Champions League: Liverpool tops AC Milan, Americans make history as new season kicks off

Real Madrid begins title defense with a win Liverpool survives early Christian Pulisic strike, tops AC Milan Weston McKennie scores, is among five history-making Americans

Doug McIntyre

Soccer Journalist

The expanded, new-look UEFA Champions League made its much anticipated debut on Tuesday with six first round matches across Europe — including a marquee contest between English titan Liverpool and seven-time champs AC Milan in Italy.

Here are three quick takeaways.

Real Madrid begins title defense with a win

Three months after defeating Borussia Dortmund to win a record 15th European crown, Real Madrid got off to a winning start to the 2024-25 campaign. The holders got an early second half goal by marquee summer arrival and French superstar Kylian Mbappé — who was making his maiden Champions League appearance for Los Blancos.

And although they later squandered it against plucky Bundesliga side Stuttgart in the Spanish capital, central defender Antonio Rüdiger came to the rescue to score the winner and prevent Real from settling for a disappointing point at Estadio Bernabeu. With the outcome beyond doubt, teenage sensation Endrick made it 3-1 in the fifth minute of second half stoppage time.

The result doesn’t change the fact that this was not a convincing performance from Carlo Ancelotti’s men. The Germans were their equal both statistically – Stuttgart controlled the bulk of possession and sent more shots on target than the more decorated hosts – and via the naked eye. But then winning despite not playing particularly well is what great teams do. And when it comes to the planet’s most prestigious club competition, no team is greater. It may be a whole new season, but it was the same story for Real Madrid as the curtain went up on opening night.

Liverpool survives early Christian Pulisic strike, tops AC Milan

It took U.S. captain Christian Pulisic less than three minutes to find the net and give the Rossineri a lead over the visiting Reds.

The celebrations at the San Siro turned out to be short-lived. Liverpool responded to the early deficit, though, equalizing via central defender Ibrahima Konaté and then going ahead through Konaté’s partner Virgil van Dijk before the first half was finished.

With the hosts throwing numbers forward in the second half, the English club held firm and delivered a backbreaking third tally through playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai to kick off the new European season in style at the home of the seven-time continental champs.

Weston McKennie scores, is among five history-making Americans

Tuesday’s matinée between Juventus and Dutch club PSV Eindhoven was almost one-stop shopping for new U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino. Key USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie made his first start of the season for Juve, and he celebrated it by scoring his side’s second in the hosts’ 3-1 victory in Turin.

Fellow Americans Malik Tillman and Richie Ledezma — who has been converted to right back by PSV manager Peter Bosz — started for the visitors, who brought Ricardo Pepi off the bench. Meanwhile, Tim Weah entered as a substitute for Juventus.

It marks the first time that five U.S. players appeared in the same Champions League match; the previous record was three.

Juve will travel to Germany’s RB Leipzig on Oct. 2 for its second of eight league stage games. PSV hosts Sporting Lisbon on Oct. 1.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. A former staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports, he has covered U.S. men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.