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Two minutes after Rashford’s first, López the hat-trick hero as Barcelona are now 5-1 up. This was all about the assist from the 19-year-old Roony Bardghji – some left footed magic.
And as I type the above, Barcelona go 6-1 up, a cool finish from Rashford after cutting inside. A huge result for Hansi Flick’s side ahead of El Clasico this weekend.
Barcelona are currently 4-1 up at home to Olympiacos. The opener came in the seventh minute after Kostas Tzolakis tapped the ball off Lamine Yamal’s quick feet. The ball then fell for Fermín López, who took a touch before firing in from close range.
López also scored the hosts’ second after Pedri latched on to a loose pass and laid it off to the 22-year-old. Great play from Marcus Rashford as well, who managed to drag some defenders away to create space for the goalscorer.
The visitors then had a goal disallowed for offside but in the buildup, García stuck his arm out and conceded a penalty in the process. From the spot, Ayoub El Kaabi’s left-footed strike was enough to beat Wojciech Szczęsny. Minutes later Santiago Hezze was sent off after a second yellow.
Rashford then earned the hosts’ a penalty which Lamine Yamal converted before scoring himself to make it 4-1.
The other early game remains goalless but Pafos’ João Correia was sent off in the fourth minute after a dangerous challenge on Luís Mata, kicking the Kairat Almaty player in the face.
Pep Guardiola has called Rayan Cherki a “street player” and hailed the 22-year-old Frenchman one of the most talented players he has ever seen. Big words from a man who coached Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández.
“Technically and individually he is top. The question is how he settles and what we are going to do, how he reads the game and every action the game needs. He started at the [Club] World Cup, but then there was some time off. [We have to go] step by step, but the talent he has: I have the feeling that most of the time when the ball comes to him, the situation gets better.
More from Sid Lowe below on Guardiola’s thoughts, including City’s improving form and Nico González, who is poised to start at Villarreal.
Newcastle is a special place for José Mourinho. In 1999 Bobby Robson wanted the Portuguese to join him at Newcastle as an assistant manager with a view to eventually taking the top job but Mourinho declined.
Today’s match will be Mourinho’s 13th competitive appearance on Tyneside as a manager but previous trips with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham produced only three wins.
“I’m a little Magpie,” he told interviewers in Portugal last month. “The club up there know how much love and respect I have for them. I learned that from Mr Robson.”
Read more below from Louise Taylor on how Mourinho thinks Benfica are benefiting from a newer version of himself and Eddie Howe’s thoughts on his opponent.
Team news: Villarreal v Manchester City
Villarreal (4-4-2): Luiz Júnior; Mouriño, Foyth, Veiga, Pedraza; Gueye, Partey, Comesaña, Buchanan; Pépé, Mikautadze
Subs: Conde, Tenas, Altimira, Marín, Solomon, Moreno, Parejo, Akhomach, Moleiro, Oluwaseyi, Pérez, Cardona
Manchester City (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; González, Lewis, Silva; Savinho, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Bettinelli, Reijnders, Aké, Marmoush, Kovacic, Cherki, Aït-Nouri, O’Reilly, Foden, Bobb
Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk (The Netherlands)
Team news: Newcastle v Benfica
Newcastle (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn; Miley, Ramsey, Guimarães; Gordon, Woltemade, J Murphy
Subs: Thompson, Ramsdale, Schär, Joelinton, Tonali, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Willock, A Murphy
Benfica (4-3-3): Trubin; Dedic, A Silva, Otamendi, T Araújo; Barrenechea, Rios, Aursnes; Sudakov, Lukebakio; Pavlidis
Subs: Soares, Obrador, Ivanovic, Barreiro, Schjelderup, Dahl, H Araújo, Wynder, Veloso, Rego, Prioste, Lima
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
How things stand in the Champions League league phase table after every team’s first two games.
Preamble
Matchday three action in the Champions League is upon us. It may seem a tad early but teams may be starting to look at their position in the table after this week and wonder if they will get enough points on the board to qualify for the knockouts. Some intriguing matchups tonight will certainly help us
José Mourinho is back on British shores three weeks after Benfica’s narrow loss at Chelsea. Since then, the Portuguese outfit managed a goalless draw at Benfica and a 2-0 win at the second-tier side Chaves in the Taça de Portugal. Can they keep Newcastle – and Nick Woltemade – side at bay in front of a bouncing St James’ Park?
Plus Pep Guardiola’s men head to Villarreal with the hopes of righting some wrongs after a 2-2 draw against Monaco last time out in the competition. Villarreal will have to limit Erling Haaland if they are to register their first win in Europe this season. The striker has scored eight goals in eight Champions League appearances against Spanish opponents.
Champions League
Barcelona 2-0 Olympiacos
Kairat Almaty 0-0 Pafos
Newcastle v Benfica
Villarreal v Manchester City
Arsenal v Atlético Madrid
PSV v Napoli
Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain
Union Saint-Gilloise v Inter
Copenhagen v Borussia Dortmund
Loads to look forward to. Feel free to get in touch with any thoughts, predictions, queries or your favourite goal of the season in Europe so far via email.
