In the fourth round of the Champions League, all eyes were on two high-voltage clashes. At Anfield, Liverpool defeated Real Madrid 1–0, while in Paris, defending champions Paris Saint-Germain fell 2–1 to Bayern Munich, who played with ten men.
The Liverpool Real Madrid matchup held emotional significance beyond the field. Former Red Trent Alexander-Arnold returned to his old home ground and faced heavy boos as he came on as a substitute. Real coach Xabi Alonso, also a former Liverpool player, left disappointed after the defeat.
Although the Spanish giants lost by a narrow margin, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois almost single-handedly kept them in the game. He made at least eight crucial saves, including three from point-blank range. Only Alexis Mac Allister’s powerful header in the 61st minute found the net. Liverpool fans, however, were upset after being denied a clear penalty. The ball struck Real’s Tchouaméni inside the box before halftime. Initially judged a free-kick outside the box, VAR confirmed it was inside, but the referee refused to award a penalty, deeming it a “natural position.” In contrast, Arsenal were given a penalty for a similar handball incident against Slavia Prague. Arsenal won 3–0, with Bukayo Saka converting from the spot and Mikel Merino scoring twice.
Meanwhile in Paris, Bayern Munich stunned PSG 2–1. Luis Díaz scored twice, taking advantage of defensive errors in the 4th and 32nd minutes. However, the Colombian striker nearly turned villain after receiving a straight red card for a dangerous foul during first-half stoppage time. In the second half, PSG managed only one goal through João Neves as they failed to complete the comeback.
For now, Bayern Munich and Arsenal lead the table.
