Champions League games of the group stage: Which was your favourite?
Monday, December 18, 2023
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Have your say on the best games of this season's UEFA Champions League group stage.
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The 2023/24 Champions League group stage was full of twists and turns as 32 teams battled it out to be the best of the best in Europe's elite competition.
UEFA.com picks out six games that particularly grabbed the headlines. Vote for your favourite below.
Bayern 4-3 Man United
A repeat of the famous 1998/99 final did not disappoint as Bayern and Man United played out a seven-goal thriller. Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry strikes put the hosts in the driving seat, but Rasmus Højlund's first United goal offered the visitors hope. Harry Kane then converted a penalty in his first game against England opposition since his transfer from Tottenham, before Casemiro's double either side of Mathys Tel's finish in a grandstand end to a pulsating encounter.
Must-see moment: Casemiro's improvised flick past Sven Ulreich for his first goal.
Union Berlin 2-3 Braga
In an enthralling contest in Berlin, Braga came from 2-0 down to score an added-time winner and secure their first group stage victory since 2012. Sheraldo Becker's first-half double put Union in control in their home Champions League debut, but Sikou Niakaté halved the deficit before Bruma's incredible strike drew Braga level. Both sides had chances to win it before André Castro's 94th-minute piledriver from just outside the box made the difference.
Must-see moment: Bruma's brilliant curled effort is a goal of the season contender.
Atlético de Madrid 3-2 Feyenoord
Atlético edged an action-packed and highly entertaining encounter on Matchday 2. In an end-to-end first half the visitors twice took the lead before being pegged back, with Álvaro Morata cancelling out a Mario Hermoso own goal before Antoine Griezmann acrobatically equalised after Dávid Hancko had restored the advantage for the Dutch side. Less than two minutes after half-time Morata got his second with an instinctive close-range finish, and that was finally enough to separate two evenly-matched teams.
Must-see moment: Griezmann improvises with a hooked bicycle kick to level the scores at 2-2.
Copenhagen 4-3 Man United
United found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline for the second time as Copenhagen mounted an extraordinary comeback on Matchday 4. Højlund scored two goals inside the opening 30 minutes against his old club to put the visitors in command. But after Marcus Rashford was sent off for United the Danes struck twice before half-time to level things up. A Bruno Fernandes penalty put Erik ten Hag's side back in front only for Lukas Lerager to poke in and equalise again before Roony Bardghji's dramatic late winner settled this magnificent spectacle.
Must-see moment: Bardghji's strike made him the youngest player to score against United in the Champions League (17 years 358 days).
Sevilla 2-3 PSV Eindhoven
PSV came from 2-0 down to win this fascinating encounter thanks to a stoppage-time Ricardo Pepi header. Veteran Sevilla defender Sergio Ramos got the 10,000th Champions League goal to open the scoring before Youssef En-Nesyri doubled the hosts' lead just after half-time. The dismissal of Lucas Ocampos completely changed the match, Ismael Saibari's beautiful volley halving the deficit before a Nemanja Gudelj own goal and Pepi's late intervention earned three points that took the Dutch side into the round of 16.
Must-see moment: Sergiño Dest's pinpoint cross is met with a precise side-foot volley into the top corner by Saibari.
Salzburg 1-3 Benfica
There was drama on the final matchday as a stoppage-time Benfica goal secured them a third-place finish in Group D and progression to the Europa League knockout play-offs at the expense of their hosts. Knowing they needed to win by a two-goal margin, the Eagles made a blistering start as goals from Ángel Di María and Rafa Silva put them 2-0 up in the first half. But after the break Luka Sučić got a crucial goal back for Salzburg, and they held firm until the 93rd minute, when Arthur Cabral dramatically back-heeled in to spark scenes of jubilation for Benfica.
Must-see moment: Di María scores directly from a corner with a bending effort to get Benfica going.