Normally at this stage of a Champions League group stage, an evening would be filled with qualification dama.
Sadly, as far as this SBOTOP writer is concerned, some of those elements have now disappeared thanks to the eight-match phase introduced last season which runs until late January.
All in all, it means the first night of matchday six lacked some of the sparkle we normally have seen.
Not that Olympiakos, Atalanta, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Spurs, Monaco, or Marseille will mind.
For they were the winners on the night and, with the exception of the French duo (who are further back) and Greek champions, the results could prove crucial in the race to finish in the top eight and automatically reach the last 16 of the competition next spring.
Bayern are up to second in the standings after coming from behind to see off Sporting Lisbon on home soil.
It was an ideal way for the Bavarians to bounce back from their reverse at Arsenal a fortnight ago, and another night when a talented teenager shone on the big stage.
Then, a 17 year-old by the name of Lennart Karl became the second youngest player to score in consecutive Champions League appearances (17 years and 277 days), behind Lamine Yamal (17 years and 270 days).
He was at it again in the Allianz Arena as the runaway Bundesliga leaders netted three times in 12 second half minutes.
Sporting had gone in front nine minutes after the break when Joshua Kimmich scored in his own net as the midfielder tried to cut out an Ivan Fresneda cross.
The response from the hosts was swift.
Bayern levelled when Serge Gnabry was left unmarked and volleyed home a Michael Olise delivery and that was quickly followed by a European goal for the third game in a row for Karl as he controlled a lofted pass from Konrad Laimer and produced a smart finish.
Jonathan Tah added a third, stabbing home after Gnabry had nodded the ball into his path from a deep free-kick.
The headlines though, went to Karl who, less than a year after he was playing under-19s football, is being tipped as a possible inclusion in Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad. His rise has been remarkable.
The Italians of Atalanta may be struggling in Serie A but their Europan form is quite different and they moved up to third in the standings by coming from behind to win and inflict a possibly costly defeat on Chelsea.
La Dea started their Euro campaign with a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain but then regained some poise to see off Club Brugges and draw with Slavia Prague.
Since then, Raffaele Palladino’s men have enjoyed back-to-back away wins over Marseille and Eintracht Frankfurt and this victory saw them leapfrog the west Londoners.
Chelsea, who saw off 10-man Barcelona 3-0 a few weeks ago, got their noses in front when Joao Pedro turned in a cross from captain Reece James.
Yet the 2024 Europa League winners were always a threat, led by former Charlton and Everton frontman Ademola Lookman, and deservedly levelled through another ex-Premier League frontman as one-time West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca headed home.
It was left to Charles De Ketelaere to drive home the winner seven minutes from time to spark home celebrations and take Chelsea out of the top eight.
Inter Milan have slipped to sixth after they were beaten at home.
A late penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai was enough to settle the contest and move Liverpool up into eighth place in the process.
If Inter have now lost two on the bounce, it’s Atletico Madrid who are finding form at the right time.
They saw off I Nerazzurri last time out and this time came from behind to win at PSV Eindhoven.
The Champions League 2025 betting odds don’t have Atletico amongst the front runners for this competition but any side managed Diego Simeone, who has twice guided them to the final (in 2014 and 2016), cannot be written off and, after falling behind early on, goals either side of the break from Julian Alvarez, David Hancko and Alexander Sorloth gave the visitors a two-goal cushion and they ran out 3-2 winners.
Also, watch out for Barcelona who have climbed up to 14th place, hot on the heels of many of their rivals, after they delivered two quick fire Champions League 2025 highlights.
Their first Champions League game at the Nou Camp for three years was not going the way the home faithful wanted as Eintracht Frankfurt led at the break through a cool Ansgar Knauff finish.
But an unlikely hero emerged for the Catalans in the shape of defender Jules Kounde who headed in an equaliser from substitute Marcus Rashford’s cross before connecting three minutes later from a Yamal delivery – all this in the opening eight minutes of the second half.
In previous years, Barca’s points tally after six games would have almost certainly meant a likely exit. Now with January games to come against Slavia Prague and FC Copenhagen, it would take a brave man to bet against them finishing in the top eight.
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