Champions League: Manchester City crash at home to Lyon as Manchester United win away in Switzerland
PEP Guardiola had to watch on in horror from the stands as Manchester City’s Champions League campaign got off to the worst possible start - but it was better news for Manchester United and Real Madrid.
PEP Guardiola had to watch on in horror from the stands due to suspension as Manchester City’s Champions League campaign got off to the worst possible start in a 2-1 home defeat to Lyon.
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But it was much better news for Manchester United as Paul Pogba proved the driving force with a brace as Jose Mourinho’s recorded a 3-0 win away to Young Boys in Switzerland.
Guardiola was serving a touchline ban for being sent-off in last season’s quarter-final exit to Liverpool and City, the competition favourites, failed to live up to their billing.
Maxwel Cornet and Nabil Fekir fired Lyon into a 2-0 half-time lead at Etihad Stadium and despite Bernardo Silva pulling a goal back, the Premier League champions slumped to their first defeat of the season.
Lyon, who have only won two of their first five Ligue 1 matches this term, held on to clinch a famous victory and ease the pressure on coach Bruno Genesio.
In the other Group F game, Brazilian youngster Maycon came off the bench to rescue Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-2 draw in their game against group-stage debutants Hoffenheim in Kharkiv.
United, though, cruised - and France star Pogba was the conductor. He scored a superb opening goal just as the Swiss champions were looking threatening, and he then doubled the lead from a penalty just before the break.
He also set up the third goal for compatriot Anthony Martial in the second half.
Meanwhile, life in the Champions League without Cristiano Ronaldo began for Real Madrid with a comfortable 3-0 win over Roma.
Isco curled home a sumptuous 45th-minute free-kick to give the 13-time champions the lead, before Gareth Bale made it three goals in two Champions League matches after his spectacular double in May’s final win over Liverpool.
Mariano Diaz, making his second debut for Real after rejoining from Lyon last month, smashed home a fantastic third in added time.
Real next travel to CSKA Moscow on October 2, after the Russians came back from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Viktoria Plzen, with Everton loanee Nikola Vlasic scoring an injury-time penalty.
Five-time champions Bayern Munich got their Group E campaign off to a solid start as Niko Kovac’s men eased to a 2-0 triumph against Benfica in Lisbon.
Robert Lewandowski put them ahead in the 10th minute, before Renato Sanches netted in the second half to score his first goal since returning to Germany after his miserable loan spell at Swansea.
Ajax cruised to a 3-0 victory over AEK Athens in Amsterdam earlier in the day to sit atop the early standings, with Argentinian Nicolas Tagliafico scoring twice.
Originally published as Champions League: Manchester City crash at home to Lyon as Manchester United win away in Switzerland