Mind-Blowing Champions League Moments: Jeremy Doku Shines, But Newcastle's Underwhelming Return Stuns
Jeremy Doku continues to shine for Manchester City in their Champions League title defence, impressing against Red Star Belgrade However, Newcastle's return to the competition was disappointing, and Celtic still have lessons to learn
Doku puts Man City on front foot in CL title defence
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Jeremy Doku impressed off the bench for Man City
The Man City supporters once again found amusement in the misfortune of a Glazer as they witnessed Julian Alvarez save the day for the defending champions. Despite a significant scare, Man City managed to secure a 3-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium.
For an hour, Omri Glazer had managed to frustrate the supporters, but eventually, the Red Star goalkeeper made a costly error, inadvertently directing the ball into his own net. Pep Guardiola's team regained momentum and continued their triumphant march.
Bernardo Silva's fitness is now a cause for concern as he was forced to leave the game before half-time. However, his replacement Jeremy Doku, who recently scored his debut goal for City, once again impressed.
While Guardiola previously described Silva as 'shy' in his first match against Fulham earlier this month, it was actually Silva who spearheaded the second-half offensive alongside Alvarez.
The memory of the City's victorious night in the Ataturk Stadium, which occurred 103 days ago, continues to have a profound impact on the minds of the Citizens. However, Guardiola has reminded his players that they are starting fresh at the base of the mountain, as they strive to defend their Champions League title. The presence of players like Doku, who are determined to earn their first piece of silverware with City, guarantees that any potential surprises, like the one on Tuesday night, will be effortlessly overcome. With a strong start, the reigning champions have set themselves on the path to Wembley.
Newcastle underwhelming on long-awaited return
Newcastle's much-anticipated comeback to the Champions League tournament failed to live up to expectations, as their performance proved to be disappointingly lackluster, despite the excitement generated by securing a top-four spot in the spring.Newcastle can be forgiven for their underwhelming display as they had a team of eight players making their debut in the Champions League. Let's not overlook the fact that Milan made it to the semi-finals of this tournament a few months ago.
However, Newcastle's recent performance has been less than stellar, with only two victories out of six games in all competitions. They have struggled to replicate their strong performance against Aston Villa on the first day of the season.
If they want to emerge from the toughest of the eight Champions League groups, Newcastle will have to show more than they mustered in Milan.Joe Shread
Celtic need to learn lessons
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Celtic have not won away in the Champions League since 2017
It was the same old story for Celtic in the Champions League, they had their chances but ultimately suffered another away defeat.
Celtic began with great energy and created several promising opportunities early on. However, the timing of Feyenoord's first goal was extremely unfortunate. This goal served as a catalyst for the hosts, who gained a significant boost in momentum during the second half. As a result, Celtic struggled to cope with the mounting pressure and eventually crumbled.
Gustaf Lagerbielke's dismissal was unfortunate, but Thiago Odin Holm cannot argue about being sent off. With two red cards, the situation becomes almost impossible. Although Celtic showed some positive aspects in the early stages, they must strive to enhance their performance and eliminate errors before their upcoming home match against Lazio next month.
