The UEFA Champions League group stage kicks off this week with Matchday 1. Paris Saint-Germain will welcome Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to the Parc des Princes to begin the Group of Death.
So, how does each of the four clubs come into Matchday 1? Let’s begin with PSG. The capital club played at home against OGC Nice and fell 3-2 as Kylian Mbappé’s brace wasn’t enough to lift the French giants to a win.
Furthermore, the loss highlights the Parisians’ early struggles this 2023-24 season. Luis Enrique’s squad has two wins in five matches. PSG isn’t the only team that hit a roadblock this weekend. AC Milan is coming into their game limping against Newcastle United.
AC Milan fell 5-1 to Inter Milan in the latest edition of the Derby della Madonnina. The contest got out of hand early for the Red and Blacks, as their eternal rival scored three goals in the first half. Henrikh Mkhitaryan registered a brace in the first 45 minutes as AC Milan couldn’t recover.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has his second of the day!
Inter restore their two-goal lead. 🌶 pic.twitter.com/Fj80wb605J
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 16, 2023
Eventually, Inter Milan added two more in the second half for the lopsided win. Stefano Pioli and Co. will have to put the loss behind them when the Premier League side visits the San Siro on Tuesday.
Speaking of the Magpies, Eddie Howe’s squad pulled off a 1-0 win over Brentford on Saturday at St. James’ Park. Callum Wilson provided the lone goal in the match, scoring off a penalty kick in the 64th minute.
Newcastle were awarded a penalty and went 1-0 up after Anthony Gordon was fouled by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
📺 @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/PfJAaV6CKP
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) September 16, 2023
Finally, there’s Borussia Dortmund. The German club got out to a 1-0 lead but fell behind 2-1 late in the first half. Nonetheless, in the final 45 minutes, Dortmund scored three unanswered goals for the 4-2 win.
The Bundesliga side will look to carry this momentum as they head to Paris for a showdown with PSG.
