Champions League: Leverkusen sweeps Feyenoord, Benfica beats Red Star | Champions League

Bayer Leverkusen opened their Champions League season with a clear 4-0 win at Feyenoord on Thursday, in the first half he raged.

Florian Wirtz scored twice, Alejandro Grimaldo also got on the scoresheet and Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther scored an own goal as Leverkusen made it 4-0 at half-time while the home team were booed and chased off the pitch by their own fans.

It was a sobering start for Feyenoord. Last season’s Dutch runners-up have barely regained their form since Arne Slot left for Liverpool.

Leverkusen played them out clearly in the first 45 minutes and confidently fended off a comeback attempt at home after the break. Leverkusen, which last season was the first team to finish a Bundesliga season undefeated and comfortably won the title, was in the lead in the first five minutes when Wirtz took advantage of a defensive error by Ramiz Zerrouki and scored the first goal.

Dutch international Jeremie Frimpong then set up the next two goals, tearing the home side’s defence to shreds with his strong running down the right flank. Grimaldo scored the first goal in the 30th minute, helped by a clever no-look pass from Victor Boniface. He scored the next goal with a precise cross to the far post, which Wirtz unchallenged and flew home in the 36th minute.

Just when things could not get any worse for the Dutch, Leverkusen took a four-goal lead just before half-time. A free kick landed at the far post for centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, whose header into the danger zone back into the middle hit Wellenreuther’s foot and slowly rebounded over the line, resulting in an own goal.

Feyenoord captain Quinten Timber had a good chance to pull one back ten minutes into the second half, but was denied by a strong save from Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. Despite showing more fighting spirit and energy in the second half, the home team rarely threatened to score. However, an attempt by substitute Ayase Ueda in the 74th minute was disallowed for offside.

Leverkusen almost added a fifth goal in injury time, but David Hancko cleared Aleix García’s shot off the line. Leverkusen’s next Champions League match is at home to Milan on October 1, while Feyenoord face Girona the following day.

A lucky goal by winger Kerem Akturkoglu and a great free kick by his Turkish compatriot Orkun Kökcü ensured Benfica a 2-1 victory at Red Star Belgrade.

Akturkoglu opened the scoring for the Portuguese in the ninth minute, finishing a cross from close range at the far post. A minute before half-time, Kökcü doubled the lead with a perfectly placed free kick from around 25 metres that hit the top right corner of the net.

Red Star managed to pull back four minutes from time when Felício Milson was set free and scored from close range, but they were unable to equalise.

Full summary follows.