The Champions League's new league phase opened with a flurry of storylines across Europe, chief among them Barcelona's statement 5-1 win over Feyenoord at Camp Nou, with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha shining as the club continues its pursuit of a first European crown since 2015. Elsewhere, Irish forward Troy Parrott extended his remarkable run of form, scoring for Real Betis in a 3-2 win over Lille just days after netting the winner against Real Madrid, a result made sweeter by his rejection as a Spurs teenager by José Mourinho.

Other notable moments included confusion at Fenerbahce, where coach Ismail Kartal resigned after a 1-1 draw with Roma only for club president Aziz Yildirim to refuse to accept it, and a stellar display from Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, who scored twice in a 5-1 second-half rout of Bodø/Glimt to boost his Ballon d'Or credentials. Manchester United also beat Azerbaijani champions Sabah 4-0, a side coached by Valdas Dambrauskas, a former United academy coach and one-time pub cleaner whose move into management was partly funded by a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire win.