Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick as Barcelona opened their Champions League campaign with a comfortable 5-1 win over Viktoria Plzen at the Nou Camp.
Franck Kessie headed the La Liga side in front after 13 minutes, before Plzen thought they had been awarded a penalty for a foul by Andreas Christensen on winger John Mosquera but the decision was overturned following a VAR review.
Lewandowski slotted in a second on 34 minutes, his sixth Barcelona goal since a summer move from Bayern Munich.
Jan Sykora had the travelling Czech support celebrating when he headed past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, with VAR ruling the goal onside.
Lewandowski, though, further extended Barca’s lead when he nodded in a cross from Ousmane Dembele during first-half stoppage time.
The Poland striker completed his treble in the 67th minute when he fired home a volley from the edge of the Plzen penalty area, taking his personal tally to 89 Champions League goals, with substitute Ferran Torres adding a fifth.
In the other Group C game, Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Inter Milan with an early strike from Leroy Sane and a second-half own goal from defender Danilo D’Ambrosio.
Napoli laid down a marker in Group A with an impressive 4-1 home win over Liverpool.
Piotr Zielinski gave the Partenopei an early lead from the penalty spot after handball by James Milner.
Napoli then had another chance to extend their advantage from the spot following a VAR review for a foul by Virgil Van Dijk, but Victor Osimhen saw his penalty saved.
Andre Zambo Anguissa did double the lead in the 31st minute and substitute Giovanni Simeone then tapped home a third goal just before half-time.
It got worse for the Reds soon after the restart when Zielinski knocked in a fourth after his initial effort had been saved, with Luis Diaz swiftly scoring a consolation goal for the shellshocked Premier League side.
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Rangers’ first game back in the Champions League group stage after a 12-year absence ended with a 4-0 defeat at Ajax – where the Scottish side were 3-0 down inside 33 minutes.
Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus put the Dutchmen in total control, before Rangers defender Borna Barisic saw a second-half goal ruled out by VAR and Steven Bergwijn added a fourth with 10 minutes left.
Tottenham opened their Group D campaign with a 2-0 home win over Marseille, who played most of the second half with 10 men.
Marseille…
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