This week saw the long-awaited return of UEFA Champions League football after exactly two months since the ending of the group stages. These first four games saw some of Europe’s most elite sides return to European action, and they didn’t let us down as they provided plenty of action and goals.
Read on as we take our pick of the best five goals from this week’s UEFA Champions League fixtures:
Kevin De Bruyne – 13 February 2024
FC Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City
The first of three goals for Manchester City in this game came from the boot of Belgian magician Kevin De Bruyne, marking his eighth goal contribution in his first seven games since returning from his long-term injury.
The goal came from a lovely switched pass from Ruben Dias to Phil Foden who took the ball down brilliantly before quickly releasing a reverse pass into the path of De Bruyne. The midfielder looked as though he had to put the ball across the box with the angle on goal rapidly closing on him, but with his first touch, De Bruyne swept his shot across the keeper and into the far corner to make it 1-0 in style.
Bradley Barcola – 14 February 2024
PSG 2-0 Real Sociedad
Bradley Barcola scored his first-ever Champions League goal in PSG’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad, and it came from a fantastic run.
The ball was played into Barcola just inside the Sociedad half and Barcola took no time in taking on his first man. However, his touch looked to be too heavy as the ball started to run away from him into the Sociedad box. With an opposition defender and the goalkeeper both rushing towards the ball Barcola accelerated onto the ball and managed to get there first, poking it past the keeper and into the net.
Magnus Mattsson – 13 February 2024
FC Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City
Magnus Mattsson’s goal saw him equalise for his new side in his first game since joining from NEC Nijmegen in the January window.
Manchester City looked as though they were comfortable in possession in the build-up to this goal, with the ball being played back to Ederson who looked to play it across to his full-back Nathan Ake. However, his pass was poor and ended up at the feet of Mohamed Elyounoussi whose initial shot was blocked by Ruben Dias. The resulting rebound fell perfectly into the path of Mattsson just outside the area, and he made no mistakes as he opened his body up and curled one into the top right corner to equalise for Copenhagen.
Phil Foden – 13 February 2024
FC Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City
Phil Foden capped off an excellent
display with a late goal having already assisted one earlier on in the game.
The chance began with Erling Haaland racing through on goal with his eventual shot blocked and then another saved shot when the ball was clipped towards the back post by Matheus Nunes. City managed to recycle the ball after these chances with it eventually being played to Foden who played a ball into De Bruyne who was heading towards the byline. It looked as though De Bruyne had nowhere to go, but the world-class midfielder showed his excellence with a beautiful reverse pass that took two defenders out of the game and headed straight to Foden in the box, and Foden made no mistake with the finish to cap off a 3-1 win for City in the first leg.
Brahim Diaz – 13 February 2024
RB Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid
The best of them all came as the sole goal in Real Madrid’s controversial 1-0 win over RB Leipzig.
RB Leipzig could have been 1-0 up early on in the game but Benjamin Sesko’s goal was ruled out because of a contentious offside decision. Andrey Lunin then played a huge part as he saved nine shots, including five from inside the box, as he kept Real Madrid in the game.
Brahim Diaz made the most of his goalkeeper’s heroics early in the second half as he showed his technical genius. Brahim received the ball off of Dani Carvajal and turned the first onrushing defender without needing to touch the ball. Faced with three defenders in front of him it looked as though he had nowhere to go, but in Lionel Messi-like fashion he cut in past one and then past another before bending his shot into the far corner to end an outstanding move.
Which goal was your favourite? Comment below!
1 Comment
by Isaac Nuhu
Real Madrid fc.