Chelsea delivered one of their strongest performances of the season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Barcelona, while Manchester City endured another frustrating Champions League outing with a 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
The London side capitalised on Barcelona’s defensive errors and numerical disadvantage after Ronald Araujo was dismissed for a second bookable offence late in the first half. Chelsea struck first when Jules Kounde diverted the ball into his own net, before Estevao added a curled finish early in the second half and Liam Delap completed the scoring from close range.
The win marked Chelsea’s third in the league phase as they continue their climb toward the top of the standings.
Guardiola’s milestone ruined by Leverkusen brilliance
Pep Guardiola’s landmark 100th Champions League match as Man City coach ended in disappointment. With ten changes made after their Premier League loss to Newcastle — including Erling Haaland starting on the bench — City looked disjointed and vulnerable to Leverkusen’s rapid counterattacks.
Alejandro Grimaldo’s precise low shot opened the scoring, and Patrik Schick’s strong header doubled the hosts’ lead, sealing a deserved victory.
City missed the chance to rise to the summit of their group, with Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter Milan all set to play on Wednesday.
Elsewhere: Benfica, Napoli claim victories
Jose Mourinho earned his first Champions League triumph with Benfica as they defeated Ajax 2-0, thanks to an early goal from Samuel Dahl. Napoli also recorded a win in their fixture, rounding out a dramatic night in Europe.
