Florian Wirtz wasted no time in making his mark in the Champions League by scoring two goals during Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-0 victory over Feyenoord. Leverkusen, coming off a strong season with Bundesliga and German Cup wins, dominated the match with Wirtz showcasing his talent on Europe’s biggest stage.

Wirtz, hailed as one of the most promising young talents globally, added to his impressive tally for the season with his immediate impact in his Champions League debut. Leverkusen, who faced defeat in the Europa League final in May, kicked off their new Champions League journey with a convincing win, while Benfica also secured a 2-1 victory against Red Star Belgrade in the early games of the day.

The new Champions League format, with 36 teams playing eight different opponents until January and ranked in a single league table, provides an exciting shift from the traditional group stage setup. The knockout phase qualifiers will be determined based on these rankings, adding a fresh dynamic to the competition.

In other matches, Barcelona clashed against Monaco, Atlético Madrid hosted Leipzig, and Brest went up against Sturm Graz. Wirtz’s standout performance and Leverkusen’s comprehensive victory set an exciting tone for the Champions League fixtures of the day.

Furthermore, Benfica’s new coach Bruno Lage secured their second win of the season with goals from Turkish internationals Kerem Aktürko?lu and Orkun Kökçü. Of note was Kökçü’s stunning free-kick goal from 25 yards, curling the ball into the top right corner, sealing the victory for Benfica. The match also saw Felicio Milson scoring a late consolation goal for the home team.

The excitement in the Champions League continued to build as young talents like Wirtz and established clubs like Leverkusen and Benfica showcased their prowess in the new competition format.