.
The Swedish striker earned a move to Sporting in 2023 after a prolific spell at Coventry City and he’s been tearing it up recently for club and country.
His strike this evening made it nine goals and four assists in the last seven games with Sporting for the 26-year-old, and a total of 12 goals and five assists in his last nine games if you count internationals with Sweden.
The top clubs may well come knocking soon.
Aston Villa are back
Some Aston Villa fans won’t even have been born the last time the club played in Europe’s elite competition, and tonight they marked their return after a 41-year absence with a statement win.
The 3-0 scoreline probably didn’t even do justice to how dominant Villa were as they had the ball in the back of the net on two additional occasions, only for both of those to be ruled out for a handball in the build-up.
Their boss Unai Emery is famous for his Europa League winning exploits, but tonight he did the business with his side in the Champions League.
This was their first win since the European Cup has been rebranded to the Champions League, and boy did they enjoy it.
Liverpool are the San Siro set-piece specialists
Arne Slot got off to the worst possible start in his first Champions League outing with Liverpool after his side found themselves behind after three minutes at San Siro.
Yet the Reds picked themselves up, dusted themselves down, and went on to a 3-1 win.
You might’ve been mistaken for thinking that their usually razor-sharp attack was responsible for the turn around, but it wasn’t the case on this occasion.
Two goals from two set pieces – headed home by defensive duo Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil Van Dijk – put Liverpool in front, and it was this that turned the tie on its head.
If the goals are coming from all over the team, there will surely be more wins like this to come.