The fourth round of the UEFA Champions League featured key matches that marked a turning point in the tournament. Bayern Munich defeated defending champions Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 away at Parc des Princes, while Real Madrid was defeated 1-0 by Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal leads the group after a 3-0 win at Slavia Prague.
Bayern Munich has established itself as one of the strongest contenders for the continental title this season. Winning at PSG’s home ground despite playing the entire second half with ten men after Colombian winger Luis Díaz’s red card indicates the German champion’s strength.
Bayern started this season perfectly, winning all 16 matches across all competitions, and they top the Champions League table tied with English leader Arsenal, whom they will face at the Emirates Stadium on November 26.
Bayern weathered PSG’s pressure after Díaz’s sending off. PSG scored once through João Neves but failed to capitalize fully and suffered its first loss in defending the title.
Joshua Kimmich, Bayern’s midfielder, said: “At this moment, we are definitely the best team in Europe. We lead the Champions League, and we will face Arsenal next. We can see our true position again. There are teams performing strongly early in the tournament. However, what matters most is how we perform in March, April, and May.”
Kimmich added: “We hurt Paris a lot. We were fully focused and created many good chances, demonstrating strong physical presence. I can say it was one of the strongest first halves I’ve experienced from both teams, and the man-marking continued. The second half felt even more intense.”
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said: “We know the Champions League is not decided yet, but we have gained very important three points.”
Kompany praised his team’s resilience after the red card, highlighting defenders Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano alongside goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, while their attack led by Harry Kane had been in the spotlight in previous matches.
PSG’s loss revealed deeper issues with increasing injuries, a chronic problem since the season began. Key players Ousmane Dembélé and Ashraf Hakimi left the pitch injured, continuing a string of absences that have deprived coach Luis Enrique of his full squad since the season started.
Enrique said: “I don’t remember a single match where all players were physically ready. It’s a different season, and we must manage that. I’m calm and confident we will recover our players and form.” Dembélé, who missed seven previous games due to a thigh muscle injury, started in this Champions League season for the first time but left after 25 minutes with leg pains. Enrique clarified: “The injury is unrelated to the previous one; it is not a setback.”
Shortly before halftime, Hakimi had to leave after a harsh challenge from Luis Díaz. Hakimi, one of the few PSG players to avoid injury this season, left crying and was later seen walking out on crutches.
Enrique added: “That’s football’s nature; it’s a contact sport. It’s unfortunate for Hakimi, but such acts happen with a bit of bad luck.”
After an exceptional 2024-2025 season with 65 matches played and four titles (Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and French Super Cup), PSG seems to be paying for the physical toll.
Their season ended in mid-July after the Club World Cup, leaving little time for rest before the new season. Enrique acknowledged the difficulty: “When we recover injured players, they are not fully ready. That’s something we must improve. The season is long, and it’s all about managing such moments.”
Despite these challenges, PSG still leads Ligue 1 and ranks third in the Champions League standings with nine points. Enrique says he looks to upcoming phases calmly: “I’m calm and relaxed because I know we will get through all this. We will regain our players and our usual level.”
In another top match, Liverpool made the most of home advantage and fan support with an important 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
After losing six of their last seven matches and before a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool hadn’t kept a clean sheet in ten games across all competitions but showed defensive solidity against Real’s attack, delivering their best performance this season.
Real Madrid arrived at Anfield after an impressive scoring rate but managed very few chances. Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved them from a heavy defeat with several top-class saves.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said: “We were under pressure due to poor results and criticism of our defense. In a chaotic world, you have to stay calm and look at things differently. We all know how football goes; things can change overnight.”
Liverpool coach Arne Slot said: “Playing in front of such passionate fans gives us loads of confidence for important matches. To play against a team like Real Madrid, you need their support to bring out the best. We played brilliantly against a team that lost only once all season and the scoreline could have been bigger.”
Arsenal continued their brilliance this season with their tenth consecutive win in all competitions after defeating Slavia Prague 3-0.
Spanish coach Mikel Arteta praised his players, highlighting their strong desire to reach new levels of excellence. Arsenal equaled the club record for consecutive clean sheets, breaking a Champions League record when Max Daumann appeared as a substitute at 15 years and 308 days old, becoming the youngest player in the competition’s history. Arsenal also matched Leeds’ record from the 1969-1970 season as the first English team to win their first four European matches without conceding a goal.
Arsenal kept a clean sheet for the eighth consecutive match, tying a club record dating back to 1903. Arteta commented: “That was a long time ago, which shows how difficult this achievement is. There is a lot of work and effort to reach that. What pleases me most is not the record itself but the players’ mentality. They talk about how to improve our performance more. If we do this, we can continue progressing and the record will have more meaning.”
Bayern and Arsenal’s record-breaking starts make them favorites to advance to the finals, while injury troubles for Hakimi are troubling PSG
