Real Madrid, Champions of Europe

Monaco marked their return to the UEFA Champions League with a statement 2-1 win over Barcelona. Leverkusen impressed as they scored four at Feyenoord to get their campaign off to the best possible start. Meanwhile, a superb David Raya double save from Mateo Retegui’s penalty ensured the game between Atalanta and Arsenal finished goalless. Benfica and Atletico de Madrid both secured 2-1 wins, whilst Brest also clinched victory against Sturm Graz in their very first European game. We hear from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, Atalanta star Charles de Ketelaere, Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong and his head coach Xabi Alonso as well as Feyenoord coach Brian Priske.

Manchester City and Inter had to settle for a point to start their Champions League campaigns, after a competitive goalless draw in the North West of England. Elsewhere a late winner for Paris was enough to see past Girona, while last year's runners-up Borussia Dortmund secured an impressive victory at Club Brugge. There were statement wins from Celtic and Sparta Praha, who marked themselves as teams to watch as the League phase progresses. We hear from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, Celtic captain Callum McGregor, Dortmund’s double-goalscorer Jamie Gittens and Sparta coach Lars Friis. 

The new League Phase started in style as Bayern hit a record nine goals against Dinamo in Munich, with Harry Kane grabbing four – including a first ever hat-trick of Champions League penalties. In Milan, Liverpool recovered from conceding an early goal to run out comfortable 3-1 victors, with two set piece headers from centre-backs Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk. Elsewhere there were impressive home wins for defending champions Real Madrid, Juventus and Sporting whilst Aston Villa began their first Champions League campaign for 42 years with a convincing 3-0 win against Young Boys in Switzerland. We hear from four goal-hero Harry Kane, Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans, Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres, Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham and the scorer of the League Phase’s first ever goal, Juve teenager Kenan Yıldız.

Real Madrid claimed their 15th UEFA Champions League title with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London thanks to 2nd half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr. We soak up the atmosphere of the celebrations, hearing from Madrid’s English star Jude Bellingham, and reflect on another remarkable season in the Champions League.

Real Madrid will play Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final! Los Blancos booked their spot in the London showpiece with a late comeback victory over Bayern. After Alphonso Davies gave the German side the lead in the tie, two Joselu strikes in the 88th and 91st minute triggered joyous scenes in the Bernabeu. We take you inside the celebrations and hear from Madrid star Jude Bellingham!

Borussia Dortmund upset the odds to beat Paris Saint Germain in both semi-final legs and reach the 2024 Champions League Final. The Germans took a slender 1-0 first leg lead to the French capital, and they replicated that scoreline to see off the 2020 Finalists 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate. In a superb defensive performance, it was centre back and UEFA Player of the Match Mats Hummels who scored the all-important goal for Dortmund on the night, and it was a lead they managed to hold onto until the end despite Paris hitting the woodwork four times during the match. We hear from Paris manager Luis Enrique and midfielder Vitinha as well as Marcel Sabitzer, Mats Hummels and manager Edin Terzic from the victorious Dortmund camp as the Germans reached their third Champions League Final and their second at Wembley. We also look ahead to Wednesday’s semi-final second leg between Real Madrid and Bayern, and hear from Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham with the tie fascinatingly poised at 2-2 after the first leg in Germany.

The second night of semi-final action in this year’s UEFA Champions League continued where the first left off, with a pulsating encounter between Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain at the BVB Stadion. In a match full of chances for both teams, including Paris hitting both posts in a matter of seconds with shots from Mbappe and Hakimi, Niclas Fullkrug’s sublime first half strike was the difference between the sides as Dortmund secured a slender 1-0 lead in the tie. Hear how the match unfolded, and from the UEFA Player of the Match Mats Hummels.

The last four sprang into action this evening with two European heavyweights going head-to-head in Munich. And the match didn’t disappoint with Bayern and Real Madrid playing out a pulsating 2-2 draw, to set up a winner takes all clash in the second leg next week. Madrid struck first with Vinicius Junior putting the 14-time champions in front against the run of play, but Bayern responded in style with two second half goals from Sane and Kane putting the Germans in control. However, a late Vinicius penalty, won by Rodrygo, salvaged a draw for the Spaniards to set up a tantalising second leg tie in Madrid. We hear from Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane and Antonio Rudiger. Plus we look ahead to tomorrow night’s semi-final first leg between Borussia Dortmund and Paris St Germain. 

On a night where it was all to play for across Europe, Madrid and Bayern secured their spots in the final four of the UEFA Champions League. Nothing could separate Manchester City and Real Madrid after 120 minutes of football, with the match finishing 1-1, 4-4 on aggregate. Andriy Lunin was then the hero in the penalty shoot-out, saving two spot kicks as Los Blancos progressed. In Germany, a solitary Joshua Kimmich goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win for Bayern on the night against Arsenal, and a 3-2 victory overall in the tie. It’s now the 13th time Bayern have reached the Champions League semi-finals. We hear from all the key players, including Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Kane from a jubilant Bayern camp and disappointed Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

The quarter-final second legs picked up where the first legs left off with two pulsating drama-filled ties. In Spain, Paris recovered from a goal down to stun 10 man Barcelona 4-1 on the night, and 6-4 on aggregate, in what was yet another action packed encounter between the two sides. Second half goals from Vitinha and two from Kylian Mbappe sealed the Parisians progression to a third Champions semi-final in just five years – we hear from their Portugese midfielder Vitinha. There was yet more drama in the night’s other tie in Germany as Borussia Dortmund also recovered from a first leg deficit to beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate to qualify for their first semi-final in 11 years. Late second half goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer won the tie for the Germans to set up a last four showdown with Paris St Germain. We hear from goalscorer Fullkrug and UEFA Player of the Match Julian Brandt.