Manchester United marked their return to the UEFA Champions League after a three-season absence with a commanding 4-0 victory over Sabah Baku at Old Trafford. Taking full advantage of a kind draw on Matchday 1 of the league phase, the Red Devils outclassed their opponents to get their European campaign up and running in ruthless fashion. It was a statement performance on home turf, signaling United’s intent as they rejoined Europe’s elite club competition after years on the outside looking in.
The hosts took control of the contest and didn’t look back, with four distinct scorers building an insurmountable lead. Matheus Cunha got the scoring started for United before club captain Bruno Fernandes added to the tally. Striker Benjamin Šeško also found the back of the net to put the match well out of reach, and defender Lisandro Martínez completed the four-goal rout. Sabah Baku had no answers for United’s relentless pressure, as the home side controlled every facet of the game from the opening whistle to the final whistle.
The emphatic result at Old Trafford headlined an action-packed Matchday 1 in the UEFA Champions League league phase. Across Europe, Paris Saint-Germain delivered an equally devastating offensive display, crushing Slovan Bratislava 6-1. Ousmane Dembélé set the tone early with goals in the 17th and 23rd minutes, before Ferran Torres took center stage with a hat-trick, scoring in the 31st, 47th and 57th minutes. Fabián Ruiz added PSG’s sixth in the 87th minute, while S. Camara managed Slovan Bratislava’s lone response in the 58th minute.
Elsewhere on the continent, Arsenal claimed a pivotal away win by topping Napoli 1-0, settled by a 75th-minute strike from Martin Ødegaard. In Germany, Jamal Musiala returned to action to help Bayern Munich sink Bodø/Glimt, while Italian side Como marked their first-ever UEFA Champions League match in stunning fashion with a 4-1 win over RB Leipzig, powered by a goal from Martin Baturina.
In Portugal, Sporting CP recovered from an early setback against Galatasaray—where Lucas Torreira scored in the fifth minute—to secure a 3-1 victory courtesy of strikes from Geny Catamo in the 27th minute, a 57th-minute penalty from L. Suárez, and a 63rd-minute effort from Rodrigo Zalazar. Meanwhile, stalemate was the theme in Eindhoven and Istanbul. PSV drew 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk as Sergiño Dest’s 48th-minute goal erased G. Mendoza’s first-half stoppage-time opener, while Fenerbahçe and AS Roma also split the points in a 1-1 draw after Bryan Cristante’s 39th-minute goal was answered by A. Brown three minutes into the second half. For Manchester United, this opening Matchday proved to be the ideal launchpad for their long-awaited Champions League return.
