"The UEFA Champions League returned with a bang this midweek as Matchday 3 offered plenty to talk about. We also got drama with Real Madrid squeaking past Juventus 1-0 thanks to a Jude Bellingham winner, and several other big clubs -- like Manchester City and Internazionale -- collected wins to give the top end of the table a rather predictable look. So what did we glean from the action overall, and what have we learned from these teams? ESPN writers Mark Ogden, Julien Laurens, Tom Hamilton and Gab Marcotti offer their thoughts on Matchday 3."
"Barça got a pre-Clásico confidence boost by putting six past Olympiacos, but how much of it was their quality -- led by Marcus Rashford, who might be the answer up front for now -- and how much was it Olympiacos being on the receiving end of some bad refereeing? Marcotti: The expected goals at the time of the sending off was 1.22 to 1.00 to Barcelona, so that's one way of looking at it."
"And then, with the extra man for more than half an hour, they piled on in garbage time and won 6-1. That said, it's a midweek game pre- Clásico and these follow patterns, especially at home. You just want the result and you don't want to pick up injuries and they got that. Everybody was looking past Olympiacos, rightly or wrongly."
Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League produced dramatic results and decisive wins across major clubs. Real Madrid edged Juventus 1-0 courtesy of a Jude Bellingham winner. Manchester City and Internazionale secured victories that contributed to a predictable look at the top of the table. Barcelona beat Olympiacos 6-1 in a pre-Clásico fixture, prompting questions about the influence of refereeing on the scoreline. Expected goals at the time of the sending-off were 1.22 to 1.00 to Barcelona, and the extra man allowed Barcelona to extend the lead. Dro Fernández and Fermín López stood out with notable performances, while squad changes opened opportunities for other forwards.
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