The latest round of the Champions League league phase has delivered high drama, unexpected upsets, and significant movement in the race for the knockout stages. While the elite trio maintained their momentum, two title contenders suffered surprise defeats that severely impacted the top half of the table.
Major Upsets of the Round
The biggest shock saw Manchester City fall 2-0 away to Bayer Leverkusen. Managerial rotation appeared to backfire for the English champions, as the German side capitalized on quick transitions and defensive lapses. The result denied City the chance to climb to the top of the table.
Elsewhere, Barcelona suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea. The Spanish giants were undone by defensive errors, an own goal, and a red card just before halftime, which sealed their fate. Chelsea’s victory, spearheaded by a brilliant solo goal from young talent Estevão, strengthens their own push for a top-eight spot and places renewed pressure on the Barcelona coaching staff.
Tightening at the Top
Despite the upsets, the three perfect clubs—Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Inter—remain firmly in control, each sitting on 12 points from four matches with flawless records and dominant goal differences. All three are heavy favourites for automatic qualification into the last 16.
The results from the two biggest fixtures created a logjam just below the leaders. Both Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund secured wins that moved them level with Manchester City on 10 points after five games, intensifying the battle for seeding.
Bottom-Table Drama
The struggle at the bottom also saw a small shift as Benfica finally claimed their first points in a 2-0 victory over Ajax. The win, clinched by a superb early volley, marks a turning point for the Portuguese side, while Ajax remains rooted to the foot of the table as the only side yet to register a point after five matches.
Meanwhile, Dortmund routed Villarreal 4-0, and Juventus relied on a stoppage-time winner to defeat Bodo/Glimt 3-2, lifting both clubs in the highly congested middle-tier, where one result can be the difference between a secure playoff spot and fighting for survival on the final matchday.
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