🏆 Diogo Jota stars in Atalanta hammering as Real revive CL hopes | OneFootball

Just like that, we’ve already reached matchday three of this season’s Champions League group stage.

This is what is what went down on Tuesday night …

Atalanta 0-5 Liverpool

Scorers: Jota 16′, 33′ 54′, Salah 47′, Mané 49′

Diogo Jota staked a major claim for a regular Liverpool starting berth by hitting a hat-trick in their hammering of Atalanta.

Handed a start ahead of Roberto Firmino, he wasted no time in giving Jürgen Klopp further food for thought with two brilliant first half finishes – each showcasing his various qualities.

The rampant Reds made it three after the break when Mo Salah raced through from his own half after an Atalanta corner before being allowed to cut onto his left foot to curl home.

Sadio Mané dinked in a fourth moments later as the hosts capitulated further, allowing Jota to complete the fifth hat-trick of his career and first in the Champions League.

Real Madrid 3-2 Inter

Scorers: Benzema 25′, Ramos 33′, Rodrygo 80; Martínez 35′, Perišić 68′

Real Madrid struck very late to give their previously ailing Champions League hopes a big boost thanks to a dramatic win against Inter.

They took the lead when ex-player Achraf Hakimi provided another assist for them – albeit wearing different colours, as his horrendous pass back was pounced upon by Karim Benzema to score.

Sergio Ramos’ 100th Real Madrid goal (yes, he’s a defender!) soon followed before Lautaro Martínez pulled one back with a goal that was all about the gorgeous assist from Nicolò Barella.

It was then the Argentine’s turn to provide as he nodded through for Ivan Perišić to equalise but Inter were made to pay for some big misses after that when Brazilian substitutes Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo combined for a late winner that Real scarcely deserved.

Salzburg 2-6 Bayern Munich

Scorers: Berisha 4′, Okugawa 66′; Lewandowski pen 21′, 88, Kristensen OG 45′, Boateng 79′, Sané 82′, Hernández 92′

Bayern Munich warmed up for their huge weekend clash with Borussia Dortmund with a rather flattering 6-2 win in Salzburg thanks to some late heroics.

It took just four minutes for Salzburg to stun the visitors on a poignant night in Austria, as Mërgim Berisha blasted a low strike past Manuel Neuer at his near post.

But Bayern responded with a revoked penalty and disallowed goal before Robert Lewandowski did score from the spot when the referee correctly awarded his side a penalty.

An own goal put them in front at half-time following a controversial offside call but Masaya Okugawa equalised after Lewandowski lost possession in a dangerous area.

But after impressing for so long, Salzburg fell apart in the final 11 minutes, with Jérôme Boateng, Leroy Sané, Lewandowski and Lucas Hernández adding some very misleading gloss to the scoreline.

Manchester City 3-0 Olympiacos

Scorers: Torres 12′, Gabriel Jesus 81′, Cancelo 90′

Manchester City eased past an Olympiacos side who offered little attacking threat, as they got back among the goals themselves.

A superb City passing move led to the early opener, ending with Kevin De Bruyne threading through for Ferran Torres to net his third in as many Champions League games.

The game was ultimately put out of the Greeks’ reach with 10 minutes to go when Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to thump in emphatically to announce his return before João Cancelo curled in a last gasp third from distance.

Midtjylland 1-2 Ajax

Scorers: Dreyer 18′; Anthony 1′, Tadić 13′

Despite having a threadbare squad to choose from in Denmark, Ajax rallied to pick up an impressive against-the-odds win at Midtjylland.

It took them less than 60 seconds to put their COVID-19 woes behind them as Antony capitalised on generous defending to fire in a low strike.

Then, the glory of an indirect free-kick from inside the six-yard box led to Dusan Tadić somehow squeezing in a second before Anders Dreyer pulled one back but they couldn’t find an equaliser.

Porto 3-0 Marseille

Scorers: Marega 4′, Oliveira pen 28, Díaz 69′

André Villas-Boas was given an unwanted homecoming at Porto, where he made his name, as Marseille’s winless run in the Champions League stretched to 12 games.

The opening 10 minutes from the Dragão were chaotic as Moussa Marega scored before Dimitri Payet blasted one of the poorest penalties of his career over the bar and Sérgio Oliveira made no such mistake afterwards when he had his own chance from 12 yards.

Luis Díaz wrapped up the victory in the second half when he curled an unstoppable low strike past Steve Mandanda.

Shakhtar Donetsk 0-6 Borussia Mönchengladbach

Scorers: Pléa 8′, 24′, 78′, Bondar OG ’17, Bensebaini 44′, Stindl 65′

Alassane Pléa helped himself to a hat-trick as Borussia Mönchengladbach picked up their biggest away win in Champions League history.

In a group that featured Real Madrid and Inter as opposition, few would have had both these teams as occupying the qualification spots after two games but Gladbach showed just why they’re so highly-regarded.

Pléa netted twice early on, with a deflected Christoph Kramer strike (which went down as an own goal) from the edge of the area sandwiched between those strikes, prior to Remy Bensebaïni volleying in from a corner before the interval.

The visitors weren’t content with four and kept adding after the break as Lars Stindl volleyed home perfectly before Pléa beat the offside trap late on to sweep home his hat-trick.

Lokomotiv Moscow 1-1 Atlético Madrid

Scorers: Miranchuk pen 24′; Giménez 18′

Only some bad luck and poor finishing denied Atlético Madrid the win they would have deserved from their trip to Moscow.

An 18th minute header from José Giménez gave Diego Simeone’s men the ideal start before Anton Miranchuk levelled it up from the spot following a handball in the area.

Despite that setback, the visitors really should have left with a win as both Ángel Correa and Koke struck the woodwork, while Luis Suárez had a goal disallowed for offside.

However, a winner eluded the Rojiblancos, who will at least be pleased that João Félix turned in another standout showing on the European stage.