Some nights can be summed up by a single scoreline. On Tuesday, the Champions League found its headline at the Estadio de la Cerámica, where Paris Saint-Germain tore Villarreal apart with a crushing 6-0 win. It was a show of strength that will keep tongues wagging until the next round of European fixtures. The Yellow Submarine simply could not cope with wave after wave of Parisian attacks and sank without a trace in front of its own fans.
Bayern Munich went about their business in a far colder fashion. At the notoriously hostile home of Atlético Madrid, the Bavarians struck twice and never looked troubled. A 2-0 victory that underlines the composure of a side well used to these big away trips.
The evening was just as comfortable in Catalonia. Barcelona dominated Aston Villa 3-0, a harsh reminder for the English club of how unforgiving the elite level of European football can be. Inter Milan had no more trouble in Rotterdam, where Feyenoord conceded three times against a disciplined Nerazzurri outfit.
The most closely fought contest came at Old Trafford. Manchester United and Roma traded blows in a game full of twists, before the Red Devils edged it 3-2. It was a win built on character, the kind that can breathe new life into a European campaign.
Earlier in the evening, Galatasaray had Istanbul on its feet after beating VfB Stuttgart 2-0, while Sporting CP scraped a narrow 1-0 win away at Shakhtar Donetsk. In Austria, LASK Linz cruised past Slovan Bratislava 4-0.
Lille, for their part, can be pleased with the point they brought back from beyond the Arctic Circle. On Bodø/Glimt’s ever treacherous artificial pitch, the French side held firm for a goalless draw, hardly a minor result against opponents who are formidable at home.
Matchday 4 continues on Wednesday with several eagerly awaited fixtures. Real Madrid travel to Athens to face AEK, Liverpool take on Fenerbahçe in Turkey, and Manchester City head to Leipzig. Arsenal visit Slavia Prague, while Lens host Como in a tie that French fans will follow closely.