New Delhi
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League began with excitement as Juventus played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund, and Kylian Mbappe led Real Madrid to a comeback win over Marseille.
In Turin, Juventus and Dortmund delivered an eight-goal classic, tying the record for the highest-scoring draw in Champions League history. Karim Adeyemi opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, before a flurry of goals from Kenan Yıldız, Felix Nmecha, and Dušan Vlahović lit up the match. Dortmund looked set for victory after a late penalty by Ramy Bensebaini, but Juventus equalized in added time through Vlahović and a Lloyd Kelly header.
In France, Real Madrid overcame Marseille 2-1. Timothy Weah gave Marseille the lead, but two penalties from Kylian Mbappe turned the match around, even after Madrid went down to 10 men.
Arsenal began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard both scored after coming off the bench, rewarding Mikel Arteta’s smart substitutions.
Meanwhile, Tottenham marked their Champions League return with a 1-0 win over Villarreal, thanks to an early own goal. New manager Thomas Frank began his European journey on a winning note.