The Champions League is back! Below, we dissect the biggest talking points from Tuesday’s action as this season’s group stage kicked off in Europe’s premier club competition.

The jinxed jersey

Thomas Tuchel hasn’t tried to lessen the weight of Chelsea’s No. 9 shirt. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The head coach has repeatedly branded the digit a “curse” at Stamford Bridge.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Hernan Crespo, and Tammy Abraham are the club’s most successful No. 9s this century, but Crespo and Abraham’s fruitful spells were only brief. Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, and Gonzalo Higuain are among the players who’ve disappointed while donning the number, which is traditionally reserved for goalscorers.

“We demand a lot from our strikers in terms of defending. We want to be a physical and hard-working group, one that’s not shy to make it a physical game and not only a skillful game. That maybe plays a part,” Tuchel offered in February of how Chelsea’s traditional playing style could contribute to Romelu Lukaku’s struggles.

But deadline-day arrival Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had no problem with inheriting Lukaku’s shirt. If the 33-year-old is to break the curse, he’ll have to do better than he did in Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb.

Aubameyang struggled to make a positive impact in his debut, showing none of the conviction that Chelsea so desperately need in the center-forward position. Instead, he strayed offside three times and failed to fire a single shot on target. Armando Broja replaced Aubameyang after 60 largely frustrating minutes.

There are mitigating factors. After sustaining injuries during a violent break-in attempt at his home near Barcelona, Aubameyang will likely need time to regain his confidence. Tuchel was also one of the main reasons the former Gabonese international decided to join the club, and now that he’s gone, Aubameyang will need even more time to adapt to his surroundings. In short, he has a long way to go to become the reference point Chelsea need up front.

New season, same PSG?

Now more than ever, there are no illusions about Paris Saint-Germain’s aspirations. It’s Champions League title or bust.

And, not for the first time, some of the early signs were enormously promising. PSG toyed with Juventus for much of their 2-1 win Tuesday in the French capital. Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi seemed to be playing a different sport at times, connecting with intricate tricks and flicks and making a mockery of the Juve backline. Neymar’s scooped pass for Mbappe’s early goal, and the Frenchman’s thunderous volley itself, belong in the Louvre.

Leading 2-0 after just 22 minutes and in complete control, PSG should’ve gone for the jugular. They could’ve blown Juve away and made a huge statement of intent, even if beating this version of the Old Lady isn’t quite the accomplishment of previous years. Still, a marker could have been laid down.

Instead, PSG became complacent after the interval. The smooth, slick, devastating unit from the opening 45 minutes disappeared and let Juventus back into the match. PSG were, and are, comfortably the better team, but after Weston McKennie halved the deficit, doubt started the creep in for the hosts. The defense, untested in the first half, looked nervous and susceptible whenever a cross was whipped into the penalty area.

The scenes were somewhat reminiscent of PSG’s collapse against Real Madrid last season, only this time, Karim Benzema wasn’t there to punish them. A relatively feeble Juventus side worried PSG when it played on the front foot. How will Christophe Galtier’s men handle the pressure against better teams in the knockout stages? The question, yet again, lingers.

Allegri holding Juve back

Passive. Timid. Apathetic.

Juventus fans and pundits alike had their thesauruses out after the opening half of Tuesday’s eventual defeat to PSG, with Massimiliano Allegri’s team completely outclassed and overawed by the pace, skill, and intensity of Mbappe and his teammates. Juve, who have looked turgid in Serie A this season, struggled to string multiple passes together.

The knives were being sharpened for the Italian manager, whose monotonous tactics have come under heavy criticism of late.

Then, suddenly, McKennie’s aforementioned goal in the 53rd minute seemed to flip a switch. Juve pressed forward, Leandro Paredes started to dictate the tempo and spray passes across the pitch, and the Italian side found pockets of space between the lines instead of playing repetitive, low-risk balls out wide and simply recycling possession over and over again.

Ironically, that improvement is part of the issue. Juventus can play more aggressive, attractive football. The talent is there, even without the injured star trio of Federico Chiesa, Paul Pogba, and Angel Di Maria. Allegri can’t wait for all three to return before he takes the handbrake off; the former pair likely won’t be back in full force until January, at the earliest.

The players need to take some responsibility, of course, but Allegri is being paid very handsomely to put his team in a position to win. Being overly conservative, even if it will occasionally deliver results, isn’t the right approach to get the best out of his team.

If things haven’t changed by the time PSG visit Turin in the reverse fixture in early November, the Tuscan manager could be in trouble.

Is Akanji one of the top summer bargains?

You wouldn’t have guessed it was Manuel Akanji’s Manchester City debut. He didn’t need to do much defensive work in his new side’s 4-0 win at Sevilla, but he was unhurried when he had the ball, using both feet as he moved it along to his new teammates. He completed 71 passes, creating two chances along the way.

It all seemed very familiar to Akanji.

Pep Guardiola likes to rotate his lineup, but he prefers to have a set center-back duo for most of his team’s matches. Ruben Dias and John Stones were his last regular pairing, but injuries and the occasional off-color performance from the latter have loosened that partnership’s hold on two spots in the lineup.

Nathan Ake has improved following some unconvincing displays earlier in his City career, but he seems to get injured just when he’s strung together a few starts. Meanwhile, Aymeric Laporte’s increasingly common spells on the sidelines may be the main reason City swooped for Akanji on deadline day; the Spaniard might not be back until mid-October after knee surgery.

So, Akanji could be very busy in his first few weeks in Manchester, and, based on his debut display, that’s no bad thing. He has the intelligence, awareness, and selflessness that should set him up well for Guardiola football, and at around £17 million, he could prove to be the bargain of the summer.

Well, that’s if Erling Haaland – who already has 12 City goals after his double against Sevilla – didn’t cost just £60 million.

Salzburg no pushovers in Group E

AC Milan learned Tuesday night that Red Bull Salzburg are a serious threat in Group E.

Salzburg, after all, are playing in the Champions League group stage for the fourth consecutive season. They routinely develop some of the world’s most promising talent, most notably Haaland, and press as relentlessly as the very best teams in Europe. It should come as no surprise they held Milan to a 1-1 draw – they managed to do the same against Bayern Munich last season.

Given Chelsea’s early struggles, Salzburg can envision a path into the round of 16, especially with Swiss forward Noah Okafor developing into a fine scorer and dribbler and 19-year-old forward Benjamin Sesko showing promise in advance of his move to sister club RB Leipzig.

Salzburg took the game to Milan early in the first half, pressing the Rossoneri and limiting their time on the ball. The hosts had a goal and nine shots by the half-hour mark despite only having 35% possession. It was a devastating display that set the tone for the rest of the game. Salzburg’s defenders double-marked Rafael Leao, knowing they had to cut off an artery of Milan’s attack to stand a chance against the Italian champions. Though the Portuguese winger assisted the equalizer, he could’ve done a lot more damage.

By the end of the night, Salzburg’s players covered an average of 11.09 kilometers, trumping Milan’s 10.8 kilometers per outfielder. Even after starting the game so aggressively, the Austrian side sustained itself throughout the 90 minutes, doing the majority of its work off the ball.

After a lengthy negotiation, Chelsea and Barcelona finally agreed to a €12-million deal on deadline day that sent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back to London.

The veteran striker inked a two-year contract with the Blues. His deal includes an option for an additional season, sources told James Olley of ESPN. The option is based on the number of appearances he makes for Chelsea during the 2023-24 campaign, Olley notes.

“I’m really happy. It’s an honour to be part of this team and I can’t wait to start,” Aubameyang said. “I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it’s good to be back and really exciting.”

“I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it’s good to be back and really exciting.”

Aubameyang, 33, arrived in London on Thursday afternoon to complete his medicals ahead of the transfer window closing at 6 p.m. ET. The signing was eventually announced after the official closure of the window, but was allowed to go through because Chelsea submitted the necessary paperwork to the Premier League in time.

The former Arsenal captain sustained a broken jaw during an armed robbery at his home in Spain earlier this week and is expected to be sidelined for roughly three weeks. That harrowing incident, and the accompanying injury, didn’t prove prohibitive to the transfer.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who has been vocal about his team’s need to make significant improvements after a patchy start to the new season, is believed to have been the catalyst behind the club’s pursuit of Aubameyang. The pair worked together and enjoyed success at Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea, who have focused primarily on bolstering their backline during a summer of lavish spending, lost both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner; the pair rejoined former clubs Inter Milan and RB Leipzig, respectively.

With Raheem Sterling still acclimating to his new team and others around him struggling thus far, the Blues have scored only six goals through five Premier League matches.

Chelsea also announced the departure of left wing-back Marcos Alonso by mutual consent. The Spaniard is expected to join Barcelona in a separate deal to the Aubameyang transaction.

Transfer deadline day is in full swing. We’re providing live quick-hit analysis of the biggest deals – and rumors – until tonight’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.

The unwanted superstar

Cristiano Ronaldo wanted something more. He wanted to supplement his goals tally in the Champions League rather than venture to the more unfashionable corners of the continent in the Europa League. He was also apparently unimpressed with Manchester United’s recruitment and embattled defender Harry Maguire keeping the captain’s armband.

But while news of Ronaldo’s ask to leave Old Trafford reverberated around the globe, it didn’t rouse a European giant into action. Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea quickly ruled themselves out of signing the Portuguese forward. Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn said acquiring the 37-year-old wouldn’t “fit with our philosophy.” Atletico Madrid fans protested when their club was linked with Ronaldo. Real Madrid and Juventus, two of his former employers, kept quiet.

It’s been two months since his transfer request, and with hours left of the summer window, it appears Ronaldo is going nowhere.

Unless a miraculous 11th-hour move happens, it’s difficult to know where his increasingly labored gait fits into Erik ten Hag’s plans. United belatedly kickstarted their season with a 2-1 home win over hated rivals Liverpool, with their aggression and tempo unsettling Jurgen Klopp’s side. Would the Red Devils have played with the same intensity with Ronaldo up front? Probably not.

True, Ronaldo scored 18 goals across 30 Premier League appearances last season, but there’s a reasonable argument that the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho would’ve played more freely without the veteran constantly demanding service from inside the 18-yard box. Indulging Ronaldo worked for Ronaldo, but it didn’t work for United, who finished sixth in the Premier League and suffered early exits from the Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup.

Whatever happens, it promises to be a fascinating few months while Ronaldo prepares for what will likely be his last World Cup this winter.

DONE DEAL: Man Utd unveil Antony ?

Other areas of Erik ten Hag’s probably needed attention before United recruited another wide attacker. How about a right-back? Or a deep-lying midfielder to complement or compete with Casemiro? The club will apparently sign Martin Dubravka as David De Gea’s backup, but shouldn’t it sign a higher-profile goalkeeper who can seriously challenge the Spaniard for the No. 1 jersey?

Nevertheless, United signed Antony. No doubt he’s entertaining through his array of party tricks, and along with Rashford and Sancho, he could help forge a fluid, unpredictable, and dangerous attack. Plus, the Brazilian star is only 22.

But analyzing this deal will always come back to the fee. Transfermarkt currently values the winger at €35 million – just over a third of what the Red Devils actually paid. Ajax chief executive and former Red Devils ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar may have pulled off a masterstroke in raising almost €170 million through the sales of Antony and Lisandro Martinez to United, giving him the chance to rebuild the Dutch giants.

DONE DEAL: City bolster backline with Akanji ?

Manuel Akanji’s departure from Borussia Dortmund appeared inevitable when he slipped down the pecking order following the summer arrivals of Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck. He’s yet to make an appearance this campaign, with his last outing being Switzerland’s Nations League win over Portugal in June.

And there was also the looming prospect of him leaving Dortmund for free when his contract expired next June – that’s why Manchester City got the defender for such an affordable price on deadline day.

Where Akanji quite fits in at the Etihad Stadium remains to be seen. Pep Guardiola already had four senior center-backs to choose from, two of whom are right-footed (Ruben Dias and John Stones) while the other two are left-footed (Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte). There was balance, but perhaps Akanji’s arrival hints at a more serious injury for Laporte, who’s yet to play this season.

Akanji is right-footed but is almost equally comfortable with his left, and his physicality and distribution at the back should suit the Premier League.

Klopp getting desired midfield help

Just days ago, Jurgen Klopp urged Liverpool’s owners to “risk a bit more” in the transfer window in search of a midfielder that could bolster the squad and help alleviate the club’s injury crisis at the position. Klopp has unquestionably built up enough trust at Anfield to warrant the backing of ownership, and it seems as though they listened.

The Reds are on the verge of signing Arthur Melo on a season-long loan from Juventus, according to Fabrizio Romano. The deal is not expected to include a purchase option.

An accurate, high-volume passer who operates at the base of midfield, the Brazilian footballer’s career has badly stagnated since he moved to Italy as part of the now-infamous swap deal with Miralem Pjanic in 2020. Injuries slowed his progress almost immediately in Turin, and he could never fully integrate himself into either Andrea Pirlo’s or Max Allegri’s plans.

If the deal is strictly a dry loan, it’s a very low-risk move for Klopp and Liverpool, who badly needed another body in central midfield to at least weather the current storm.

Aubameyang back in London

Chelsea, languishing to begin the new campaign, need someone to act as the focal point of a stuttering attack that has generated just six goals through five Premier League matches so far. In times of need like this, managers often turn to familiar faces, and that’s exactly what Thomas Tuchel appears to be doing, dipping into his Borussia Dortmund connections.

The Blues have reportedly agreed to a deal in principle to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona, with left wing-back Marcos Alonso and €14 million going in the opposite direction.

Even by their staggering transfer window standards, Barca’s longstanding interest in Alonso is odd. Chelsea’s need for Aubameyang, though, is crystal clear.

Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling have excellent attacking qualities, but neither is a natural scorer. Aubameyang, the former Arsenal captain who will likely relish a return to London, gives Tuchel that exact profile without sacrificing fluidity up front. With both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner shipped out and Armando Broja still a little too raw, adding a striker before the window closed was a no-brainer for Tuchel and the free-spending Blues.

Other deals to watch today …

Anthony Gordon ?? Chelsea: Everton boss Frank Lampard has stated that the exciting youngster won’t depart because there’s no time to secure a replacement on such short notice, but if the transfer window has taught us anything over the years, it’s that anything is possible on deadline day.

Hector Bellerin ?? Barcelona: Who doesn’t love a feel-good story about returning to your roots? Bellerin, no longer a part of Arsenal’s plans, is on the verge of a free transfer to his hometown club Barcelona, where he began his career as a member of the youth team.

Douglas Luiz ?? Arsenal: In the wake of Mohamed Elneny’s hamstring injury, the Gunners are scouring the market for additional midfield cover and have honed in on the Aston Villa player, who is reportedly pushing for a move. Somewhere in the £20-million range could be enough to seal the deal.

Sergino Dest ?? AC Milan: Barcelona manager Xavi told Dest in no uncertain terms he wouldn’t see much – if any – playing time this season and that a transfer was in his best interest. He’s currently in Italy undergoing a medical and finalizing a loan to the Serie A champions.

Francesco Acerbi ?? Inter Milan: Inter have been seeking defensive cover all summer. After being linked with a handful of different players of varying ages, values, and attributes, they’ve seemingly landed on Acerbi, who will be linking up with Simone Inzaghi again after the pair worked together at Lazio.