Thu Sep 19 09:09:18 UTC 2024: ## Champions League Goals Go Missing in First Round Games

The first round of the newly formatted Champions League saw a surprising lack of goals on Wednesday, with only 13 scored across six matches, a stark contrast to the 28 goals witnessed on Tuesday. This is a significant drop from the average of three goals per game seen in last season’s competition.

The highlight of the goal-shy evening was a pair of 0-0 draws, including a rematch of last year’s final between Manchester City and Inter Milan. The stalemate between Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk further added to the uncharacteristic lack of scoring.

Paris Saint-Germain narrowly avoided a blank thanks to a 90th-minute blunder by Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who gifted the French side a 1-0 win. Borussia Dortmund, known for their strong defense, secured a 3-0 victory against Club Brugge, with late goals from substitutes Jamie Gittens and Serhou Guirassy.

Sparta Prague, back in the Champions League for the first time in 19 years, dominated Salzburg with a 3-0 victory. Celtic also enjoyed a comfortable 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava, showcasing their offensive prowess.

The new Champions League format, which features 36 teams competing in a single league table before progressing to the knockout phase, promises excitement and unpredictability. Thursday’s games will see Barcelona face Monaco, Atalanta take on Arsenal, and Bayer Leverkusen visit Feyenoord.

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