Nobody saw this coming. Cesc Fàbregas’ Como went to France and won 9-1. The same night, Liverpool’s perfect start ended in Istanbul. Real Madrid won with a goal in stoppage time and Man United came from two goals down. The league phase is now halfway through, and the table is starting to take shape.
🔥 Lens 1-9 Como: history made
Como won by eight goals away from home. That equals the biggest winning margin the Champions League has ever seen, matching Liverpool’s 8-0 over Beşiktaş and Madrid’s 8-0 over Malmö. Bayern are the only other club to score nine in a single game.
They were 3-0 up at half-time, and then the floodgates opened. Tasos Douvikas scored a hat-trick, so he has now scored in all four of Como’s UCL games. Nico Paz, Mattia Liberali and Martin Baturina all got on the scoresheet. To finish it off, 18-year-old Matteo Papaccioli scored on his debut in stoppage time. Eight different Como players scored.
Como are now fourth in the table and a real threat.
😱 Fenerbahçe 3-2 Liverpool: Kuyt beats his old club
Liverpool were on top for long spells and led twice, and they still lost.
Teenager Trey Nyoni opened the scoring with a deflected volley, his first goal for the club. Mason Greenwood equalised. Sub Alexander Isak headed Liverpool back in front on 69 minutes. Then the Reds collapsed: Archie Brown made it 2-2, and Vedat Muriqi climbed above three defenders to head the winner on 79 minutes.
Fener’s caretaker boss is Dirk Kuyt, a former Liverpool favourite. Liverpool had 68% of the ball and still lost, and their 100% record is gone.
⚡ The comebacks
AEK 2-3 Real Madrid. AEK led twice, through Aboubakary Koïta and then Stavros Pilios. Jude Bellingham equalised the first time and Kylian Mbappé equalised the second. In the 92nd minute, Fede Valverde won it with a thunderbolt from outside the box. Madrid stay perfect on 12 points.
Man United 3-2 Roma. United were 2-0 down after 17 minutes and Michael Carrick was under huge pressure. Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty, then Matheus Cunha scored twice late on. Cunha was booked for taking his shirt off after the winner and then sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow. The win ends a nine-game winless run. It is also the second time this season Roma have lost after leading by two goals, which no team had ever done before in a single season.
RB Leipzig 2-3 Man City. Leipzig equalised twice, but Erling Haaland slid in Elliot Anderson’s cross to win it 12 minutes from time. That’s 13 goals in nine games against Leipzig for Haaland, his best record against any club.
💪 The statement wins
- Villarreal 0-6 PSG. PSG were 4-0 up after 17 minutes. Fabián Ruiz scored twice, João Neves scored one and set up two more, and Doué, Mayulu and Boly also scored. The holders have four wins from four.
- Barcelona 3-0 Aston Villa. João Gomes passed straight to Lamine Yamal, who scored, and Raphinha then scored twice. Raphinha now has 19 goals in 13 games this season. Villa’s perfect start is over.
- Atlético 0-2 Bayern. Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer scored. It is Bayern’s first-ever win at Atlético.
- Feyenoord 0-3 Inter. A routine away win that takes Chivu’s side to six points.
- Porto 4-1 Napoli. Napoli had a man sent off and Porto scored three times in the last 20 minutes. Napoli are in serious trouble.
📋 All the results
Tuesday 3 November
| Shakhtar Donetsk | 0-1 | Sporting CP |
| Galatasaray | 2-0 | Stuttgart |
| Atlético Madrid | 0-2 | Bayern Munich |
| Barcelona | 3-0 | Aston Villa |
| Feyenoord | 0-3 | Inter |
| Bodø/Glimt | 0-0 | Lille |
| LASK | 4-0 | Slovan Bratislava |
| Man United | 3-2 | Roma |
| Villarreal | 0-6 | PSG |
Wednesday 4 November
| AEK Athens | 2-3 | Real Madrid |
| Fenerbahçe | 3-2 | Liverpool |
| Dortmund | 2-1 | Real Betis |
| Porto | 4-1 | Napoli |
| PSV | 1-2 | Club Brugge |
| RB Leipzig | 2-3 | Man City |
| Lens | 1-9 | Como |
| Slavia Prague | 1-2 | Arsenal |
| Viking | 4-1 | Sabah |
📊 Table snapshot
- Perfect: PSG and Real Madrid, both 12 points
- Unbeaten: Arsenal, 10 points
- On 9 points: Como, Barcelona, Aston Villa, Man City, Liverpool, Club Brugge, Sporting, Real Betis, Dortmund
- Danger zone: Napoli, Villarreal, Leipzig and Porto all have 3 points
- Bottom: Slavia Prague 1, Lille 1, Slovan Bratislava 0
💰 XScore Matchday 5 picks (24–25 Nov)
| Fixture | Home win % | Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid v PSV | 78% | Madrid win |
| Como v AEK Athens | 75% | Como win & over 2.5 goals |
| Man City v Napoli | 74% | City win |
| Arsenal v Dortmund | 70% | Arsenal win |
| Galatasaray v Aston Villa | 37% (Villa 39%) | Both teams to score |
Win probabilities come from pre-match data models. Bet responsibly. Over 18s only.
🎯 The verdict
PSG and Madrid look like the two teams to beat. Arsenal are grinding out results, and Liverpool’s mistakes at set pieces have been exposed. The biggest story of the week is Como: a team that put nine past Lens and is fourth in the table can’t be called a novelty any more. They’re contenders.
