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Captain Hans Vanaken led from the front as Club Brugge recorded a 4-1 thumping of Monaco at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Thursday to underline their potential for a good run in the competition this season, Reuters reported.

Vanaken scored one goal and laid on another as the home side were superb in attack with Nicolo Tresoldi, Raphael Onyedika and 19-year-old Mamadou Diakhon also on target. Ansu Fati netted a late consolation for the visitors.

Monaco had a chance from the penalty spot with the score at 0-0 after home goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was adjudged to have brought down Mika Biereth, according to Reuters.

Bayer Leverkusen snatched a 2-2 draw at FC Copenhagen in their Champions League opener on Thursday, rescued by a Pantelis Hatzidiakos own goal in stoppage time, Reuters reported.

The Danish hosts got the perfect start after nine minutes when Jordan Larsson met Elias Achouri's cross to score and light up the Parken Stadium.

Leverkusen offered little in the first half, struggling to break down Copenhagen’s defence, while the home side created several chances, with only some fine goalkeeping from Mark Flekken preventing them doubling the lead, according to Reuters.

Manchester City's prolific striker Erling Haaland bagged a record-breaking goal as Pep Guardiola's side kicked off their Champions League campaign with a dominant 2-0 victory over 10-man Napoli on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Haaland became the quickest player in Champions League history to hit 50 goals in what was his 49th appearance in Europe's elite competition when he cleverly headed home Phil Foden's perfectly-placed flick in the 56th minute.

Jeremy Doku doubled City's lead in the 65th when he turned quickly and darted past two defenders before slotting the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic from a tight angle, according to Reuters.

Sporting cruised to a 4-1 home win over Kairat Almaty in their Champions League opener on Thursday, sealing the result with three goals in a four-minute second-half burst, Reuters reported.

The visitors from the city of Almaty in south-eastern Kazakhstan undertook the longest journey ever recorded between two clubs in Champions League history, and they struggled to find their rhythm in the first half as Sporting quickly took control.

Sporting were handed a penalty after 21 minutes when Aleksandr Mrynskiy brought down Luis Suarez, but Morten Hjulmand’s strike was kept out by 18-year-old Kairat goalkeeper Sherhan Kalmurza, saving with his legs, according to Reuters.