Champions League

Another match, another flag controversy for the UEFA Champions League — and this time Celtic supporters were innocent bystanders.

Legia Warsaw’s Champions League opener against Borussia Dortmund couldn’t have gone any worse for the Polish club. On top of being defeated 6-0, they’ve been retroactively charged by UEFA with six offenses stemming from crowd trouble.

Fireworks, allegations of racist chanting and ultras armed with pepper spray all contributed to the charges. Warsaw ultras were captured on camera trying to break into the away section armed with pepper spray. Their attempt was rebuffed by stadium security, but the stewards tasked with holding the ultras back suffered the brunt of the violence.

Tuesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal yielded two story lines which have gone on to dominate this morning’s headlines. It’s just a matter of perspective: either David Ospina, selected to start over normal Arsenal No. 1 Petr Cech, earned Arsenal a point, or PSG striker Edinson Cavani squandered all three for the home side.

17-year-old American midfielder Christian Pulisic made history on Wednesday by becoming the youngest player to ever represent German giants Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. 

17 - Christian Pulisic, who turns 18 in four days, is the youngest player ever to represent @BVB in the @ChampionsLeague. Record.

Cristiano Ronaldo welcomed the club that gave him his first start as a professional footballer to the home of the club that he has said he hopes will give him his last. Sporting CP visited the Bernabeu Wednesday and it looked an awful lot like they would leave with three points.

The defending champs are down at home to Sporting on Bruno Cesar's deft finish. #UCLonFOX https://t.co/baIPjPGbyU

Celtic knew going into their Champions League encounter with Barcelona that getting a result against a side reinforced by the return of Brazilian great Neymar would be an extremely difficult task. 

They couldn’t have imagined just how well the MSN reunion would go for the Blaugrana.

The attacking trio were nothing short of sensational at the Camp Nou, playing a part in all seven Barca goals.

Neymar started things off by setting up Messi’s first, the Argentine finishing with a powerful left-footed shot.

Barcelona are at home against a team that recently lost to a team from Gibraltar. You can guess how it's going.

Messi Neymar Messi Neymar Messi =  It's that easy. #UCL @HeinekenSoccer #UCLonFOX https://t.co/Mm2g5qriQU

It isn't surprising that Neymar took this free kick because it's about the same angle that he scored from in the Olympic gold medal match against Germany.

He's also one of the best players in the world. It is surprising that Neymar took this free kick because Lionel Messi was standing over it as well, and he's the best player in the world and was also on a hat trick.

Neymar recreated his Olympic goal against Celtic, and, for the record, Messi did eventually get his hat trick.

Atletico Madrid beat PSV 1-0 in their Champions League group stage opener, but PSV had a chance to draw level in stoppage time of the first half when Luciano Narsingh drew a penalty. Andres Guardado stepped up to take it for PSV.

And he had it saved.

Andre's Guardado usually scores his penalties. Not today

https://t.co/OJNV5IpIMS

Having warded off interest from Barcelona and Sevilla to sign a rejuvenated Hatem Ben Arfa, Paris Saint-Germain appeared to be the perfect destination for the mercurial 29-year-old playmaker. Ben Arfa signed for PSG as a free agent after experiencing a renaissance last year with Nice, tallying 17 goals and six assists in Ligue 1.

This all, of course, followed a tumultuous four years in England where he was part footballing genius, part disinterested delinquent.