Europe’s heavyweights delivered another night of drama and statement results as UEFA Champions League Matchday 7 wrapped up, with goals, comebacks and milestone moments lighting up stadiums across the continent.
Barcelona were forced to dig deep in Prague, coming from behind to beat Slavia Praha 4-2 in an entertaining contest. The Czech side stunned the visitors early, but Fermín López’s brace steadied Barça before Robert Lewandowski, facing his former club, made history by scoring his 114th goal in UEFA competitions. Substitute Dani Olmo’s long-range strike proved decisive as Xavi’s men stayed firmly on course for the knockout rounds.
Liverpool, meanwhile, cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory away to Marseille. Dominik Szoboszlai’s clever free-kick set the Reds on their way before an own goal and a late Cody Gakpo finish sealed a dominant display that boosted Jurgen Klopp’s side’s hopes of a top-eight finish in the league phase.
In Germany, Harry Kane once again made headlines as Bayern Munich recorded a historic 250th Champions League win. The England captain struck twice in quick succession after the break to secure a 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, although the night was not perfect as he later missed a penalty and Bayern finished the match with ten men following Minjae Kim’s dismissal.
Newcastle United continued their impressive home form with a convincing 3-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven at St James’ Park. Goals from Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes ensured the Magpies claimed a third straight home win without conceding, keeping their knockout hopes alive.
Juventus also enjoyed a productive evening in Turin, dispatching Benfica 2-0 to extend their winning run. Khephren Thuram and Weston McKennie struck in the second half, while Benfica’s misery was compounded by a missed late penalty.
Elsewhere, Qarabağ snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner to edge Eintracht Frankfurt in a seven-goal thriller, while Athletic Club staged a remarkable second-half comeback to dent Atalanta’s qualification ambitions. Chelsea left it late but edged Pafos 1-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a Moisés Caicedo header.
With Matchday 8 looming, the race for knockout places is finely balanced. For fans back home in Kenya, the latest round served up a reminder of why Europe’s elite competition remains unmatched for intensity, quality and late drama.
