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In a thrilling week of Champions League football, Matchday 3 saw Aston Villa continue their impressive form, cementing their place at the top of the standings.
English Premier League teams stole the spotlight, with Villa, Liverpool, and Manchester City maintaining dominance as the group stage progresses.
PUNCH Online delivers a detailed report on the top performers, surprising upsets, and standout moments from the week’s action.
As the competition heats up, EPL teams are setting the pace, while giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona have also made their mark.
The UCL group stage reached a thrilling midpoint as Matchday 3 brought major twists and turns, with crucial points contested and the standings shaken up.
Villa’s Perfect Start Continue
Aston Villa extended their fantastic Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Bologna, securing their third consecutive win and cementing their place at the top of the standings.
With their unbeaten run intact, Villa are the standout performers of the competition so far.
They have been solid both offensively and defensively, and their six goals without conceding any across three matches underline their dominance.
With 9 points, they lead the pack and already look comfortable for a spot in the knockout rounds.
Liverpool, Man City Close Behind
Liverpool and Manchester City remain hot on Villa’s heels, with both clubs securing wins on Matchday 3.
City put on a clinical performance, demolishing Sparta Praha 5-0. Pep Guardiola’s side, already looking like one of the favourites, boasts a remarkable +9 goal difference.
Meanwhile, Liverpool edged past Leipzig 1-0, showcasing their ability to grind out results when needed. These two Premier League giants now sit comfortably in 2nd and 3rd place, both with 7 points each.
Although Arsenal are in 9th position, the last of the EPL teams, they too have 7 points with a +3 goal difference.
Real Madrid’s Comeback Stun Dortmund
In one of the standout matches of the week, Real Madrid staged a thrilling comeback to defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2.
The game seemed poised for an upset, but the Spanish giants came roaring back in the second half, with Vinícius Jr. and teammates delivering masterful performances.
This crucial win sees Real Madrid rise to 12th place with 6 points, while Dortmund, who had been in a strong position, now drop to 11th and face a more challenging path to qualification.
Girona Shine, Slovan Bratislava Crumble
Girona continued their dream run in their first-ever Champions League appearance, securing a 2-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava.
Despite being debutants, Girona now sit 24th on the table with 3 points, while Slovan remain rooted to the bottom without a point after three matches.
The Slovakian side’s campaign is fast unravelling, having conceded 10 goals and scored just once, making their elimination almost inevitable unless a dramatic turnaround occurs.
Barcelona School Kompany’s Munich
Barcelona delivered a statement performance by thrashing Bayern Munich 4-1.
The Catalan side, which had looked shaky in previous matches, showed why they’re still a force to be reckoned with in Europe.
Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski were instrumental in dismantling Bayern’s defence, pushing Barcelona to 10th place with 6 points.
Bayern Munich, however, find themselves languishing in 23rd, a position no one could have predicted at this stage, especially after their past dominance in the competition.
PSG Continue to Struggle
Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League woes continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by PSV Eindhoven.
Despite their star-studded squad, PSG have struggled to click this season, and their inconsistency is beginning to show in the standings.
They sit 19th, barely holding onto hopes for knockout qualification.
The pressure is mounting on Luis Enrique as his team needs to find form soon or risk an early exit.
Juventus Fall to Stuttgart
Juventus suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Stuttgart, a result that pushes the Italian side further down the standings to 14th place.
Stuttgart, on the other hand, climbed to 18th, keeping their knockout hopes alive.
For Juventus, the loss could have long-term implications if they don’t bounce back quickly.
What’s Next?
As the table stands after Matchday 3, several teams are emerging as clear frontrunners, with Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Manchester City looking likely to secure early qualification for the knockout stages.
But for the likes of Bayern Munich, PSG, and Juventus, the pressure is now on to improve their form and climb the rankings before it’s too late.
With five matchdays still to go, Europe’s top clubs continue their quest for Champions League glory.
Current Standings Top 8 (After Matchday 3):
Aston Villa – 9 points (+6 goal difference)
Liverpool – 7 points (+6 goal difference)
Manchester City – 7 points (+9 goal difference)
Monaco – 7 points (+6 goal difference)
Brest – 7 points (+5 goal difference)
Leverkusen – 7 points (+5 goal difference)
Inter Milan – 7 points (+5 goal difference)
Sporting CP – 7 points (+4 goal difference)
PUNCH Online asks, Will Aston Villa continue their stunning form, or will the likes of Man City and Liverpool—and struggling big names in the midtable—overtake them?
Also, UCL Matchday 4 is scheduled for 5th and 6th November, respectively.
FULL-TIME SCORES: League phase – Matchday 3
Tuesday, 22 October
AC Milan 3-1 Club Brugge
Monaco 5-1 Crvena Zvezda
Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Aston Villa 2-0 Bologna
Girona 2-0 Slovan Bratislava
Juventus 0-1 Stuttgart
Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 PSV Eindhoven
Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund
Sturm Graz 0-2 Sporting CP
Wednesday, 23 October
Atalanta 0-0 Celtic
Brest 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Atlético de Madrid 1-3 LOSC Lille
Young Boys 0-1 Inter
Barcelona 4-1 Bayern München
Salzburg 0-2 GNK Dinamo
Manchester City 5-0 Sparta Praha
Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool
Benfica 1-3 Feyenoord
