Crazy night in the Champions League: 43 goals and 5 red cards

[Global Times Special Correspondent Zhang Weike] The UEFA Champions League staged a goal feast on the 21st. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a total of 43 goals were scored on this Champions League match day, 5 red cards were issued, and the referee awarded 6 penalty kicks (of which 5 were scored). It can be called the most impactful Champions League night in recent years.

Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayer Leverkusen 7-2 in an away game. Although one player from each side was sent off, Paris still showed strong offensive power. Barcelona was also on full fire, beating Olympiacos 6-1, with Marcus Rashford scoring twice. PSV Eindhoven scored 6 goals in a row after conceding 1 goal first, defeating Serie A champion Napoli 6:2. Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester City also achieved hearty victories. Among them, Manchester City's Erling Haaland has scored in 12 consecutive games.

According to BBC statistics, this round of the Champions League has set a record for the third highest number of goals scored in a single night in history, second only to the 64 goals (18 games) in the last round of the league stage last season and the 44 goals (12 games) on October 1, 1997. In terms of goal efficiency per game, this Tuesday's performance was second only to the average of 5 goals per game on October 21, 2014. A total of 5 red cards and 6 penalty kicks occurred that night, reflecting the intensity of the competition and the strict standards of referee enforcement. Among them, Paris Saint-Germain still scored 6 goals with one player less, showing the resilience of the defending champion.

English clubs have scored a total of 9 goals in this round of the Champions League, leading teams from all over the world; France is closely followed with 7 goals contributed by Paris Saint-Germain. England players scored a total of 5 goals, including Barcelona's Rashford and Newcastle's Harvey Barnes both completing double goals.

Spanish players scored 6 goals, and Barcelona youngster Fermín Lopez scored three goals. Paris star Ousmane Dembele scored goals quickly after returning from injury. He said in an interview with foreign media: "We must stay focused. This is only the first half of the season. Although scoring 7 goals is important, we must continue this performance."