Club of Five – Cholo’s resurrection and Bayern’s training match

Never doubt Diego Simeone. Never. He can get on your nerves, he can come across as unlikeable, he can be criticized for how he manages a squad with so much attacking talent—but sooner or later, Cholo always strikes back.

After the worst start to a La Liga season since taking charge of Atlético, he responded with two goal-packed wins that lifted the mood at the Metropolitano. First, in the city derby, he put five past Real Madrid, and then in the Champions League he handed Eintracht Frankfurt the same punishment—5:1.

In just three days, the Argentine silenced fierce public criticism, and now his nickname is once again being chanted from the stands. He had to watch this clash with the Bundesliga side from the stands due to his suspension from Anfield two weeks ago, but Atletico played like the old days—ruthless, merciless, unstoppable.

Like in their title-winning campaigns: once they caught their opponent, they never let go until the job was done. The Germans never stood a chance. The game was practically over from the very beginning. Giacomo Raspadori struck in the 4th minute, and although Atletico sometimes had a tendency to “switch off” after taking the lead in La Liga, this time the electric atmosphere from the derby carried them to a commanding victory.

Shortly after, newcomer Robin Le Normand scored his first Champions League goal with a header, and just before halftime Antoine Griezmann made history as the first Atleti player ever to reach 200 goals for the club. Fun fact: he now needs just one more to hit the 200 mark in La Liga as well.

Atletico looked like a team in a trance, eager to wash away the sins of a poor start. Giuliano Simeone added the fourth to keep the party going at the Metropolitano, and of course, what would the night be without Julian Alvarez on the scoresheet?

The “Spider” did it from the penalty spot in the closing minutes, capping off another dazzling display that included two assists. And all this against a side that had just hammered Borussia Monchengladbach 6–0 days earlier.

Cholo is back!

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Bundesliga champions showed Pafos exactly how brutal the Champions League can be when you step onto the pitch with too much respect for your opponent. It wasn’t just about this being the Cypriot champions’ first ever home game in the competition—it looked as though their legs gave out against the Bavarian machine. Bayern crushed them 5:1, and it could have been much worse.

If their debut in Piraeus was something of a honeymoon, against Bayern it was a cruel awakening. Pafos looked like an average sprinter trying to compete with Usain Bolt in the 100 meters. Bayern moved at a frightening pace, leaving the hosts bewildered as to which player to chase. Big favorites don’t like to mess around with debutants, and Vincent Kompany’s side treated the match as if they were facing a serious contender for the knockout stage.

It was all over inside half an hour. Who else but Harry Kane opened the scoring after a pass from Michael Olise, and then struck again just before halftime. That brought his tally to 21 Champions League goals for Bayern in just 26 games—matching the 21 he scored for Tottenham, but in six fewer matches.

Kane’s double, along with a finish from Raphael Guerreiro, paved the way for a long night for the home fans. Bayern looked like they wanted ten, with even Nicolas Jackson getting in on the act to register his first goal for the club.

Although Olise added a fifth in the second half and Bayern created more chances, Pafos at least had one shining moment. Mislav Orsic scored the club’s first ever Champions League goal, and he did it in style—driving forward before unleashing a rocket from 25 meters into the top corner. A goal to remember, even in defeat.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2

Tuesday

Atalanta - Club Brugge 2-1 (0-1)

/Samardzic 73 pen, Pasalic 87 - Tzolis 38/

Kairat - Real Madrid 0-5 (0-1)

/Mbappe 25 pen, 52, 74, Camavinga 83, Diaz 90+3/

Atletico Madrid - Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 (3-0)

/Raspadori 4, Le Normand 33, Griezmann 45+1, 68, Alvarez 82 pen - Burkardt 57/

Bodo/Glimt - Tottenham 2-2 (0-0)

/Hauge 53, 66 - Van de Ven 69, Richarlison 89/

Chelsea - Benfica 1-0 (1-0)

/Rios 18 og/

Galatasaray - Liverpool 1-0 (1-0)

/Osimhen 16 pen/

Inter - Slavia Prague 3-0 (2-0)

/Lautaro 30, 65, Dumfries 34/

Olympique Marseille - Ajax 4-0 (3-0)

/Paixao 6, 13, Greenwood 26, Aubameyang 53/

Pafos - Bayern 1-5 (1-4)

/Orsic 45 - Kane 15, 35, Guerreiro 21, Jackson 31, Olise 69/

Wednesday

19.45: (2.70) Qarabag (3.35) Copenhagen (2.60)

19.45: (3.50) St.Gilloise (3.45) Newcastle (2.10)

22.00: (1.20) Arsenal (6.75) Olympiakos (14.0)

22.00: (1.95) Barcelona (3.70) PSG (3.70)

22.00: (1.83) Dortmund (3.50) Ath.Bilbao (4.50)

22.00: (1.87) Leverkusen (3.60) PSV (4.20)

22.00: (6.75) Monaco (4.40) Man.City (1.48)

22.00: (1.90) Napoli (3.50) Sporting (4.10)

22.00: (2.35) Villareal (3.35) Juventus (3.05)

***odds are subject to change***