Paris St Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Bayern Munich — all began their campaigns with wins. The results reinforced the gulf between clubs entering as favorites and those still finding their footing, while also providing moments of late-game chaos and individual brilliance.

PSG overwhelm Atalanta in ruthless opener
Defending champions Paris St Germain wasted no time asserting themselves, dismantling Atalanta 4-0 at the Parc des Princes in a performance brimming with pace, pressing and clinical finishing.

Captain Marquinhos set the tone inside three minutes, pressing Daniel Maldini high up the pitch before starting and finishing the move himself with a guided finish. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead before halftime with a thunderous strike, and after Bradley Barcola saw a penalty saved, Nuno Mendes capped a flowing move with a clever near-post finish. Substitute Goncalo Ramos added gloss in stoppage time with a delicate chip after a defensive lapse.

Coach Luis Enrique praised his side’s energy and preparation. “We created many chances, we prepared the match well and produced a very good performance to overcome Atalanta,” he said.

The Ligue 1 champions now turn their attention to a clash with Barcelona on October 1 — a rematch of one of last season’s most dramatic knockout ties — while Atalanta will aim to regroup at home against Club Brugge.

Liverpool edge Atletico in dramatic finish
If PSG’s victory was routine, Liverpool’s was anything but. The Reds stormed out of the blocks against Atletico Madrid, scoring twice in the opening six minutes through Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah. Anfield was rocking, and when Salah muscled through three defenders to score his own goal after setting up Robertson’s opener, it seemed the Spaniards might collapse.

Instead, Diego Simeone’s side did what they do best: fight back. Marcos Llorente, who tormented Liverpool in 2020 with a brace that knocked them out of the competition, reprised his role by scoring twice — first on the stroke of halftime, then with a deflected volley in the 81st minute to silence the Kop.

But just as a draw looked certain, Liverpool found yet another late winner — their fifth in all competitions this season. Captain Virgil van Dijk rose highest from a corner in the 92nd minute, powering a header beyond Jan Oblak to send the home crowd into raptures.

“It was another great European night here,” Van Dijk said. “We kept pushing, and we found a way again.”

The win also marked the debut of Alexander Isak, Britain’s most expensive signing at £125 million, though the striker was unable to find the net before being substituted just before the hour mark. Simeone, meanwhile, was sent off in stoppage time amid chaotic scenes as his side pushed forward in desperation.

Inter respond with Thuram double in Amsterdam
Inter Milan, humiliated in last season’s 5-0 final defeat to PSG and reeling from consecutive Serie A losses, produced a disciplined performance to beat Ajax 2-0 in Amsterdam. Marcus Thuram was the hero, scoring two headers — one just before halftime, the other two minutes after the restart — both from pinpoint Hakan Calhanoglu corners.

Thuram had earlier seen a penalty overturned by VAR after replays showed he initiated contact with Ajax defender Youri Baas. But his persistence paid off, and once Inter had the lead, they never looked back.

Ajax, playing their 500th European club game and their first Champions League match in three years, threatened briefly through Mika Godts, but goalkeeper Yann Sommer produced a vital save. From then on, Cristian Chivu’s men controlled the contest, easing some of the pressure on their new coach.

Defender Stefan de Vrij admitted the victory was a relief. “We wanted a result after two bad defeats. We did well to take the lead and manage the game without suffering too much,” he said.

Inter host Slavia Prague on September 30, while Ajax travel to Marseille in search of their first points.

Kane powers Bayern past Chelsea
In Munich, Harry Kane proved once again why he was signed to spearhead Bayern’s attack, scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Chelsea. The German champions have now started their Champions League season with a victory for the 22nd consecutive year.

Bayern went ahead when Trevoh Chalobah turned the ball into his own net under pressure, and Kane soon doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after being brought down in the area. Chelsea responded immediately through Cole Palmer, who finished smartly after a flowing move, but the visitors couldn’t build on the momentum.

Kane struck again in the 63rd minute, firing low past Robert Sanchez after poor defending opened up space. It was his 21st Champions League goal, making him one of only three players to score 20+ goals for two different clubs in the competition, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.

“Amazing result, top performance against a really good side,” Kane said. “We stayed calm and did very well in the second half. Then they got tired and the spaces started opening up.”

For Chelsea, who had started the domestic season brightly, it was a harsh reminder of the standards at the highest level. Palmer, making his first start since returning from injury, admitted: “We deserved better than what we got. The goals we conceded were our own fault.”

Wednesday’s UCL results:
Olympiakos Piraeus 0 Pafos 0
Slavia Praha 2 Bodø / Glimt 2
Ajax 0 Internazionale 2
Bayern München 3 Chelsea 1
Liverpool 3 Atlético de Madrid 2
PSG 4 Atalanta 0

Thursday’s UCL fixtures:
Club Brugge v Monaco (1945)
København v Bayer Leverkusen (1945)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Galatasaray (2200)
Manchester City v Napoli (2200)
Newcastle United v Barcelona (2200)
Sporting CP v Kairat (2200)