Champions League

SERGIO RAMOS scored his 100th Real Madrid goal before Rodrygo secured a massive Champions League win over Inter Milan.
The Los Blancos skipper, 34, headed in at the club’s Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano training stadium to bring up the ton.

Sergio Ramos scored his 100th Real Madrid goal against Inter MilanCredit: AFP OR LICENSORS

The Los Blancos captain rose highest at the near post to head homeCredit: AFP OR LICENSORS

Rodrygo came off the bench to fire home and secure a critical victory for Zinedine Zidane’s sideCredit: AFP or licensors

The 33rd-minute goal made it 2-0 to the hosts after Karim Benzema’s opener in a must-win tie – but the Italians fought back through Lautaro Martinez and Ivan Perisic to level the game.
Substitute Rodrygo, however, smashed home in emphatic style to net the winner ten minutes from time.
Ramos, who signed from Sevilla in 2005, has racked up more than 650 appearances for the Bernabeu club.
And the defender found the net for the ninth time in his last 19 Real Madrid games – including in El Clasico – to double their advantage against the Serie A giants.

The Spaniard lost his marker Stefan de Vrij from Toni Kroos’ inswinging corner.
He rose at the near post and guided the ball inside the far one as Samir Handanovic watched on helplessly.
Ramos took on the penalty-taking responsibilities when Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Juventus but even so, 100 goals for a centre-back is mightily impressive – and may convince his club to hand him a new deal.
Add his two from Sevilla B, three for Sevilla and 23 in 175 Spain caps and it takes his career tally to 128.

The Ramos header looked to have put his side in total command against Antonio Conte’s men in their attempt to get their nightmare European campaign on track.
After defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and scraping a draw against Borussia Monchengladbach, Zinedine Zidane saw his side go in front for the first time in this season’s competition.
And it came in fortuitous circumstances as Inter right wing-back Achraf Hakimi – sold by Real Madrid in the summer – forgot who he was playing for as he played a back pass straight to Benzema.
The Frenchman rounded Handanovic and stuck into an empty net for his 67th Champions League goal.
However, Inter fought back.

Karim Benzema pounced on Achraf Hakimi’s poor back pass to round the goalkeeper and slot homeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Ramos celebrated in classic fashion as he made it 2-0 on the nightCredit: Rex Features

Lautaro Martinez brought Inter back into the game after Nicolo Barella’s gorgeous flickCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Just two minutes after Ramos’ header, a brilliant team goal was rounded off by a sumptuous Nicolo Barella flick and Martinez’s finish.
And midway through the second half, the Italians drew level.
Martinez turned provider this time, nodding Arturo Vidal’s ball forward to Perisic who tucked it back across Thibaut Courtois for 2-2.
But Brazilian wingers Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo combined before the latter fired into the back of the net to claim all three points – although Benzema will be wondering how on earth he failed to make it four in the closing minutes after fluffing his lines at the back stick.
There was still time for Alexis Sanchez – remember him – to come off the bench and waste his Inter’s last chance to rescue a point with a tame free-kick into the wall from a dangerous position as Real held on.
The result suddenly puts Real Madrid just a point off Group B leaders Monchengladbach, who thumped Shakhtar 6-0.

Ivan Perisic bundled in an equaliser midway through the second halfCredit: AFP or licensors

Perisic and Arturo Vidal celebrated quickly before going on the hunt for a winnerCredit: AP:Associated Press

Rodrygo slammed the fifth goal of the game into the roof of the net to get a first Champions League win of the campaignCredit: AFP or licensors

Watch Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema’s disallowed cheeky penalty routine More

WHAT A BUY Ferran Torres is proving to be.
At £21million he has to be the steal of the season.

Ferran Torres struck early on as Manchester City beat Olympiacos 3-0Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Gabriel Jesus marked his return from injury with a goal off the benchCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

OK he only had a year left of his contract at Valencia but their bookkeepers must still be questioning who did the deal.
With his goal past Olympiacos he became the third youngest player, at 20 years and 248 days, to score in four consecutive Champions League games – one for Valencia and now three from three for Manchester City.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are the two above him.
The winger has been turned into a striker due to injuries to Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus and how he enjoys it.

His goal in the 12th minute was just classic City, at their very best as the ball was pinged around with one touches before the perfect execution.
Ilkay Gundogan found Riyad Mahrez his pass deflected off Andreas Bouchalakis to Torres, who exchanged passes with De Bruyne before drilling the ball into the bottom corner.
Pep Guardiola’s applause and gleeful smile on the sidelines showed he very much approved.
However Torres will soon be back on the wing with Jesus back after six weeks out with a reminder from the bench last night of his ability in front of goal.

Having dominated the first half City were wobbling a bit in the second when he was brought on in the 68th minute.
In the 81st he struck. Fed by Kevin De Bruyne, he rifled a shot into the near top corner.
Back with a bang.
The third came from the boot of another sub Joao Cancelo curled into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area.
So with Porto beating Marseille it means that City only need a point in the return fixture against the Greek champions later this month to be through with a couple of games to go.
Of course the problem was never going to be Olympiacos. In fact the problem was never going to be Group C.
Three wins from three over Porto, Marseille and now Olympiacos has proven that already.
This will be the eighth consecutive season they have progressed from their group.

Joao Cancelo scored his first goal of the season late onCredit: Reuters

Pep Guardiola can focus on Liverpool with the job done on Tuesday nightCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The problem comes afterwards, when the knockouts kick in.
Since Manchester City have joined the Champions League party on the back of the Abu Dhabi investment the best they have done is one semi-final.
The rest is; three quarters, three last-16s and their first two goes saw them fail to get out their group.
An investment of £2billion plus is supposed to achieve more than this. Pep was supposed to be the answer.
Because the money that has been invested by Sheikh Mansour was not just to dominate English football.
He wants City to make an imprint on the world and defeat in the last-eight to Lyon like last season doesn’t do that.
Out they went again, short of that light at the end of the tunnel. This despite undoubtedly having had a team to win it.
So will anything be different this season? Or is the fuel in the City project is starting to run a bit dry.

The team under Pep has played some of the best football this country has seen. But last season they finished a distant 18 points behind Champions Liverpool.
This season they have already dropped seven points in their first six games with Jurgen Klopp’s champions next up at The Etihad on Sunday.
Lose that and City will be eight points behind the current leaders from Anfield, albeit with one game in hand.
Still, it’s early days and they can’t be faulted in this Champions League Group.
They had some scares last night not least when Foden’s loose touch in the 54th minute afforded Mathieu Valbuena a shot that he screwed wide.
There was also excitement amongst the Greek staff spaced out in the main stand when Youssef El-Arabi controlled a high ball but shot straight at Ederson.

Gabriel Jesus, who returned after six weeks out, helped make it three from three for City in the group stageCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The hosts’ attack stayed in second gear for most of Tuesday’s meetingCredit: Reuters

The slight wobble saw Guardiola make changes and they worked.
The scoreline made it look a bit more comfortable than it was but once more there were signs of the real City. The one that on their day can beat anyone.
They will need to be on their day every day the knockout stages start or that European Cup will slip away again.
It is no use beating Real Madrid as they did in the last-16 if you are then going to come up short against Lyon.
Pep knows how to win this having done so twice with Barcelona. City’s owners will watch and wait?

Dietmar Hamann fears Pep Guardiola has peaked at Manchester City and can’t see them winning the Prem More

JURGEN KLOPP spent £45million on Diogo Jota for one very obvious reason.
But although the Liverpool boss was determined to kick his front three a kick up the backside, at no stage would he have expected the signing from Wolves to make an unbelievable start like this.

Diogo Jota scored a hat-trick as Liverpool thrashed Atalanta 5-0Credit: AFP or licensors

The new summer signing started ahead of Roberto Firmino and made the most of his opportunityCredit: AFP or licensors

Liverpool dished out one of their most brutal European beatings in the Italian city of Bergamo.
After the 7-2 beating at Aston Villa and their rotten injury luck, no-one would have expected this type of thrashing away to last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists.
And Jota, with seven goals in his first 10 matches, has already proved he has not swapped the Black Country for Merseyside to be an expensive substitute.
The champions paid the same amount for Jota as West Ham shelled out for Seb Haller last year. It is pretty obvious which team has done the best piece of business.

Jota scored a hat-trick in the space of 38 minutes and also against a very good team. For Liverpool, this is their best ever Champions League start under Klopp and they are already on the verge of qualifying.
Yet while Jota has made a stunning impact, his arrival seems to have revitalised Mo Salah who looks like the player of a couple of years ago. He has now scored nine times for Liverpool, his best ever start to a season.
Refusing to be outdone, Mane also scored and helped create Jota’s third and the only person who probably would not have enjoyed this was Bobby Firmino.
He started on the bench – and the Brazilian will have to get used to it. The only worry was the sight of Jota limping off the pitch in the 65th minute but providing he is okay, he will surely start away to Manchester City on Sunday.

Sadio Mane was on the score sheet in Italy as wellCredit: Reuters

Mo Salah made sure he didn’t miss out on the action eitherCredit: AP:Associated Press

But after all the trials of tribulations of the first few weeks for Klopp, including a long-term injury to Virgil van Dijk, this will have been both welcome and massively unexpected.
Liverpool have often struggled in their group games under Klopp and have certainly never won their first three.
Two years ago, they beat Spurs 2-0 in the final  Liverpool lost all three away games in the group.
But best of all for Klopp, the class and confidence of Jota was not the only plus.
Teenager Curtis Jones was excellent in midfield and there was a fine performance at the back for fellow 19-year-old, Rhys Williams, who looked settled alongside Joe Gomez against a normally fearsome strikeforce.
Incredibly, this fresh-faced combo of Gomez and Williams was the 36th different central defensive pairing that has started a match under Klopp.

Jota needed just 16 minutes to open the scoringCredit: Reuters

Jota’s second goal was a terrific finish after some nifty footworkCredit: AFP or licensors
Last season, Atalanta fired 98 goals, finished third and reached the Champions League quarter-final but Liverpool’s inexperienced defence soaked up the pressure, fed the ball to their attackers and watched them cause all sorts of damage.
Jota could have scored after just 85 seconds but although he created the chance out of nothing, keeper Marco Sportiello made the block.
Yet the wave of attacks continued and it was neither a surprise that Liverpool finally scored or that Jota was the scorer.
It was a clever, patient build-up before Jota timed his run impressively to meet a brilliant long pass from Trent Alexander-Arnoldand and the forward kept on his feet.
Certain team-mates would probably have tumbled to the ground looking for a penalty as there was contact from defender Jose Palomino but Jota showed real strength but also quality by delivering an exquisite finish over the keeper.

Mo Salah put Liverpool in total control straight after the breakCredit: AFP or licensors

Sadio Mane followed up with another goal moments laterCredit: Reuters
Jota showed some brilliant control to kill a long pass from Gomez with his left foot and then used his right boot to hammer the ball through the legs of Hans Hateboaer and beyond Sportiello
Although they should have scored in the second minute of the first half, Liverpool made it 3-0 90 minutes into the second period
Worst of all for Atalanta, they lost possession from their own corner and while Jones calmly played the ball out of defence to Salah, there was still so much work for the Egyptian to do.
He took the ball on the halfway line and showed speed and composure to get into the home area before bending the ball into the top corner with his left foot. 
And it just cost worse for the stunned-looking Italian team. Salah fed Mane and he lifted the ball over Sportiello.

Jota made it a night to remember as he fired in his third goalCredit: Reuters

Liverpool will be feeling confident ahead of their weekend league clash against Man CityCredit: Reuters
Jota was in the mood to clinch the matchball but would not have expected to secure it so early, in the 54th minute.
Mane crafted a clever pass with the outside of his boot and Jota rounded the keeper before stroking the ball to ensure he would be the star of the show.
Duvan Zapata hit the woodwork for Atalanta an in the 65th minute but this was one hell of a beating for the third best team in Italy last term.
Firmino replaced Jota but Liverpool kept on attacking and Salah could have scored more goals. You can bet that Atalanta will not be looking forward to coming to England in three weeks.
And if they defend like this again – and Jota keeps smashing goals in like this – it could be 8-0.

Fabinho injury leaves Liverpool in defensive crisis as Brazilian limps off against Midtjylland with Van Dijk out too More