Champions League

ERLING HAALAND passed another Champions League milestone – as he left Sergio Aguero trailing in his rear view mirror.The Norwegian forward latched onto a lovely through ball from Rico Lewis and finished with the minimum of fuss just before the hour.Erling Haaland scored his 42nd Champions League goalCredit: APHe bagged Manchester City’s third in the 58th minuteCredit: RexHe maintains his record of more Champions League goals than games playedCredit: ReutersIlkay Gundogan had given Man City the lead in the eighth minuteCredit: AFPHaaland touched the ball just 11 times but still got his goalMan City completely dominated the entire 90 minutesThat was a 42nd goal in just 41 appearances in a competition that the £51.4million admits he loves playing in.That takes him past City’s all-time leading scorer Aguero’s tally in Uefa’s most presitigious tournament – and don’t forget Haaland is still only 24.He was subbed a few minutes later and might have felt slightly annoyed with Pep Guardiola – as there were more goals in this one for him.This was little more than a training exercise for the English champs against the Slovakian rookies – and the only surprise was they only scored four.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut after a draw in their first European game against Inter two weeks ago, they are well and truly up and running now.Bratislava had played eight games just to reach the league stage of the competition – and on their opening night a fortnight ago they were thumped 5-1 by Celtic in Glasgow.Yet they were thrilled to be welcoming the 2022/23 winners and all the star names to their home and were determined to enjoy the night.It could even have got off to a fairytale start for the Slovaks.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSPhil Foden made it two with only a quarter of an hour on the clockCredit: GettyIt was a comfortable evening for the Premier League championsCredit: GettyJames McAtee scored his first Manchester City goal and his side’s fourth of the eveningCredit: ReutersHe was thrilled to bag his first in a Man City shirtCredit: AFPHome skipper Vladimir Weiss jr – who came through the ranks at the Etihad and helped them win the FA Youth Cup – rolled the ball into the path of Marko Tolic.His angled shot beat Stefan Ortega but drifted just wide of the far post. You got the feeling that was their moment and so it proved.Premier League fathers and sonsHaaland and Phil Foden all went close in a lively opening spell – all before City took the lead in the eighth minute.Jeremy Doku cross found its way to fellow winger Savinho who saw his effort blocked but it bounced up nicely for Gundogan.His volley from the edge of the box took a deflection off Kyriakos Savvidis leaving keeper Dominik Tavac with no chance.Back in the armband and back scoring goals for Man City – it’s almost like the year at Barcelona never happened.Doku was causing big problems down the right and he slipped a ball inside for Foden.The England ace took a touch before curling a low shot around the outstretched arm of Tavac from 15 yards.Last season’s PFA Player of the Year has had a slow start to the current campaign – but has looked more like his old self in recent days.This was shaping up to be another long night for the hosts but Tavac did well to dash out and save at the feet of Haaland.Both Doku and Foden saw efforts come back off the post as City poured forward in search of more goals.And Gundogan made it a hat-trick of efforts off the woodwork as his long range effort smacked the crossbar.It had been one of the most one-sided halves you will but for all their dominance, boss Pep Guardiola did not look impressed.He said in the press conference before the game that the questions had the feel of a friendly – and maybe his players felt like that too.Or perhaps it was just too easy for them. The second half started in a similar vein with Tavac denying Rico Lewis.Haaland – who cut a slightly frustrated figure after barely touching the ball first half – headed a decent chance over after a cross by Matheus Nunes.Yet he didn’t have to wait long for his goal. Lewis played a ball straight through the home defence to send the Norwegian racing clear.He went round Tavac with the minimum of fuss before scoring in an empty net.As well as beating Aguero’s total, it also put him 18th in the list of all time Champions League goalscorers – level with Alessandro del Piero.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe was subbed a couple of minutes later but at least that gave the man who replaced him – academy product James McAtee – the chance for a special moment.The former Sheffield United loanee took a pass from Foden and showed some nifty footwork before scoring his first goal for his boyhood club. More

THE banner on the Yellow Wall read ‘Uefa Mafia’.The Celtic defence then made Borussia Dortmund a load of offers they couldn’t refuse.Dortmund fans raised a huge – and pointed – banner aimed at Champions League organisers pre-matychCredit: APBut criminal defending cost Celtic in the endCredit: GettyEmre Can opened the floodgates with an early penaltyCredit: ReutersIt was Brendan Rodgers and his players who were guilty of criminal activity in Germany last night in this Champions League chasing.One down inside five minutes.By the time the half-time whistle went, Kasper Schmeichel had been beaten no less than FIVE times including a hat-rick from German international Karim Adeyemi. In the end, Scotland’s Premiership champions were lucky the final score didn’t end up being double figures.Genuinely, it could actually have happened.For all his talk in the build-up, Rodgers’ side just couldn’t walk the walk as they suffered yet another humiliating defeat on the road in this competition.Rodgers wanted his team to take their game to the next level.Instead they’ve rarely been lower with Dortmund handing out as humbling result that at times had to be seen to be believed.Most read in Champions LeagueAll the positivity that Celtic gained from their opening group game victory over Slovan Bratislava, gone.Watch the moment Dortmund and Celtic fans BOTH sing You’ll Never Walk AloneIt was reminiscent of the agonising 7-0 thumping to Barcelona in September 2016 during Rodgers’ first stint in charge.With Atalanta in Italy next for Celtic, they somehow need to find a way to lift themselves for this level of football.But the harsh reality is that they’re nowhere near the elite of European football.Dortmund’s first came from the penalty spot after Schmeichel brought down Jamie Gittens inside the box.It was a stonewall spot-kick.The big Dane clearly tripped the lightning quick attacker after he burst through the Celtic defence.There was fortunate break of the ball off Callum McGregor.But Rodgers’ defence was as wide as the Clyde at such an early stage of the game, when they should have been tight and compact.Daizen Maeda scored a leveller came within four short minutes.A lovely ball played into the six-yard box by Arne Engels caught the Dortmund defence on its heels this time.As everyone in a yellow shirt stopped, Celtic’s no38 moved in to bundle the ball into the back of the net.The away support went wild.Daizen Maeda sent the away end wild with the quick-fire equaliserCredit: Kenny RamsayThe Hoops fans had been a noisy and bright pocket of the iconic stadiumCredit: GettyBut Karim Adeyemi replied immediately – and Dortmund didn’t look backCredit: GettyBut no sooner were they jumping for joy, with limbs everywhere in their corner of the ground, they were crashing back down to earth.Adeyemi restored the Bundesliga’s side’s lead with a shot which clipped off Auston Trusty’s food on its way past Schmeichel.The Celts No1 would possibly have saved it otherwise.But his centre-back – starting his first big European game with Cameron Carter-Vickers out injured – was far too slow off his mark initially.Trusty had a two-yard head start on Adeyemi when the ball was played through to him yet he was outstripped because he didn’t sense the danger around him.Dortmund had two big chances to score a third right after that and didn’t take them.But this wasn’t a night when they’d regret being wasteful.When it came to their third goal, Schmeichel had to do better.The ball that flashed past him at his near post was hit with with some amount of power by Adeyemi.But no top class goalkeeper should be beaten like that.The Celtic supporters behind the goal – and the ones watching from behind their sofas back home – would have expected much, much better.Even at that stage in was damage limitation for Celtic.But Dortmund had no intention of taking their foot off the gas.They got their fourth from another penalty after 39 minutes after Engels kicked Adeyemi.It was an opportunity for the Germany attacker to get his hat-trick but it was Serhou Guirassy who grabbed the ball to score.Adeyemi was clearly confident he’d get another one from open play and in 42 minutes he did just that.Schmeichel was wrong-footed by his near-post shot which caught the veteran goalkeeper off guard yet again.Rodgers had work to do at half-time to shore things up.Taking off Paulo Bernardo and Greg Taylor – and throwing on Alex Valle and Reo Hatate – was all he could think of.All he could hope for was Dortmund going easy on his team with the result already a forgone conclusion.Even in the moments when Celtic did get up the park there was no conviction whatsoever.Hatate almost set up Kyogo Furuhashi with a sprinting run and cross the striker wasn’t far away from reaching.But it was far too little, far too late from Celtic when the game was effectively over.Adam Idah and Yang Hyunjun were next to get stripped when they probably would have been happier staying on the bench.The Hoops found it tough to get to grips with their Bundesliga hostsCredit: GettySub Adam Idah spurned a late chance to reduce the deficitCredit: GettyIn the end it was a painful defeat for the Hoops after the positivity of the opening nightCredit: GettyDortmund’s sixth came in 66 minutes, Guirassy slotting into the back of the net with ease.It was yet another example of cool finishing which the Celtic defence simply had no answer to.The final whistle couldn’t come quickly enough.It was excruciating for the club’s supporters to watch with their team being ripped apart in front of their eyes. And yet it still wasn’t over.In 79 minutes substitute Felix Nmecha went wild when he hit the net. You’d have thought it was a last minute winner the way he celebrated.Around him the Celtic players fell to their knees.Eventually, after it was all over, they trudged over to the away support in way of an apology. READ MORE SUN STORIESOur New YouTube ChannelSubscribe to our new Scottish Sun Sport YouTube channel for all the latest football news, views and amazing moments.We’ve got every major development covered from Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and the rest of the Scottish Premiership.Plus we have TWO brilliant new podcasts to watch every week…MONDAYGo Ballistic with Roger Hannah and special guest Kris Boyd will dissect all the weekend action and deliver their no-holds-barred reaction.WEDNESDAYRobert Grieve and Bill Leckie chew over the tastiest topics in Scottish football and offer their unique takes in their Coffee Club.FRIDAYGo Ballistic is back with Roger Hannah and top tipster Jim Delahunt looking ahead to the weekend games and analysing the biggest talking points.Subscribe now and don’t miss a thing. 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PEP GUARDIOLA has been lavished with praise by Slovan Bratislava boss Vladimir Weiss – who compared him to an ARCHITECT. The Man City boss was baffled by the comparison ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with the Slovak side.Pep Guardiola is preparing his side to face Slovan Bratislava on TuesdayCredit: AFPSlovan boss Vladimir Weiss had a bizarre comparison for Pep ahead of the Champions League clashCredit: ReutersBratislava host the Premier League champions at the 22,500-capacity Tehelné pole looking to bounce back from a 5-1 loss to Celtic in Gameweek 1.Weiss was full of praise for Guardiola – and his impact on world football – ahead of arguably his team’s toughest test in their history.And the 60-year-old had a bizarre comparison with another Catalan “genius” up his sleeve.Weiss said: “I would compare Pep to [Catalan architect] Antoni Gaudi. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL NEWS”He’s been building something nobody could understand – just like Gaudi had his idea for a cathedral – and he is a genius and now he’s achieved what he wanted to do.“He’s selected players who fit his philosophy. I love [Carlo] Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp, but Pep has changed football with his attitude and creativity and stubbornness — in a good way.”A flummoxed but flattered Guardiola replied: “I think maybe he had a glass of wine before the press conference, but thank you.”Guardiola was pressed further on the Gaudi comparison by reporters.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBut he refocused minds on the game, claiming the light-hearted questioning suggested his team were playing a “friendly.”He continued: “I’m a little bit concerned about that in terms of the questions about Gaudi and this kind of thing.Furious Pep Guardiola lashes out and kicks chair with Man City stars fuming at Arsenal’s stunning equaliser”It’s a competition and we need to perform well.”With this new format, I don’t know exactly how you handle it and how many points you need. “Maybe you can finish 13th, 14th or 15th – not qualify in the first eight – and you can win the Champions League.What will happen to Man City?MAN CITY are favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?Lipton: Yes…. probably! We know the case will start to be dealt with in October or November.It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.Custis: Why is that?Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.”Tomorrow is an opportunity to make a step.”City come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Sunday.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt was their first game since losing influential midfielder Rodri to a long-term ACL injury.Pep’s men are also looking for their first point in the new-look Champions League after a 0-0 stalemate with Inter Milan last time out. More