Five goals, two red cards and two penalties. The first half of Bayer Leverkusen vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League was wild on Tuesday.
Defending champions PSG went on to win 7-2 to top the table on goal difference, but it was a breathtaking first half at the BayArena that stood out.
Luis Enrique led Germany 4-1 at half-time, with the action ruthless from the moment William Pacho put the visitors ahead with a header in the seventh minute.
What followed was chaos, with both teams reduced to ten men and Leverkusen awarded two penalties. Alex Grimaldo failed to score with the first and hit the post in the 25th.
Eight minutes later, Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich was immediately sent off after a VAR assessment of his elbow on Desire Doue. But PSG then saw Illia Zabarnyi sent off for a foul on Christian Kofane, who was through on goal. Zabarnyi had also received the first penalty.
This time Leverkusen made the chances count, with Aleix Garcia converting. If that offered the home side a lifeline, it didn’t last long as PSG went into overdrive.
Desire Doue’s snap into the penalty area restored the French giants’ lead in the 41st and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck another into the top corner of the post in the 44th.
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In the third minute of extra time in the first half, Doue got his second with a low curling effort. The action didn’t stop after the break. Within five minutes, Nuno Mendes had increased PSG’s lead, but Garcia scored his second and the goal of the match with a long-range shot into the top corner to give the home crowd some cheer.
Notably, Garcia’s celebrations were muted and it would not be the start of a fight, with substitute Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha completing the rout for PSG.
Newcastle goalkeeper Pope receives an unlikely assist with a throw over the halfway line
Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope, second from left, celebrates with teammates after assisting Harvey Barnes to score during the UEFA Champions League match against Benfica. | Photo credit: AP
Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope, second from left, celebrates with teammates after assisting Harvey Barnes to score during the UEFA Champions League match against Benfica. | Photo credit: AP
Some quick thinking from Nick Pope earned the Newcastle goalkeeper an unusual assist after a throw was launched past the halfway line in the Champions League on Tuesday.
In the 70th minute of the 3-0 win over Benfica, the England international was in possession after receiving a cross when he spotted Newcastle substitute Harvey Barnes standing in the space near the halfway line.
Pope ran to the edge of his area and overarmed the ball into Benfica’s half, straight into Barnes’ path. Benfica defender Antonio Silva came over to cover, but could not suppress the goalkeeper’s ambitious pass.
Barnes ran through and placed a low shot into the corner to make it 2-0 to Newcastle in the 70th minute, but most of the celebrations were reserved for Pope, with the goalkeeper being mobbed by teammates in his area.
Published on October 22, 2025
