Goal Drought Hits Unusually Quiet Champions League Night

Uncharacteristically low goal counts marked the latest round of Champions League matches, including notable draws between Manchester City and Inter Milan, as well as Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk. Other teams like Borussia Dortmund and Sparta Prague managed late triumphs. The new format features 36 teams playing eight different opponents, leading into knockout stages.

The Champions League experienced an uncharacteristically low-scoring round on Wednesday, highlighted by 0-0 draws between Manchester City and Inter Milan, and Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk. In total, only 13 goals were netted across six games, a stark contrast to the 28 goals scored in Tuesday's fixtures.

Paris Saint-Germain secured a late 1-0 victory over Girona thanks to a critical error by the Spanish debutant's goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund managed a 3-0 win against Club Brugge with a flurry of goals from substitutes in the match's dying minutes.

Sparta Prague shone in their return to the Champions League after 19 years, defeating Salzburg 3-0. Other notable performances included Celtic's 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava and the enduring defensive prowess of Borussia Dortmund, who maintained another clean sheet.

(With inputs from agencies.)