3 Things We Learned From Tuesday Night’s Champions League Action

The Champions League made its much-anticipated return after nearly a month, and last night’s matches certainly delivered the excitement fans were craving. It had everything you could ask for—an epic 7-goal thriller, shocking upsets for European powerhouses, and some truly standout individual performances. With Tuesday night's drama now in the books, here are the three biggest takeaways from the action.

1) Just Hand Vini the Ballon d’Or 

The true measure of a footballing great is how they thrive under pressure, and time and time again, Vinicius Junior has proven to be that man for Real Madrid. When the chips are down and the game seems to be slipping away, Madridistas know they can count on the 24-year-old Brazilian to deliver magic. And last night, he delivered in spectacular fashion. 

Facing a fired-up Borussia Dortmund team eager for revenge, Madrid found themselves down 2-0 in just 34 minutes. Dortmund looked set to run away with it, but that’s when Vinicius flipped the script. What followed was nothing short of a masterclass as he orchestrated a breathtaking comeback, with Madrid netting five goals in a blistering second-half display. Vini was at the heart of it all, bagging a sensational hat-trick that left the crowd in awe. With world-class teammates like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Fede Valverde on the pitch, it was Vinicius who grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and turned it on its head. 

This kind of performance couldn’t have come at a better time for Vini, as it all but solidifies his status as the frontrunner for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Sure, Manchester City’s Rodri has had a phenomenal year, but after last night’s heroics, how can anyone look past Vinicius? When the spotlight shines brightest, he delivers, making a powerful case to be crowned the world’s best player. If there were any doubts before, Vini’s performance has erased them—he looks every bit the deserving winner of football’s top individual honor. 

2) Adi Hutter is Cooking Something Special in Monaco 

AS Monaco aren’t the most prominent name in football. Be honest—when was the last time you tuned into one of their matches? Probably not recently. But if you’re a fan of fluid, attacking football, it’s time to start paying attention. Now in his second season at the helm, Adi Hütter has transformed Monaco into one of the most exciting teams to watch, and it’s not just eye-catching—it’s effective. On both the domestic and European stage, Monaco are thriving.  

They are currently neck-and-neck with PSG in Ligue 1 and off to a strong start in the Champions League, beating Barcelona and securing a draw against Dinamo Zagreb. Last night, their Champions League journey went from strength to strength, as they humiliated Red Star Belgrade by a scoreline of 5-1. Former Liverpool midfielder Takumi Minamino was the star of the rout, scoring a brace and providing an assist on the night. Goals from Breel Embolo, Maghnes Akliouche and Wilfred Singo rounded off the scoring.  

Monaco have fallen out of the footballing zeitgeist during the last couple of seasons. However, this team reminds many of the stacked 2016/17 Monaco squad which reached the UCL semis that season. It would be a remarkable achievement if this Monaco side follows in the footsteps of the 2016/17 squad. And with a win over in-form Barcelona already under their belt, Les Monegasques have already shown that they can hang with the big boys. Could this be the season Monaco returns to the top step of European football? Based on current form, don’t count them out. 

3) Count Out Aston Villa at Your Own Peril 

Unai Emery has worked wonders at Aston Villa. Their fourth-place finish in last season’s Premier League was a very big achievement in itself, but Emery has taken Villa to new heights this season. Before the start of the season, many fans felt that the Villans could struggle with the added games of UCL. However, Emery has proved his doubters wrong once again. Villa have been one of the most consistent clubs this season, balancing UCL commitments and Premier League football with ease.  

The Villans have suffered just one loss – a 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal – throughout the 2024/25 season. But if some naysayers still had doubts about Unai Emery and his team, last night’s performance might have put those doubts to rest. The Villans grabbed a comprehensive 2-0 lead against Bologna that has taken them to the top of the UCL standings at this early stage. Unai Emery’s men have secured maximum points in three games. The reason for this impressive start is their rock-solid defense. Villa have kept clean sheets in all three of their UCL games.  

So, with upcoming games against Club Brugge and Celtic, Aston Villa are in prime position to secure a guaranteed knockout spot in Europe. However, their path to the knockouts won’t be entirely straightforward, as they still have to face the likes of Juventus, RB Leipzig, and AS Monaco. But given their current form, Villa look more than capable of handling this challenging run of fixtures. 

For Villa fans, this European adventure is a dream come true, having waited over 40 years for a return to the continental stage. And now that they’re finally back, fans just can’t get enough of it. More of this, please! 

Also Read: Real Madrid Legend Toni Kroos Rules Out Coaching, Open to Sporting Director Role