Champions League: Real Madrid and Villa maintain perfect start

Real Madrid claimed a third Champions League victory in as many games by thrashing RB Leipzig 4-1 on Wednesday, with Kylian Mbappe and Yan Diomande among the goalscorers for Jose Mourinho’s side.

Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for Madrid from close range late in a tight first half, with Arda Guler doubling the record 15-time European champions’ advantage soon after the interval.

Mbappe bent home a third before Tidiam Gomis pulled one back for the German side, and Diomande rammed a volley into the top corner to cap Madrid’s late triumph.

Their fourth consecutive win across all competitions will boost Madrid’s morale ahead of Sunday’s La Liga Clasico against bitter rivals Barcelona.

Without a major trophy in two seasons and after a shaky domestic start, Madrid can at least boast a perfect European record in the league phase, unlike Barca after their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

“We know every point is important to get into the top eight; we know we have to win as many games as possible — we’ve won three, and there are five to go,” Mbappe told Movistar.

The French superstar, who hopes to win the Ballon d’Or next week, has scored in every one of Madrid’s Champions League matches this season and has 12 goals in 12 games.

“I’m doing well (but) I think I can do more,” said Mbappe.

“I’m one of the few players who always has to demand more from himself… right now it’s a good moment, but we have to keep going, and I have to do more.”

Elsewhere, Aston Villa also maintained their perfect start, cruising to a 3-1 win over Norwegian side Viking to strengthen their push for a top-eight finish in the league phase.

Ross Barkley put the dominant home side ahead midway through the first half, and Emiliano Buendia stroked home a penalty to double their lead at Villa Park.

An own goal from Henrik Heggheim shortly after the hour mark put the game beyond Villa’s reach, though the visitors grabbed a late consolation.

Unai Emery’s new-look team have now won all three of their opening Champions League matches, following a 3-2 win over Club Brugge and a 6-0 mauling of Fenerbahce.

An upturn in fortunes in the Premier League means Villa have now won five out of six games in all competitions — a dramatic turnaround after a slow start to the season.

Viking drew 3-3 with six-time European champions Bayern Munich last week, but the home team were dominant from the start on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Inter Milan sent off Alessandro Bastoni midway through the second half before Carlos Augusto’s late goal secured a 1-0 home win over Shakhtar Donetsk, as the Italian champions got their first points.

Troy Parrott started for Real Betis, and the Spanish club now have maximum points as an Isco penalty handed them a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in Seville.

Club Brugge defeated Lens 3-0 in Belgium as Hans Vanaken, Joaquin Seys and Carlos Forbs all found the net.

Victor Osimhen sealed a 4-2 victory for Galatasaray away to his old side, Lille, in France, after earlier efforts from Yunus Akgun and Aleksey Batrakov, plus a Nabil Bentaleb own goal.

Teenager Soriba Diaoune scored both goals for Lille, who have lost all three.

LASK of Austria have their first points after a fine 3-2 victory over Sporting in Lisbon.

Luis Suarez scored twice for Sporting, including an early penalty, but Christoph Lang, Sasa Kalajdzic and Krystof Danek all netted for the visitors in between.

Reigning champions PSG top the 36-team standings after beating Barcelona 4-2 on Tuesday, but the French side confirmed Wednesday that star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the match.

He will undergo surgery in the coming days, though doubts remain about whether he will play again this season.

“Lira’s efforts to pervert that goal will not go unpunished.”

A.D. Bakre defeated hosts Folmus Adaptive Sports Club 34-28 in a hard-fought final.