"In 18 matches this week, we got 71 goals (3.9 per match), including 43 on Tuesday alone. We got three 4-0 matches, two 5-1s, a 6-1, a 7-2, a 6-2 and a 4-2, plus a pair of 3-1s and a 3-0. And the three 0-0 matches we got were completely accidental -- they averaged 3.1 combined xG as well. Action may be down in the Premier League, but Champions League Matchday 3 brought the thunder."
"Aside from the accidental 0-0s, only two other matches were decided by one goal. It appears that the sport's heavyweights remember the way Manchester City (22nd in last year's League Phase) and PSG (15th) struggled in the early-going last season, and they know that there's no time like the present to hit the gas. Of the top 10 teams in the world, per the current Opta rankings, five have taken a perfect nine points from their first three matches,"
The new Champions League format incentivizes teams to pursue wins rather than settle for draws, producing risk-on strategies and open play. Matchday 3 produced 71 goals across 18 matches (3.9 per match), including 43 goals on one day and multiple lopsided scorelines such as 7-2, 6-2, 6-1 and 5-1 results. Only two matches were decided by a single goal aside from three accidental 0-0s, which still averaged 3.1 combined xG. Several top-ranked clubs started with maximum points, while notable traditional powers have struggled early in the League Phase.
Read at ESPN.com
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