The Champions League has grown into a bigger, longer competition, with more teams, more matches and far more knockout rounds. Writer Bill Connelly says he doesn't mind the bloat, because it allows for compelling stories, like Ukraine's upset of Sweden at Euro 2020, Bodø/Glimt's run past Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan, and Como's debut win over RB Leipzig.
Matchday 1 was less thrilling in one respect. Europe's giants, including PSG, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, beat their weaker opponents by a combined 16-2, while debutants LASK, Sabah and Viking all lost by a combined 8-1. Still, Matchday 1 offered some fun, with 11 of 18 matches featuring at least four goals.
Matchday 2 delivered the plot twists the competition needed. The main story was Viking FK, the Stavanger club with a long European history. Viking has previously hosted and held sides such as Barcelona, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Chelsea, beating Chelsea 4-2 at the old Stavanger Stadion in the 2002-03 UEFA Cup.
On Tuesday, Viking Stadion was the scene of another memorable night. Viking scored three goals against Bayern Munich and frustrated the German champions throughout. Early in an eight-game league phase, when results carry limited weight and surprises are rare, the match was a real treat.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing