Liverpool 2-1 Ajax, Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona: Champions League – as it happened

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“This probably isn’t Webb-levels of insight,” exculpates Matt Turner, “but it feels to me like Liverpool have a squad of semi-ageing stars who know they are probably looking at their last World Cup in a couple of months and don’t want to get injured and lose their final chance. This seems especially relevant for Big Virg.”

I think that’s harsh – I’d be amazed if they were dialling it down. I think it’s more likely that they’ve run out of road, and FSG didn’t give Klopp the reinforcements he needed because, ultimately, they’re in it to make money, not build the best-possible team.

Updated at 19.02 EDT

GOAL! Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona (Sané 54)

Bayern knock it about, keeping the width, then Musiala threads a clever pass between two centre-backs who are too far apart, allowing Sané to glide between them and caress a gentle finish over Ter Stegen. Bayern have found the on switch!

Leroy Sane of Bayern Munich scores their side’s second goal. Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Updated at 16.18 EDT

That goal has got Bayern going, and they’re the better team now.

“Bit harsh on Virgil?” wonders Rich Delaney. “Matip had to cover the runner, leaving Virgil to manage two.”

Yeah, maybe, but I was still surprised he allowed Bergwijn to slot in between him and Kudus so easily.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-0 Barcelona (Hernandez 50)

A near post corner, Hernandez loses Alonso, and charges a free header past Ter Stegen. Barca will be feeling very poorly, because they should already be clear.

Bayern Munich’s French defender Lucas Hernandez celebrates scoring. Photograph: Kerstin Joensson/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 16.12 EDT

GOAL! Porto 0-2 Club Brugge (Sowah 47)

The Belgians are in dreamland!

Bergwijn bounces down the right, skins Thiago and cuts back for Kudus, who doesn’t realise Salah is on him, so takes a touch and miscontrols. Then Liverpool go straight up the other end and Jota, moving away from Alvarez, shoots wide.

And we’re off again everywhere else as well.

…and in seconds, Bayern give the ball away, Raphinha taking it on an hammering wide.

We’re away again in Munich…

“I said maaaaybeh, I don’t really wanna knoooow…”

Kudus scores as Van Dijk looks on. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Half-time correspondence: “Van Dijk needs to stop thinking he can defend via Bluetooth and start making attackers fear him again by getting his hands dirty,” tweets Orlando Moore, “especially when we have wing-backs like Trent (who isn’t exactly famed for his defensive abilities).”

At his age, it’s hard to come back from an ACL injury the same player, and he doesn’t have a steady partner alongside him, nor great protection in front. But I agree, he wasn’t physical enough when allowing Kudus to escape him.

Half-time: Liverpool 1-1 Ajax

Liverpool have dominated, but Ajax hung in well and found a brilliant equaliser. The second half should be decent.

Other half-times

Porto 0-1 Club Brugge

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Atlético Madrid

Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt

Half-time: Bayern Munich 0-0 Barcelona

Barca had by far the better of a belting half. Gavi and Pedri are just absolute money, and were Lewandowski on it, their team might be out of sight already.

GOAL! Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Lindstrom 1)

The atmosphere at the Velodrome ratchets up another level.

Matip pokes into Diaz, who’s wandered central, and he finds Alexander-Arnold, free down the right. He cuts inside, working a shooting angle, leathers an effort … but it’s straight at Pasveer, who saves then saves the follow-up. “He hit that too well,” insights Steve McManaman in co-comms.

Gavi and Pedri are bossing Bayern, the latter picking a terrific ball into Lewandowski from out wide, only for his mate’s first touch to let him down.

“Thiago is such a talent he could nutmeg you in a phone box,” reckons Gary Byrne. “(Younger readers, ask your parents).”

Unlike Said Benrahma, who can, we’re told, nutmeg a mermaid.

“Bayern faced my club Stuttgart this weekend,” advises Kári Tulinius, “and it was a bit odd. Their play felt precariously unbalanced. There was a moment, when they led 1-0, and Kimmich made a preposterous dive which led to a Stuttgart goal. It was subsequently overruled by VAR on weird grounds, and the Bayern players didn’t look surprised at all. The team just isn’t used to things not going their way, so they take unnecessary risks. Most of the time it works, but not always. The game ended in a draw, both Stuttgart goals coming from Bayern mistakes.”

Yes, I guess they can win the Bundesliga without being fully-focused, like Man United in 96-97 or 00-01, but will eventually get found out in Europe. I also think Nagelsmann is struggling to balance his side.

Saaaaved! Van Dijk dives to earn himself a free header when Alexander-Arnold picks him out with an outswinging corner, but once he got there he ought to have done better than direct an effort down … but too close to Pasveer, who makes a decent stop.

Watching Barca in Munich, I’m wondering, as I have been for the last few months, if we’re about to see an uptick in Champions League standards. There are, I think, more good teams this season than at any point in the last few, and all of them have brilliant attackers but I’m not sure any are all that at the back.

“Glad to see Mo is just beginning to find his Mojo,” emails Colum Fordham. “The goal should give him the confidence to rediscover his inner Mo (Jo?). Also curious to see how Tsimikas steps into Robertson’s boots.”

I think he’s a good player, and if Tsimikas played on the right, he’d still have started tonight.

That goal wasn’t coming, exactly, but Ajax have loads of attacking verve and Liverpool just aren’t that hard to score against. Again, their defence was turned by a runner, and again, Van Dijk allowed his man to get away from him.

WHAT A GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Ajax (Kudus 27)

It’s been all Liverpool but Ajax pull them apart down the left, Blind finding Alvarez down the left and running off Alexander-Arnold. He pulls back for Kudus, pulling towards him off Van Dijk as Bergwijn does really well to get in between them … then Kudus lashes a glooooorious finish inside the near post and in off the bar! What a talent! What form! What a game we now have!

Kudus celebrates. Photograph: Ian Stephen/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock

Updated at 16.11 EDT

Another terrific clearance from Alisson finds Tsimikas, high and wide as you’d expect. His cross is a good one too, but at the near post, Salah can’t force a shot on target.

My coverage dropped out, then returned for me to see Van Dijk knocking down a cross – following a corner I think – that Diaz drills wide with Pasveer rooted to his line. Then Thiago, who’s conducting nicely here, sets Jota for a shot which lasers wide.

Gosh, Lewandowski has missed another chance! Bayern are struggling here, and have sent on Mazraoui for Pavard, who I think is injured.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Ajax (Salah 17)

He needed that, they needed that! Diaz flicks an Alisson punt into the middle and suddenly Jota has a man over … and it’s Salah! He slides him in and though the first touch is perhaps a little heavy, it also commits the keeper, allowing Salah to stretch into a finish that directs the ball inside the near post. That’s a very smart finish.

Mohamed Salah scores. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA

Updated at 15.38 EDT

Eeesh, Gavi plays a fine pass into Lewandowski’s stride and his first touch is a lush one, sitting the ball up for a stretch-volley … that he directs over the bar. I did not expect to see that.