ATLéTICO MADRID IMPRESS AS SIMEONE’S SIDE CONTROL GAME TO BEAT UNION 3-1
Atlético Madrid beat Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1 with goals from Julián Álvarez, Conor Gallagher, and Marcos Llorente. The win revives their shaky Champions League campaign after a nervous but dominant display at the Metropolitano.
Atletico Madrid's Marcos Llorente celebrates scoring his side's third goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Union Saint-Gilloise in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) (Manu Fernandez/AP)
In the Champions League, Atletico Madrid easily defeated Union Saint-Gilloise, thanks to goals from Marcos Llorente, Conor Gallagher, and Julián Alvarez.
Atléti managed to clinch a much-needed victory following a difficult start to their European campaign, despite a goal from Ross Sykes for the Belgian champions that threatened to put the pigeons among the pigeons.
As it turned out, Atletico Madrid needed to win tonight and put on a good show to salvage any chance of leaving their mark on this Champions League campaign. Rob Schoofs nearly gave Union Saint-Gilloise the lead inside five minutes of their slow start as the Belgian team pressed early and had chances right away. Before Atléti started to take charge of the game, USG was a decent bargain in the first half. With little over 30 minutes remaining, José María Giménez, the centre half, had a fantastic chance to put the Spanish team ahead.
Atlético took the lead shortly after this opportunity. After a great counterattack, Simeone's most dangerous player, Alvarez, saw his strike slip by USG goalie Kjell Scherpen. USG had no response when Atléti made their strength and speed matter for the first time. Simeone's team obviously felt more confident after scoring this goal, and they started looking for their second goal to defeat their opponents. When Antoine Griezmann stumbled home from close range, they almost doubled their lead. A VAR review, however, determined that the Frenchman was offside, and the Spaniards entered halftime with a one-goal lead.
As they concluded the first half, Atléti began the second. Defender Dávid Hancko and winger Giuliano Simeone both had missed chances, but the home team put on a strong show and soon earned their second goal. Simeone was rewarded for his side's patience as Gallagher was the target of yet another swift counterattack after they had been pounding on the door for over half. The Englishman was fortunate to have the ball, but his finish was deserving of the second.
When it became evident that USG was losing the game, Atléti lost focus and let the visitors regain the lead. After defender Sykes headed home from a powerful set piece to create some anxiety at the Estadio Metropolitano, chances for striker Promise David became the norm throughout the latter half.
The Atléti's concern was short-lived, though, as they managed to escape the USG push, and Llorente's close-range effort completed a rather unsettling but outstanding performance by Simeone and his team.
JUVE’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DREAMS FALTER AFTER FRUSTRATING NIGHT
Dusan Vlahovic's first-half goal earned Juventus a 1-1 draw with Sporting CP in the Champions League. The result leaves Juve with just 3 points from 4 games, hovering above the elimination places.
Juve’s Champions League Charge Runs Out of Steam - Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images
By putting home Khephren Thuram's low cross in the 34th minute and negating Maximiliano Araujo's early goal for the Portuguese champions, Dusan Vlahovic gave Juventus a point in Turin.
With just three points from four games in Europe's top club competition, Juventus is just above the elimination spots in the league table.
With seven points at the midway stage of the league season, Sporting is comfortably nestled in the play-off spots.
Goal differential is the only thing separating Rui Borges' club from the direct last-16 qualifying spots, but that will alter following Wednesday night's games.
It came as no surprise when Araujo slammed in the first goal off the post in the 12th minute, as Sporting had been the superior team in the first few minutes of the game.
Seconds later, Francisco Trincao watched his wildly deflected effort crash off the woodwork after the crossbar denied the opposing team.
Juve dominated the remainder of the first half after being awakened by that escape, with a revitalised Vlahovic coming close twice before scoring his ninth goal of the year.
When Vlahovic's contract ends next summer, it appears that the club's highest-paid player will depart, since they attempted to transfer him throughout the offseason.
However, club legend and current strategic director Giorgio Chiellini stated that Vlahovic's "door is not closed" to staying in Turin longer.
Following Vlahovic's equaliser, both clubs levelled the score until Jonathan David, a substitute, headed a fantastic chance directly at Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva in stoppage time.
TEN MEN: SPURS SMASH COPENHAGEN 4–0 AFTER VAN DE VEN WORLDIE
Tottenham responded to their Chelsea loss with a stunning 4-0 Champions League win over Copenhagen. A Brennan Johnson red card couldn't stop the rout, capped by a Micky van de Ven wondergoal in a glorious night.
Micky van de Ven, left, scored an astonishing solo goal - Photo Credit: John Walton/PA
A resounding victory in a European competition may cure everything in football. After a terrible home loss to Chelsea this past weekend, Tottenham Hotspur entered today's Champions League group stage encounter against Copenhagen feeling completely deflated. Even though that match was not very good, this one was completely different. Spurs led 2-0 after two goals from Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert in the first and second halves, respectively, with help from Randal Kolo Muani.
VAR then controversially upgraded Johnson's dismissal for a poor sliding challenge to a red card. Spurs appeared to be in for a nervous period of suffering to finish the game. Instead, after being reduced to eleven men, Spurs ran wild.
As a central defender, Micky van de Ven essentially replicated Son Heung-Min's goal against Burnley, scoring what would be a contender for the Puskas Award. Palhinha, a replacement, then scored twice in the second half to put Spurs ahead by four goals, and it was clear who would win in the end. After that, Spurs slowed down, but they still had a chance to score a fifth goal late on when Richarlison, a replacement, put the penalty kick off the bar and out. Dane Scarlett had earned the penalty.
But do not worry about that. It was a performance that swept away all the negative emotions that had accumulated over the previous several games, and it was the kind of glory, glorious night that we all remember. What a show!