Nine goals, a hat-trick, and a stoppage-time stunner defined Wednesday’s Champions League-phase slate, as Fenerbahçe stunned Liverpool 3-2 in Istanbul, Como became only the second team in competition history to score nine in a single away match with a 9-1 rout of Lens, and Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde struck in the 92nd minute to beat AEK Athens 3-2, ESPN Singapore reported.
This was Matchday 4 of the league phase: Liverpool’s defeat in Türkiye gave Fenerbahçe a win, while Como’s seven different scorers helped Cesc Fàbregas’ side reach fourth place with 19 goals from four games. With Matchday 5 less than three weeks away, every point now carries direct qualification weight.
Haaland’s Scoring Rate Defies League Struggles
- Anastasios Douvikas’ hat-trick against Lens stands out in Matchday 4.
- Erling Haaland’s 78th-minute winner keeps his scoring rate above a goal per game against Leipzig specifically, sustaining his status as the competition’s most bankable premium asset despite City’s two recent Premier League defeats.
- Liverpool’s loss in Istanbul gave Fenerbahçe a win in the league phase.
Como’s 9-1 Destruction of Lens Rewrites the European Record Books
The night’s most staggering result came in France, where Cesc Fàbregas’ Como led 3-0 at half-time and scored six more after the break to crush Lens 9-1, Football360 reported. Ruben Aguilar scored Lens’ consolation with the hosts already 7-0 down.
OneFootball noted the historical weight: Como became the first Italian side in European Cup/Champions League history to score at least seven goals away from home, and only the second team ever to score nine in a single European Cup/Champions League away match — the first since 1971. Como had already beaten Leipzig and Manchester United in this league phase, sandwiched around a 3-2 defeat at Feyenoord, and now sit fourth with 19 goals from four games.
Fenerbahçe’s Istanbul Upset and Valverde’s 92nd-Minute Rocket
Liverpool traveled to Türkiye, where Fenerbahçe won 3-2, with Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz among the substitutes left on the bench, OneFootball reported. Meanwhile in Athens, Real Madrid came from behind twice to beat AEK 3-2: Aboubakary Koita opened for the hosts (12′), Jude Bellingham equalized with an improvised flick (32′), Stavros Pilios put AEK ahead (75′), Kylian Mbappé leveled (78′), and Federico Valverde struck a breathtaking winner at 90+2′. Koita was sent off after the final whistle for continuing to protest, Football360 reported. Real Madrid have now won all four league-phase games.
👇🏼 Some huge results in the UCL tonight… • Fenerbahçe beat Liverpool in the early kickoff. • Haaland bails City out against Leipzig. • Como put NINE past Lens. • Porto shock Napoli 4-1. We love the Champions League. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rnBK2xDIMc
City, Arsenal, Dortmund, Porto, Brugge and Viking Complete the Slate
Manchester City edged RB Leipzig 3-2 in a chaotic encounter: Castello Lukeba’s own goal gave City a half-time lead, Ridle Baku equalized early in the second half, Enzo Fernández restored the advantage with a firm header — his first UCL goal for the Citizens — before Antonio Nusa leveled three minutes later. Erling Haaland, who had struggled to make an impact earlier, scored a sliding back-post finish in the 78th minute for the winner, a finish that extends his remarkable scoring average against Leipzig specifically, OneFootball reported. City had arrived after Premier League defeats at Aston Villa and at home to Brighton.
| Fixture | Final Score | Decisive Scorer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Fenerbahçe vs Liverpool | 3-2 | Fenerbahçe win in Istanbul |
| AEK Athens vs Real Madrid | 2-3 | Valverde (90+2′) |
| RB Leipzig vs Man City | 2-3 | Haaland (78′) |
| Slavia Prague vs Arsenal | 1-2 | Nowak (Jurásek assist) |
| Lens vs Como | 1-9 | Douvikas hat-trick (7′, 32′, 57′) |
What the Locker Room Said After the Final Whistle
TNT Sports captured Manchester City players reflecting on a narrow win that demanded total focus.
Where the League Phase Stands After Matchday 4
Real Madrid’s perfect four-from-four keeps them atop the early table picture, while Como’s 19 goals in four games make them the competition’s most prolific attack.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
