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UEFA Champions League moments you might have missed – Declan Rice crunches Harry Kane, Eberechi Eze celebrates early, Chelsea’s future stars


Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League featured goals and drama galore.

But what were the moments – from early celebrations to shocking dives – you might have missed from the week’s action?

Rice gets better of Kane

Much has been made of Harry Kane playing all over the pitch for Bayern Munich, but Arsenal have their own all-action hero: Declan Rice.

Rice and Kane will be teaming up next summer to try to help England win the FIFA World Cup – but the Arsenal midfielder had no hesitation in chasing down and tackling Kane as he looked to make something happen for Bayern.

Rice loved it – throwing his hands in the air afterwards – and the Emirates Stadium crowd loved it too.

TNT Sports expert Martin Keown said it was “the most complete performance” he has seen from Rice, who was named man of the match.

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‘He can’t put a foot wrong’ – Rice gets Emirates crowd going with crunching tackle on Kane

Video credit: TNT Sports

Eze celebrates early

So far out of his goal was Manuel Neuer that Gabriel Martinelli still had a bit of work to do to score Arsenal’s third after rounding Bayern’s walkabout goalkeeper.

But Eberechi Eze knew the outcome – having played the pass over the top, he started celebrating as soon as Martinelli went past Neuer.

Martinelli did not disappoint as he tucked away into the open goal.

Mbappe’s rapid hat-trick

Real Madrid’s off-field troubles looked like they might extend to the pitch as they fell behind early against Olympiacos.
But then Mbappe stepped up with the fastest ever hat-trick from a Champions League starter, clocked at six minutes and 42 seconds, to lift the spirits.

Only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored a quicker hat-trick in the Champions League, coming in at six minutes and 12 seconds as a substitute against Rangers in October 2022.

Mbappe would go on to net a fourth goal, which proved important as Madrid held on to win 4-3.

Fastest Champions League hat-tricks

  • 6 minutes 12 seconds: Mohamed Salah v Rangers (2022)
  • 6 minutes 42 seconds: KYLIAN MBAPPE v Olympiacos (2025)
  • 8 minutes 45 seconds: Bafetimbi Gomis v Dinamo Zagreb (2011)
  • 9 minutes 17 seconds: Mike Newell v Rosenborg (1995)
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Highlights: Mbappe hits FOUR as Real win seven-goal thriller

Video credit: TNT Sports

Alonso and Vinicius make up?

Much of the talk around Real Madrid lately has been about Vinicius Junior and reports that he will not sign a contract extension due to his relationship with head coach Xabi Alonso.

But perhaps in an olive branch moment, Alonso called Vinicius over after Madrid’s win over Olympiacos to give him a high five and a hug.

Vinicius also stayed on until almost the end of the game (the 90th minute), having seemingly been upset previously at being taken off earlier.

Vitinha's Ballon d'Or boost

Erling Haaland and Harry Kane might be leading the way when it comes to the 2026 Ballon d’Or due to their goalscoring exploits, but Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank thinks Vitinha will win the prize.

“The best midfielder in the world,” was how Frank described the Paris Saint-Germain after his match-winning hat-trick against Spurs.

Vitinha scored two brilliant goals, the first with his right foot from outside the box and the second on his left, then added a third from the penalty spot.

Vitinha came third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and PSG head coach Luis Enrique said he was “sensational, as always”.

“Next Ballon d’Or? WelI…I hope so,” he added.

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Highlights: Vitinha stars with hat-trick as PSG overcome Spurs in eight-goal epic

Video credit: TNT Sports

Color You are the turern of the point

Spurs might have been beaten for the second time in four days, but there were more positives for them to take from their defeat to PSG than their north London derby loss to Arsenal.

Among them was the display of Randal Kolo Muani, who is on loan at Spurs from PSG.

The forward scored with two good finishes and also set up Richarlison for the opener.

“I think that can definitely be a turning point,” Spurs boss Thomas Frank said. “It needs to be followed up, of course, but the two goals give him some confidence to go forward.”

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Kolo Muani with a ‘great finish’ to score for Spurs

Video credit: TNT Sports

Chelsea’s next superstars?

Estevao was the talk of Stamford Bridge as he starred in Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over Barcelona, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi records at the same stage of their careers.

But there were also other potential future Chelsea stars netting around Europe.

Kairat Almaty’s 17-year-old striker Dastan Satpaev, who will join Chelsea next summer, became the third-youngest scorer in Champions League history behind Ansu Fati and Lamine Yamal.

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Chelsea signing ‘boy wonder’ Satpaev robs goalkeeper to score memorable goal

Video credit: TNT Sports

Geovany Quenda, who is also set to join Chelsea, bagged a goal and an assist as Sporting beat Club Brugge 3-0.

It was the second time this season the 18-year-old has scored and assisted in the Champions League, having also done so against Kairat Almaty in September.

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Highlights: Suarez strikes as Sporting prove too strong for Brugge

Video credit: TNT Sports

Bad night for Barca

Barcelona had a night to forget against Chelsea. Not only was Lamine Yamal outshone by Estevao, but Barca saw a 53-match streak of scoring at least one goal come to an end.

Not since December 15, 2024 had the Catalan side failed to score in a game, while head coach Hansi Flick had never previously managed a Champions League match in which his team did not score (Flick’s teams had scored in all of his 37 Champions League games – 18 with Bayern and 19 with Barca).

And Barca might have a red card problem: since the start of 2023/24, they have received five red cards in the Champions League, more than any other side.

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Highlights: Estevao lights up Stamford Bridge as Chelsea batter Barcelona

Video credit: TNT Sports

Bakola’s blatant dive

What a moment it could have been for 17-year-old Darryl Bakola.

Making his Champions League debut for Marseille, Bakola had cut inside Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar in the box and had the chance to score and send the Velodrome wild.

Instead, he caught a glimpse of Schar’s outstretched leg and decided to throw himself to the floor, despite there being no contact.

The referee did not need VAR to decide it was not a penalty as he had a clear view and booked Bakola for diving.

“There is no reason to go down,” said a bemused Glenn Hoddle on TNT Sports commentary. “Schar takes his foot away, there is no touch at all, why he is not unleashing a shot I do not know.”

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‘No reason to go down!’ – Bakola booked for blatant dive on UCL debut

Video credit: TNT Sports

Luiz leads ex-Premier League scorers

It was a ‘who’s who’ of former Premier League players on the score-sheet as Pafos drew 2-2 with Monaco.

Pafos defender David Luiz became the second-oldest player to score in the competition when he netted his first goal in the Champions League since 2017 for Chelsea.

Former Liverpool midfielder Takumi Minamino and Arsenal academy graduate Folarin Balogun then struck for Monaco as they took the lead.

The final goal came courtesy of ex-Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu, who turned the ball into his own net with two minutes remaining.

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Highlights: David Luiz, Balogun strike as Pafos rescue dramatic late draw

Video credit: TNT Sports

Yamal dethroned by Copenhagen prodigy

At the other end of the spectrum to 38-year-old Luiz, 17-year-old Viktor Dadason beat Lamine Yamal’s record as the youngest player to score in multiple matches of the Champions League proper.

Having previously scored off the bench in Copenhagen’s defeat to Borussia Dortmund, Dadason started against Kairat Almaty and opened the scoring aged 17 years and 149 days, undercutting Yamal’s record by 51 days.

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