Geneva, September 8 (BNA): Long criticism of the Champions League group stage? There are too many unequal mismatches as the wealth gap between clubs fuels competitive imbalances on the pitch.
Tell that to Fadel Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt after their heavy losses on Wednesday.
Or coaches Thomas Tuchel and Domenico Tedesco who lost their jobs in the morning after a shock loss to their teams, Chelsea and Leipzig, respectively, according to the Associated Press.
Liverpool suffered a stunning 4-1 defeat against Napoli, as the hosts advanced with four goals in just 47 minutes at the stadium dubbed Diego Maradona.
Although Jurgen Klopp’s side were defeated in just four matches in 2022, three were in the Champions League including Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory in the final in May.
Eintracht won the European League title in May, but the German club and the team that beat them in the final, Rangers, found it difficult on Wednesday to return to competition in the first division after a long absence.
Eintracht was surprisingly defeated 3-0 at home to Sporting Lisbon, just four days after their four-goal win over Leipzig in the Bundesliga, which was quickened by the exit of Tedesco.
Rangers were swept aside in the first half at Ajax before losing 4-0.
Robert Lewandowski is already topping the scoring list after his debut in the Champions League with Barcelona, which beat Viktoria Plzen 5-1.
One night after Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland scored twice in the victories of their clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, Lewandowski was one by three better.
Tottenham beat Marseille 2-0 with Brazilian striker Richarlison scoring twice with a header late in the game in his Champions League debut.
An impressive 11-minute period of stoppage time at Atletico Madrid saw the hosts open the scoring and return with a penalty for 10 Porto players before Antoine Griezmann sealed the 2-1 victory with a header from a narrow angle.
Bayern Munich managed a 2-0 win over Inter Milan, as Leroy Sane opened the scoring in the first half, and Club Brugge beat struggling Bayer Leverkusen 1-0.
The dismissal of the coaches of the Champions League drama began in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea just 15 months after leading the club to their second Champions League title. The German coach’s dissatisfaction with the club was evident in interviews conducted late on Tuesday after the 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb.
Tedesco lasted just nine months at Leipzig, who reached the Champions League semi-finals two years ago, and did not survive a modest 4-1 home loss to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.
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Klopp and Tuchel’s careers have been linked since he succeeded Tuchel Klopp after seven-year spells at both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.
Both have been on the winners and losers of the Champions League finals in just the past four years, and both suffered their worst days in the competition on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s difficult start in Naples saw the 2019 champions fall behind after a penalty kick within five minutes and entered the first half 3-0, although goalkeeper Alisson Becker saved a second penalty.
Luis Diaz cut the difference 4-1 after 49 minutes but Liverpool were far from the usual relentless pressure.
“It looks like we have to rediscover ourselves somewhat,” admitted Klopp, who will spend a full seven years at Liverpool and host Ajax next Tuesday.
Simon family
It was a stellar night for Simone’s people in two different countries.
Son Giovanni scored Napoli’s third goal on his debut in the tournament, and his father Diego in Madrid watched Atletico show the resilience that is his trademark to hold out against Porto in injury time.
Al Nasr ended a run of eight consecutive matches without a win for Simeone’s side at home in the Champions League. Atletico in Leverkusen next week.
Marcel Strick
Marseille, a first-time Champions League winner in 1993, has lost the last eight away games in the decade-old competition and 14 of 15 games overall at the time.
The match turned into a red card that appeared in the 47th minute for Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba for dropping Son Heung-min.
Tottenham have not lost this season and go to Lisbon to face Sporting next Tuesday when Marseille host Eintracht.
escalate, fall
Eintracht and Rangers met equally in the Europa League final less than four months ago. Eintracht won the title on penalties after drawing 1-1.
They had similar fortunes on Wednesday but not in a way they enjoyed after returning from a long absence in Europe’s biggest competition.
Eintracht ended their 62-year wait – since losing the 1960 European Cup final 7-3 to Real Madrid – with a second-half collapse at home to Sporting. Three goals in 17 minutes started with a goal by English striker Marcus Edwards.
It’s been 12 years and one financial meltdown since Rangers last played in the Champions League. After beating Ajax, Rangers host Napoli in Glasgow next Tuesday.