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The UEFA Champions League 2023-24 witnessed a riveting start on Tuesday, September 19, with football giants Manchester City, PSG, and Barcelona clinching victories. In contrast, Newcastle United marked their much-anticipated return with a stalemate against AC Milan.
Manchester City, the current titleholders, showcased their dominance with a 3-1 win against Red Star Belgrade in the Group G curtain-raiser. The match saw an initial setback for City as Osman Bukari netted a goal just before the interval. However, the tide turned post-halftime, with Julian Alvarez taking centre stage.
Alvarez's brace, the first in collaboration with Erling Haaland and the second due to a blunder by Red Star's keeper, Omri Glazer, set the stage for a comeback. Rodri's goal solidified City's position, marking their 19th successive home victory across all tournaments.
Over in Paris, PSG commenced their campaign with a 2-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund. The spotlight was on Kylian Mbappe, who broke the deadlock with a second-half penalty. Achraf Hakimi's subsequent goal underlined PSG's tactical brilliance, propelling the Ligue 1 champions to the pinnacle of Group F.
Newcastle United's return to the Champions League after 20 years was marked by a commendable 0-0 draw against AC Milan at the iconic San Siro. Milan, despite having multiple scoring opportunities, couldn't convert, with Rafael Leao notably missing out on several occasions. Newcastle, adopting a defensive strategy, managed a solitary shot on target. This result could be pivotal in a group that boasts heavyweights like PSG and Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Barcelona made a statement with a 5-0 demolition of Royal Antwerp in their Group H debut. Joao Felix emerged as the standout player, netting twice and assisting Robert Lewandowski for his landmark 100th European goal. The scoring spree concluded with goals from Gavi and an inadvertent own goal by Jelle Bataille, triggered by Raphinha's strike.
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