Despite a low-scoring night, there was a flurry of late goals elsewhere apart from in Paris. Here are today’s results in full:
Bologna 0-0 Shakhtar Donetsk Sparta Prague 3-0 Salzburg Celtic 5-1 Slovan Bratislava Club Brugge 0-3 Borussia Dortmund Manchester City 0-0 Inter PSG 1-0 GIRONA
FULL TIME PSG 1-0 GIRONA
It was a night that they dreamed of for weeks and months. But it ended in a cruel nightmare.
Nuno Mendes beat his full-back down the left and crossed the ball low but apparently harmlessly. Shockingly, the ball went straight through the legs of Paulo Gazzaniga and PSG finally broke the deadlock. It will probably go down as his own goal, to compound the agony. The Argentine had kept the hosts at bay for the majority of the second half.
Absolute heartbreak for the Catalans.
WHAT A TACKLE!!
Ousmane Dembélé looked absolutely certain to score. He had sprinted clear and was closing in on goal, but out of nowhere, Ladislav Krejčí made up the ground and timed his tackle to perfection. He made a fist pump like he had scored a goal.
There aren’t many goals around in the Champions League tonight, but there have been plenty of talking points surrounding the new format and its implications. Rodri, Jules Koundé and Dani Carvajal have all hinted at the possibility of players having to go on strike to force the hand of the authorities.
Concern is mounting about the toil on the players, and the need to manage the growing number of games. For clubs participating in the new Club World Cup next summer, the season total could be as high as 70 matches. Surely something has to give?
HT PSG 0-0 GIRONA
Míchel will be happy with that first 45 minutes. Girona have limited the hosts to a minimal amount of opportunities. A first half without a shot on target.
Marco Asensio had to leave the field with an inury.
Can they hold on for the full 90?
A historic night for Girona, and their captain, too. Cristhian Stuani becomes the oldest outfield player to make his debut in the competition’s history. Only one player made their debut at an older age, but they were a goalkeeper back in the late 1990s.
The game is underway in Paris (one of Lo Celso’s former homes).
LALIGA RESULT:
BETIS 2-1 GETAFE
Betis held off a late Getafe fightback to win 2-1 and they move up to 6th in the table. Los Azulones remain winless and in the drop zone, just ahead of Las Palmas and Valencia.
A late birthday present for Manuel Pellegrini, who turned 71 on Monday. Next, they face Mallorca, while Getafe host Leganés in the south-Madrid derby: a clash which already looks massive.
Over in Seville, Betis are well on the way to beating Getafe in the rearranged game from Matchday 3.
On his first start since returning, Gio Lo Celso has scored a second-half brace. When taken off, he was serenaded by the devoted fans at the Benito Villamarín. Betis are starting to click.
STAT
As illustrated by Opta, among others, the cumulative total experience of Girona’s lineup in terms of Champions League appearances is exactly equal to that of Marco Asensio (65).
TEAM NEWS
Lucho has named his starting lineup for this evening’s match, full of talent and former LaLiga players.
Achraf Hakimi, Fabián Ruiz, Marco Asensio and Ousmane Dembélé all have strong connections to Spain.
Girona have come a long way in three years…
TEAM NEWS
Míchel has named an eleven which will go down in history for Girona. Their first ever lineup in any European competition, let alone the most prestigious one.
Fittingly, Cristhian Stuani leads the line as captain and brings a wealth of experience. He is joined by a few players who have Champions League pedigree, including Paulo Gazzaniga, Oriol Romeu and Donny van de Beek. Who can forget that Ajax performance against Real Madrid back in 2019?
Understandably, Girona are beyond excited to be playing in the competition for the very first time, and have been sharing gorgeous photos all day. Here are some of the best, from their X account (@GironaFC):
Hello and welcome to the second night of the new Champions League.
Real Madrid got off to a winning start, albeit with plenty of suffering. As Carlo Ancelotti said though, if any club knows how to win in the competition through tough moments, it is the kings of Europe themselves.
There were some striking scorelines, not least in Munich, which has led some to already write off the re-brand. Many have been against it from the start, which has its justifications, but here we are prepared to give it a fair hearing.
Tonight, it is the turn of Girona. They are their fans are buzzing with excitement ahead of their maiden season in European competition.
Come on Girona!!! ♥️🤍