Liverpool began their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, giving new manager Andoni Iraola a winning start in Europe's top competition. Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Arsenal also opened their campaigns with victories as the tournament's leading clubs got off the mark.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain made a smooth start to their bid for a third consecutive Champions League title as Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona kicked off their campaign by scoring five goals against Feyenoord, while Arsenal impressed with a 1-0 win at Napoli.
PSG, who are hoping to become only the fourth club to win three European Cups in a row, visit Manchester City and host Barca in their next two European games.
"It is the Champions League, we always play against tough teams, but we have to be focused first in Ligue 1 because we didn't start in the right way," said Torres, with PSG yet to win a domestic game this season.
But they wasted little time in picking apart Yaya Toure's Slovan at the Parc des Princes.
Ousmane Dembélé hammered in a rebound and then nodded in a deflected cross to put Luis Enrique's men two goals ahead inside 22 minutes.
Torres tapped home Dembele's cross just after the half-hour mark and drilled in his second less than two minutes after the restart.
Spain's World Cup final hero completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, shanking a shot with his knee that spun into the bottom corner.
Suleiman Camara crashed in a consolation for Slovan, but Fabian Ruiz had the final say for PSG when he pounced on a mishit clearance.
Liverpool made it successive victories after winning at Ipswich in the Premier League last week by beating Atletico 2-1 at Anfield.
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Atletico grabbed a 17th-minute lead as Julian Alvarez, starting for the first time this season after failing to force a move away from the club, played in Marcos Llorente to dink the ball over Alisson in the Liverpool goal.
Llorente has now scored five times in three visits to Anfield, after netting a double at Liverpool last season and in Atletico's dramatic last-16 victory in 2020.
Liverpool hit back five minutes before the break through Dominik Szoboszlai, courtesy of a clever backheeled pass from Ronald Araujo.
Alexis Mac Allister then hammered the hosts in front five minutes into the second half with a left-footed strike from outside the box, and Atletico could not find a response.
"I've loved it. The atmosphere has been incredible and I feel lucky, lucky to experience it," said Liverpool's new manager Andoni Iraola after his Champions League coaching debut.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
