Champions League Round 4 Day 1 Highlights: Bayern Win Away at PSG with 10 Men to Extend 16-Match Winning Streak; Liverpool Dominate Real Madrid

On November 5th, early morning Beijing time, the opening day of the Champions League Round 4 group stage saw 9 matches kick off, highlighted by two major showdowns: PSG against Bayern and Liverpool facing Real Madrid. Bayern maintained their blazing start with a 16th consecutive win, overcoming the defending champions PSG on the road despite being reduced to 10 men. Meanwhile, struggling Liverpool completely outplayed Real Madrid at Anfield; if not for Courtois, Madrid would have been overwhelmed. Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory handing Real Madrid their first Champions League defeat and earning their second consecutive win.

The results from the first day of Champions League Round 4 group stage are as follows:Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal, Napoli 0-0 Frankfurt, Tottenham 4-0 Copenhagen, Bodø/Glimt 0-1 Monaco, Olympiacos 1-1 PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid 3-1 Sheriff Tiraspol, PSG 1-2 Bayern Munich, Juventus 1-1 Sporting CP.

Since the Champions League expanded and the group stage transformed into a league format, there are many weaker teams, making most matches predictable. The league phase now acts more like a warm-up for top clubs, helping them prepare and fine-tune their squads for the knockout rounds. Arsenal cruised past weaker opposition to join Bayern, who beat PSG, both boasting four straight wins. Liverpool, in a slump, found Real Madrid easier to play than Premier League teams, suggesting last season’s Arsenal double over Madrid wasn’t a fluke. Liverpool’s 1-0 win was dominant, with shots on target at 9-2; Courtois was undoubtedly the top goalkeeper of the moment, delivering a stellar performance in a crucial match. Conte’s Napoli continued to struggle in the Champions League, drawing 0-0 with Frankfurt; Juventus showed no strength at home either, drawing 1-1 with Sporting CP. Italian clubs currently lack competitiveness in Europe’s top tournament.