Como’s nine-goal night against Lens was the most startling result of a Champions League matchday that produced goals at an extraordinary rate. The Italian side, in their first Champions League campaign, routed Lens 9-1 on the road, becoming just the second team in competition history to score nine times in a single game.
Como's attacking clinic
Como have now scored 19 goals in their first four Champions League matches and have won three of them. They have lost only two of their first 14 games in all competitions this season, scoring at least twice on 10 occasions and at least four times in four matches. They have also beaten Manchester United and RB Leipzig and won away at Napoli.
Cesc Fabregas has drawn praise for his management, and the squad’s attacking talent has compensated for the absence of the injured Moise Kean, who has played only 158 minutes. Nico Paz, 22, has six goals and eight assists in all competitions; Martin Baturina, 23, has five goals and two assists; and veteran center forward Anastasios Douvikas has 11 goals and one assist.
Against Lens, Como attempted 18 shots worth 4.3 expected goals and overachieved that total by 109%. Douvikas took three shots worth 1.7 xG and scored with all three. Every goal came from a shot worth at least 0.12 xG, and all but one originated from inside 12 meters. The goals came from quick combinations, transitions and precise finishing rather than speculative long-range strikes. Substitutes Mattia Liberali, Martin Baturina and Matteo Papaccioli added late goals as Como kept pouring forward.
Manchester United's improbable comeback
Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Roma at Old Trafford may prove to be a season-defining result, though their schedule offers little breathing room. United trailed 2-0 after Roma scored twice early, and Bruno Fernandes needed a retaken penalty — after missing the first attempt — to get them on the board. From that moment, Old Trafford shifted, and United completed the comeback with two goals from Matheus Cunha.
The win ended a nine-match winless run that had seen fans protest by throwing tennis balls onto the pitch. During that stretch, United scored only six goals from shots worth 9.9 xG and conceded 18 from shots worth 16.6 xG, posting a negative xG differential in every game. Manager Michael Carrick has been criticized, but the club’s broader problems include poor spending and injuries: €75.9 million signing Carlos Baleba has managed only 397 minutes, and several high earners have contributed little.
United host Aston Villa on Sunday before visiting Liverpool and Sporting CP and hosting Brentford and Newcastle. Opta gives them only a 9.5% chance of finishing in the Premier League top seven.
PSG's relentless form
Paris Saint-Germain dismantled Villarreal 6-0 despite missing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes. PSG led 4-0 after 17 minutes and have now won all four Champions League matches by a combined 20-5, including victories over Manchester City and Barcelona. They have won 10 straight in all competitions by a combined 36-9, and their expected league-phase point total has risen more than any other team’s, according to Opta’s power ratings.
Real Madrid, Club Brugge and Real Betis also saw their expected point totals rise by at least 4.4 points. The biggest drops belonged to Slavia Prague, Lille, AEK Athens and Slovan Bratislava, which have combined for one win and five points in 16 matches.
Donnarumma's costly dip
Gianluigi Donnarumma has long been an elite shot-stopper, but his recent form for Manchester City is a concern. Using Stats Perform’s Goals Prevented metric, he was positive in each of the previous five seasons, including +6.8 in 2025-26. This season he sits at -1.2, and over his last six games in all competitions he is at -4.0. City have lost three of their last seven matches and conceded 12 goals in that span, though they did beat RB Leipzig on Wednesday despite Donnarumma allowing two goals from shots on target with a post-shot xG of 2.0.
Midway Best XI
At the midpoint of the league phase, the standout performers include goalkeeper David Raya of Arsenal, right back Achraf Hakimi of PSG, center backs Mykola Matviienko of Shakhtar Donetsk and Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munich, left back David Raum of RB Leipzig, defensive midfielder Declan Rice of Arsenal, central midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha of PSG, attacking midfielder Nico Paz of Como, wingers Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and Desire Doue of PSG, and center forward Harry Kane of Bayern Munich.
Yamal, still only 19, became the competition’s all-time leading teenage goalscorer on Tuesday. Paz has three goals and five assists and has received 60 line-breaking passes, second only to Yamal. Kane has attempted the most shots (20) and has four goals and three assists. Doue has three goals and two assists despite playing only 218 of 360 minutes.
