The midweek Champions League fixtures produced another wave of surprises, drama, and emotional endings. From Barcelona’s chaotic night in Bruges to Qarabağ’s fearless performance against Chelsea, Matchday 4 had everything — goals, VAR controversies, and historic results.
Qarabağ Hold Chelsea in a Thrilling Draw
Chelsea’s trip to Baku began with an early setback when Romeo Lavia limped off injured after just five minutes. However, the Londoners quickly found their rhythm. Estevão, the 17-year-old Brazilian wonderkid, opened the scoring with a sharp dribble and a precise strike into the near post.
But Qarabağ, backed by a roaring home crowd, refused to back down. Duran’s solo run led to Leandro Andrade’s equalizer on the rebound, and moments later the hosts took the lead through a penalty confidently converted by Janković.
Chelsea pushed hard and finally leveled thanks to Alejandro Garnacho’s composed finish. Qarabağ nearly completed an unforgettable upset in stoppage time when Kaschuk’s shot forced a huge save from Kepa Kocalski. The 2–2 draw marked a historic result — Qarabağ now have seven points after four matches, a stunning improvement after losing 0–10 on aggregate to Chelsea in their previous encounters.
VAR Rescues Barcelona in Bruges
Over in Belgium, Barcelona barely escaped with a point after a breathtaking 3–3 draw against Club Brugge. The Catalans’ defense looked shaky from the start as Carlos Forbes set up Tresoldi for the opener. Fermin López and Ferran Torres responded quickly, but Brugge kept hitting back through rapid counterattacks.
Lamín Yamal’s creative backheel assist and stunning goal brought Barcelona level again, but Forbes struck twice more to put Brugge ahead. In stoppage time, Wojciech Szczęsny’s misplaced pass led to a potential fourth Brugge goal — only for VAR to intervene and disallow it due to a foul in the buildup. The decision spared Barça a nightmare defeat, but their defensive issues remain a major concern. Brugge, meanwhile, earned standing ovations for one of their best European performances in decades.
Inter’s Narrow Win, Lautaro Keeps Scoring
In Milan, Inter continued their perfect Champions League start with a 2–1 win over Kairat. Lautaro Martínez — who has struggled in Serie A — scored for the third consecutive European match, equaling club legends Samuel Eto’o and Adriano.
Kairat’s Arad equalized from a corner, but a late strike from Carlos Augusto sealed Inter’s fourth straight victory. For coach Cristian Chivu, it was a record-breaking start to the campaign, while Kairat earned respect for their brave display in the club’s debut UCL season.
Newcastle and Atalanta Impress, Mourinho Still Winless
At St. James’ Park, Newcastle claimed another big win, beating Athletic Bilbao 2–0 with goals from Dan Burn and Joelinton. Eddie Howe’s team now sits comfortably in the top eight overall — a stark contrast to their inconsistent Premier League form.
In Marseille, Atalanta stunned the hosts 2–1 after a late winner from Lazar Samardzic. The result added more pressure on Roberto De Zerbi, whose side has now lost seven of ten European matches.
Meanwhile, in Lisbon, José Mourinho’s Benfica continued to struggle. The team hit the woodwork twice and missed several clear chances before Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick punished a defensive error to score the only goal. Benfica have now lost all four of their matches in the competition — repeating their worst-ever Champions League start from 2018 and 2023.
Elsewhere: Napoli and Haaland Make History
Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer — just days before his 42nd birthday — could do little to stop Victor Osimhen’s hat-trick as Napoli cruised to a 4–0 victory. The Nigerian striker became the first player from his country to score three in a single UCL match.
Erling Haaland also reached a milestone, becoming the first player ever to record scoring streaks of five consecutive UCL matches for three different clubs — Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City.
Champions League in Numbers:
- Estevão (Chelsea) became the first South American under 19 to score in consecutive UCL games.
- Qarabağ earned their first-ever points against an English team in European competition.
- Phil Foden (Man City) now has 11 goals from outside the box since the start of the 2023/24 season — more than any other Premier League player.
- Bernardo Silva reached 100 Champions League appearances.
As the tournament moves toward its decisive rounds, the battles for knockout qualification promise even more twists — with giants like Barcelona, Benfica, and Chelsea still fighting to secure their future in Europe.
