Champions League Kicks off with a Bang! Arsenal Show their Worth

The Allianz arena took the spotlight for the opening week encounter, with United travelling to Germany to face Bayern. What looked like a one-sided match soon became an exciting contest for everyone, as United fought back but lost 4-3.
Here's how the first week's games spanned out and what fans looking for options in the ticket marketplace can expect for the next round of games.
For many older fans, the Manchester United and Bayern Munich meeting might bring in memories of the 1999 Champions League final that United won 2-1. But a lot has changed since that meeting at United. Manchester United aren't the same anymore. They've had numerous managers after Sir Alex Ferguson and are still struggling to keep up with the table leaders.
The same cannot be said about Bayern, who've won the Bundesliga on the last 11 occasions. But the encounter did not disappoint any fan who spent their money at the ticket marketplace. In a thrilling encounter at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich secured a 4-3 victory over Manchester United in a UEFA Champions League group stage match.
Bayern's Leroy Sane opened the scoring with a slipped shot through Andre Onana. Jamal Musiala later set up Serge Gnabry to bring their second. Manchester United pulled one back in the second half when Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal for the club. However, Christian Eriksen was penalized for a handball in the box, and Harry Kane converted the resulting penalty to make it 3-1 for Bayern.
It was the first for Harry Kane in the Champions League for a new team. Sane hit the post for Bayern, and the match took a dramatic turn in the final minutes. Casemiro scored for Manchester United, Mathys Tel added another for Bayern, and Casemiro scored a late goal to make it 4-3.
Harry Kane, who netted his fifth goal in six games for Manchester United, described the finish as "crazy" and acknowledged that his team lost concentration in the last few minutes. Thomas Tuchel's side pulls through victorious and now have a commanding lead in Group A. In other Group A games, Galatasaray came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with FC Copenhagen, thanks to late goals from Sacha Boey and Tete.
In a Group C match of the UEFA Champions League, Jude Bellingham scored a crucial 94th-minute winner for Real Madrid against tournament debutants Union Berlin. Union Berlin, who qualified for the first time, were confident of giving the giants a good run at the Santiago Bernabeu, and they surely lived up to their words.
The goal from Bellingham that came late was a breather as the game closed in favour of the 14-time champions. It also reflects on Bellingham's impact on the side, with his playing and how much change has happened since his entry. He has now netted six goals in six games for the club across all competitions.
There was praise for the youngster from Carlo Ancelotti, praising the English midfielder, with the side taking advantage of his scoring ability. Bellingham switched to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund">Borussia Dortmund this summer.
It was a delightful Wednesday for the Gunners' as they celebrated their return to the Champions League after a nearly five-year hiatus. Mikel Arteta's men were dominant on their return, defeating PSV Eindhoven 4-0. It was a memorable victory that every fan with Arsenal tickets from the ticket marketplace has been waiting for - their first Champions League win.
Manager Mikel Arteta described it as a beautiful night with an emotional atmosphere. Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Martin Odegaard were all on the scoresheet for Arsenal in the rain-soaked match in London. In the same group, Sevilla and Lens played to a 1-1 draw in Spain, with Angelo Fulgini's free-kick earning a draw for the French side after Lucas Ocampos had given the hosts the lead.
Meanwhile, last season's runner-up, Inter Milan, needed an 87th-minute equalizer from Lautaro Martinez to salvage a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in Group D. In the same group, Red Bull Salzburg secured a 2-0 away win against Benfica in Lisbon. Although Salzburg's Karim Konate missed an early penalty, they capitalized on a red card for Benfica's Antonio Silva, with Roko Simic converting the subsequent penalty and Oscar Gloukh scoring their second goal.
These results set the stage for an exciting group stage in this season's Champions League.
For the first time in over a decade, this year's Champions League contest will be the first where Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo will not play. The two iconic players have been part and parcel of this elitist competition for years, and it was one of the key reasons for the popularity of the Champions League as a global competition.
They've made over 350 Champions League games between the two, but they will no longer make any. Ronaldo, with 187 appearances, has the record for the most appearances in the Champions League. Messi, on the other hand, has 163 and is in 3rd place. Their tally together for goals stands at 270, with the two being the top two all-time scorers.
Ronaldo, with Real Madrid, has tasted Champions League success four times. He was a part of the golden era at Real Madrid and anchored the side to be one of the most successful sides in the Champions League. At Manchester United, he helped the side win it in 2008. The Champions League held a special place for both of these players.
Ronaldo once added that playing in the Champions League, the most important competition, was an absolute honour. He treasured the tournament's significance and eventually made it his own, holding several records. Despite lifting the trophy several times, Messi acknowledged that the Champions League is a difficult stretch.
He emphasized earlier how competitive it was and how it dangled on fine margins. His Champions League stints were often a mix of triumph and heartache. While the two of them no longer grace the Champions League stage in Europe, their legacies are indelibly etched in the annals of football history.
Taking a look back at their careers, Ronaldo's stand-out season was the 2013/14 run, where he scored 17 goals in 11 games. Messi peaked in Champions League history in the 2014/15 season with an exceptional performance that saw FC Barcelona lift the cup.