Berlin, 18 September 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Title holders Paris Saint-Germain started the new Champions League season with a 4-0 thrashing of Atalanta on Wednesday, while Bayern Munich prevailed in a 3-1 victory against world champions Chelsea.

Virgil van Dijk's goal in stoppage time gave Liverpool a dramatic 3-2 win against Atletico Madrid, while last season's runners-up Inter Milan took the three points at Ajax with a 2-0 win thanks to Marcus Thuram's brace

Earlier, Bodø/Glimt fought back to claim a 2-2 draw at Slavia Prague in their Champions League debut, while 10-man Pafos held strong for a goalless draw at Olympiacos.

Memories of 2012 don't disturb Bayern

Bayern suffered a painful defeat to Chelsea in the 2012 Champions League final at their own Allianz Arena, when the Blues took the trophy after penalties.

Many fans had flashbacks from that game when the sides were paired together in the league phase, but Bayern made sure to get away with the win this time around.

The Bavarians took the lead in the 20th minute, courtesy of Trevoh Chalobah's own goal. Defender Dayot Upamecano thought he converted Michael Olise's low cross into the net, but he just pressured Chalobah enough to force the error.

The hosts doubled their lead in the 27th after Harry Kane was fouled in the box by Moises Caicedo and the forward himself successfully took the spot-kick.

Two minutes later, Cole Palmer was given plenty of space in the counter-attack to play a one-two with Malo Gusto before drilling the ball into the net.

But it was Gusto's sloppy pass in Chelsea's own half that gave the ball to Kane, who curled a stunning effort into the goal in the 63rd.

Palmer was again on target in the 90th but the goal was ruled out for offside after video review.

"A great result and a top performance against a strong opponent. They are the world champions!" Kane told DAZN. "It was a hard game, a physical match. But it's a great pleasure."

Palmer said Chelsea "deserved better than what we got," but recognized that "the three goals we conceded were our own fault. We had chances."

Bayern's summer signing Nicolas Jackson, who joined on loan from Chelsea, was on the bench and only got a few minutes on the ptich during stoppage time.

PSG seal emphatic win

PSG had a lively first half, with Marquinhos already on target in the third minute, stroking home from close range.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled their lead in the 39th with an unstoppable rocket from the edge of the area before Bradley Barcola had a penalty saved by Marco Carnesecchi in the 44th.

But the third goal came in the 51st as Nuno Mendes skilfully beat three defenders to find the net from a tight angle, and Gonçalo Ramos's late effort sealed a comfortable win.

"It's a deserved victory. It's very satisfying, we felt that we managed to suffocate Atalanta slightly, and we knew how to make the game a little easier for ourselves, even if we could have finished the game off a little earlier," PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier told UEFA.

Liverpool leave it late again

For the fifth consecutive time, Liverpool scored a winner later than the 83rd minute to avoid a setback in their Champions League opener.

The Premier League champions needed only six minutes to open a 2-0 lead through Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah. But Marcos Llorente reduced Atletico's deficit before half-time and scored the equalizer in the 81st after recovering a ball deflected off a Liverpool player.

It looked like the sides would share the points but captain Van Dijk was the hero and met a corner to head in the winner in stoppage time.

"We try, we kept pushing for the 3-1. We concede the equalizer, massively deflected. It was not great. We found a way again. We were dangerous in our set-pieces anyway, they were pretty aggressive I must say. I'm glad I got the winner," van Dijk told TNT Sports.

While Anfield went wild, Atleti coach Diego Simeone argued with fans and was sent off shortly before the final whistle.

Photo: EPA