The seventh matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage delivered a spectacle of footballing drama, showcasing both dominant displays from European giants and historic victories for underdog clubs.
In Milan, Arsenal continued their flawless campaign with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Inter, powered by a first-half brace from Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian forward ended his Champions League scoring drought with two precise finishes inside the box. Despite a ferocious equalizer from Petar Sučić and a double save required from David Raya to deny Federico Dimarco, the Gunners sealed their perfect record through substitute Viktor Gyökeres, whose exquisite curled effort in the 84th minute condemned Inter to their third consecutive defeat.
Real Madrid delivered a masterclass in attack, overwhelming Monaco 5-1 in a stunning response to their previous loss against Manchester City. Kylian Mbappé tormented his former club with two first-half goals, setting the stage for a second-half onslaught. Franco Mastantuono, an unfortunate Thilo Kehrer own goal, and a sublime top-corner strike from Vinícius Júnior extended the lead before Jude Bellingham capped the emphatic performance, rendering Jordan Teze’s consolation goal irrelevant.
Historical breakthroughs were achieved elsewhere. Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt secured their first-ever Champions League victory with a impressive 3-1 display against the 2023 winners, Manchester City. Kasper Høgh’s quick double and a magnificent Jens Petter Hauge strike proved insurmountable, even after Rayan Cherki’s reply and Rodri’s dismissal for the visitors.
Club Brugge ended their winless streak with a commanding 4-1 away victory in Astana. A powerful Aleksandar Stanković strike opened the floodgates, followed by goals from Hans Vanaken, Romeo Vermant, and Brandon Mechele, showcasing a dominant team performance before a late consolation from Adilet Sadybekov.
Dramatic late goals defined other contests. Substitute Oliver Edvardsen became Ajax’s hero, scoring in the dying moments to secure a 2-1 comeback win against Villarreal after Oscar Gloukh’s free-kick had canceled out Tani Oluwaseyi’s opener. In Copenhagen, ten-man Napoli thought they had secured victory through Scott McTominay’s header, but a resilient defensive effort and a rebound penalty conversion by substitute Jordan Larsson earned the hosts a crucial point.
Further highlights included Luis Suárez inspiring Sporting to a dramatic 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain with a late header, and Tottenham Hotspur enhancing their top-eight prospects with a 2-0 victory over Dortmund, capitalizing on Daniel Svensson’s red card.