Rashford shines at home

Marcus Rashford proved the perfect replacement for Lamine Yamal in Barcelona's 2-1 Champions League win over Newcastle, while Kevin De Bruyne largely watched from the bench as Napoli suffered a 2-0 defeat at his former club Manchester City.

With Yamal out injured, Rashford—on loan from Manchester United—had the chance to shine in England, scoring both of Barcelona's goals at St. James' Park. The second was a stunning, powerful shot from 25 yards that bounced in off the crossbar.

De Bruyne also returned to English soil, to the club where he spent 10 years before an emotional farewell in May. But his return to the Etihad lasted just 26 minutes. He was substituted after teammate Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off, and City cruised to a comfortable victory thanks to second-half goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku.

Haaland's header took him to 50 goals in 49 Champions League appearances. The Norwegian striker reached that milestone faster than any other player in the competition's history.

Kairat, the debutant club from Kazakhstan, undertook what is believed to be the longest journey ever undertaken for a Champions League match—across three time zones and over 7,000 kilometers—and lost 4-1 to Sporting Lisbon. The Portuguese side scored their last three goals in a four-minute span in the second half and also missed a penalty.

The comeback of the night was led by Eintracht Frankfurt, who thrashed Galatasaray 5-1.

Rashford's brace

England manager Thomas Tuchel was in the stands at a bustling St. James' Park to witness Rashford showcase his finishing skills, which Manchester United could use right now.

His first goal came with a header from Jules Koundé's cross in the 58th minute to put Barcelona ahead before he created space with clever footwork and unleashed a right-footed shot from outside the box that hit the underside of the bar in the 67th minute.

“I'm totally excited,” Rashford said after his first goals for Barcelona. “I'm very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team is enough to excite me. It's very refreshing to play with these guys.”

Anthony Gordon pulled one back for Newcastle in the 89th minute, capitalizing on a low cross from substitute Jacob Murphy.

De Bruyne's return

Napoli's defensive reorganization after Di Lorenzo's dismissal for a foul on Haaland meant De Bruyne was sacrificed. The Belgian midfielder, who usually prioritizes the collective benefit, accepted the decision well. He came off to applause from a home crowd that had celebrated each of his assists and goals.

“It was the only option I could take,” said Napoli coach Antonio Conte. “I felt so sorry for him.”

At the end of the match, City fans were chanting De Bruyne's name, confident that the three points were secure and that their former hero—perhaps the club's greatest player—couldn't hurt them. "He's a club legend," said City midfielder Phil Foden. "I can't thank him enough for what he's done."

City's undoubted star is now Haaland, and the Norwegian striker has started the season in impressive form, with his smart header in the 56th minute after a touch from Foden in the box. He has 12 goals in seven appearances for club and country.

Doku's goal came via a superb solo run and finish through the goalkeeper's legs in the 65th minute as City finally wore down Napoli and took the opportunity to withdraw key players such as Rodri and Haaland ahead of a huge Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday.

Monaco, devastated

Club Brugge was far superior to Monaco.

The visitors were defeated 4-1 a day after their flight to Belgium was aborted because the plane's air conditioning failed.

Monaco were finished off by a three-goal burst in a 10-minute span at the end of the first half, with Nicoló Tresoldi, Raphael Onyedika and Hans Vanaken on target.

Return of Hjulmand

Kasper Hjulmand returned to Denmark for his first Champions League match in charge of Bayer Leverkusen—and his first in over a decade—and saw his new team salvage a 2-2 draw against Copenhagen thanks to an injury-time own goal. Mexican Rodrigo Huescas stood out for the home side, providing an assist on his 22nd birthday.