Berlin, September 16 (BNA): Paris Saint-Germain superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe teamed up for the first time on Wednesday, but none of them scored a goal in the 1-1 Champions League draw with Club Brugge.
Ander Herrera put PSG ahead but the Belgian hosts showed no fear and got the equalizer he deserved from captain Hans Vanaken.
Last season’s runners-up Manchester City beat RB Leipzig 6-3, while Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-2 in another turbulent match in which Mohamed Salah missed a penalty and the hosts trailed 2-1 in the first half.
RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick in the league, but Sebastian Haller scored four goals in Ajax’s 5-1 victory over Sporting.
Meanwhile, Messi, Neymar and Mbappe came empty-handed as they were engaged together for the first time since Messi’s summer arrival from Barcelona.
Mbappe made Herrera’s opening goal in the 15th minute, but Vanaken’s perverted effort in the 27th minute witnessed the brave Belgian level.
Messi played in his 150th game in the Champions League, curling a ball across the crossbar but Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas then had to save Vanaken and Charles de Kitleri before Mbappe escaped injury.
“It’s the Champions League, we played a very good Brugge team even if we didn’t play our football,” Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe said.
“You have to respect everyone, even if we know we have a great side on paper. You have to show it on the pitch.”
In another match in Group A, new defender Nathan Ake headed in front and Nordi Mukele of Leipzig scored an own goal 2-0 in the 28th minute.
Nkunku managed to reduce the difference three times, but a penalty kick was carried out by Riyad Mahrez in the 45th minute, and Jack Grealish in the 56th minute, and Joao Cancella quickly regained City’s two-goal advantage.
Former City player Angelino was sent off late in RB Leipzig and Gabriel Jesus completed a half-dozen in the 85th minute.
Liverpool beat Milan at Anfield in the second group, as Fikayo Tomori saved Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shot after one goal to two with Salah in the 9th minute from a narrow right angle to put the hosts ahead.
Then Salah saved a penalty kick by goalkeeper Mike Minyan and the Reds missed several counterproductive chances shortly before the end of the first half when Ante Rebic and Ibrahim Diaz turned things out of the blue.
Milan disallowed the third goal for offside seconds after restarting before Liverpool responded. Salah made it 2-2 from a sporadic pass from Divock Origi and captain Jordan Henderson fired the winning goal 3-2 in the 64th minute from the edge of the area.
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson told BT Sport: “When you play in this tournament it’s against good teams. We need to be smarter. Really tough, but we managed to get out in the second half, play our football and enjoy it again.” “.
Atlético Madrid and Porto tied 0-0 in the other match.
Four-time winner Ajax is the leaders in Group C, with Haller scoring the first two of his four goals in the first nine minutes.
Borussia Dortmund is second after young Englishman Jude Bellingham opened the scoring and helped Erling Haaland to win 2-1 at Besiktas. Haaland now has 21 goals in 17 appearances in the elite event.
Group D began with Real Madrid’s record-breaking title win of late Rodrygo at Inter Milan. Sherif Tiraspol stunned Moldova newcomer Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 with a shot from Adama Traore and Momo Jansan.