The new UEFA Champions League season is underway, and two of last season’s finalists have started their campaigns in impressive fashion. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and last season’s runners-up, Inter Milan, both secured big wins in their opening matches, sending a clear message to the rest of Europe.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain wasted no time in making a statement in their opening UEFA Champions League match, as they overpowered Atalanta with a commanding 4-0 victory at the Parc des Princes.
The win serves as a powerful message that the French side is intent on replicating last season’s triumph, which culminated in a 5-0 thrashing of Inter in the final.
PSG’s first goal came just 150 seconds into the match, when Marquinhos converted a pass from Nuno Mendes.
The hosts’ high-pressing and fluid play is reflected in the stats. With 67 percent possession, they had a total of 22 shots, 13 of which were on target, while Atalanta managed to get only two shots on target from eight attempts.
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Despite a pair of superb saves from Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi and a missed penalty by Bradley Barcola, PSG’s attacking pressure never cooled down. This resulted in goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, and Gonçalo Ramos. Kvaratskhelia netted a wonderful solo goal before the break, while Mendes and Ramos added to the tally in the second half.
The comprehensive performance demonstrated PSG’s team depth and ability to score from multiple sources, even with key players like Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue sidelined.
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Following their disappointing loss in last season’s final, Inter Milan kicked off their new Champions League campaign with a much-needed victory, defeating Ajax 2-0 away at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The win was a crucial step for the Italian side, who had been struggling with successive defeats in their domestic league.
Marcus Thuram was the star of the night for Inter, scoring both goals with powerful headers. The French international proved to be a constant threat to the opponent. His two goals were almost carbon copies of each other, showcasing his strength and aerial prowess. For his first goal, he got ahead of the defenders near the goal to head in a corner kick from Hakan Calhanoglu just before halftime. He did it again just two minutes into the second half, heading in another corner from Calhanoglu.
The victory was not only a confidence booster for the Inter players but also a display of tactical maturity. After securing the two-goal lead, Inter eased off the pressure, maintaining possession and frustrating the home side.
The result sends a clear signal that Inter is ready to banish the ghosts of last season’s final and make a strong run in the competition.