Big score, many goals, the Champions League still belongs to the strong

The results of the third round of the UEFA Champions League in the 25-26 season once again proved a fact: victory still belongs to the strong.

The new competition format of the Champions League is expected to bring more fairness and drama, but the results at the beginning of this season only showed an increase in goals and viewing, but few upsets. A total of 71 goals were scored in the Champions League on October 22 and 23, setting a new record for the competition. Most of the games were open and closed, not as cautious and focused on defense as in the past. But when one takes a look at the standings, things are back on track: Europe's giants continue to dominate, with upsets just the occasional appetizer.

The new competition format has once again awakened the team's offensive instinct. In the league stage, each team participates in 8 games (4 home and 4 away). With goal difference being the main basis for rankings (in addition to points), the competition is now very open, resulting in many big-scoring results. On October 22, Paris beat Bayer Leverkusen 7-2, Barcelona swept Olympiakos 6-1, and PSV defeated Naples 6-2. On October 23, Chelsea beat Ajax 5-1, Liverpool beat Frankfurt by the same score, and Bayern defeated Brugge 4-0. Not only are these numbers exciting for viewers, they also prove that head coaches are willing to take more risks on offense when caution wears off.

The number of goals scored in this round reached 71, which was the highest record since the implementation of the new competition system last season. This makes the Champions League more exciting, but it also begs the question: is this outbreak sustainable? Or is it an illusion brought about by the easy schedule at the beginning of the season?

Big wins over Paris, Barcelona, ​​Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern not only brought 3 points, but also consolidated their position in the standings. In contrast, it is difficult for teams such as Ajax, Kairat and Copenhagen to create surprises. Even teams that were expected to be dark horses, such as Bayer Leverkusen, Naples and Benfica, performed poorly and faced the risk of being eliminated early. This proves that the new format is not enough to overturn the old order. After the 3rd round, the standings (points, goal difference and other criteria) showed a clear gap. The top eight are still occupied by traditional giants: Bayern, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Arsenal all have 9 points, while Dortmund and Manchester City each have 7 points.

It can be seen from this situation that Paris (defending champion), Inter Milan (runner-up last season), Bayern, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Liverpool are still leading the way. Teams such as Newcastle United and Galatasaray are only playing small games, which is not enough to adjust the old order. The new format has indeed brought about an explosion of goals and the emergence of scripts, making the game more attractive to fans. But the previous situation still exists: strong teams continue to dominate the standings, and the knockout stage is the real battle.

Will there be any upsets in the next round? We'll have to wait and see, but one thing is for sure: the power in European football remains in the hands of the richest teams.