Champions League Day Three: Scores and More for Thursday's Soccer Matches

Overview

On Thursday, September 15, 2023, the UEFA Champions League entered its third day of match play, with 16 teams taking to the field across Europe. The matches were played in front of packed stadiums and a global television audience, as teams looked to secure early wins and position themselves for qualification to the knockout rounds.

The day's matches featured a mix of exciting contests and surprising results, with several underdogs causing upsets and established powers struggling to find their form. In one of the most eye-catching results, Italian side Atalanta stunned Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, while Portuguese club Benfica held Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw in Lisbon.

Match Results

• Group A: Napoli 4-1 Liverpool, Rangers 0-3 Ajax
• Group B: Porto 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge 1-0 Atletico Madrid
• Group C: Barcelona 3-0 Viktoria Plzen, Inter Milan 2-0 Bayern Munich
• Group D: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt, Sporting CP 3-0 Marseille

Standings and Analysis

1. Group A: Napoli (6 points), Ajax (3 points), Liverpool (3 points), Rangers (0 points)

Napoli emerged as the early frontrunner in Group A after their impressive win over Liverpool. The Italian side now has a two-point lead over Ajax and Liverpool, who are tied on points but separated by goal difference.

2. Group B: Club Brugge (6 points), Porto (3 points), Bayer Leverkusen (3 points), Atletico Madrid (0 points)

Club Brugge made a stunning start to their Champions League campaign by defeating Atletico Madrid in Belgium. The Belgian side now has a two-point lead over Porto, while Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid are still searching for their first points.

3. Group C: Barcelona (6 points), Inter Milan (6 points), Bayern Munich (3 points), Viktoria Plzen (0 points)

Group C is shaping up to be one of the most competitive, with Barcelona and Inter Milan both winning their opening two matches. Bayern Munich, one of the favorites to win the trophy, suffered a surprising defeat to Inter Milan and now finds themselves in third place.

4. Group D: Tottenham Hotspur (6 points), Sporting CP (6 points), Eintracht Frankfurt (3 points), Marseille (0 points)

Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting CP are the early leaders in Group D after both teams won their opening two matches. Eintracht Frankfurt, last season's Europa League champions, are in third place with three points, while Marseille is still searching for their first points.

Conclusion

The third day of Champions League action provided plenty of excitement and surprises. Underdogs Atalanta and Benfica pulled off impressive results against Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, while Bayern Munich's defeat to Inter Milan sent shockwaves through the competition.

As the Champions League enters its fourth round of matches next week, the battle for qualification to the knockout rounds is set to intensify. With several teams still in contention in each group, the remaining fixtures promise to be just as thrilling and unpredictable as the