By Amaechi Agbo

Holders Real Madrid fell to their first Champions League defeat since May 2023 as Lille upset them at the Pierre-Mauroy Stadium.

It was also a first loss for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in 36 matches in all competitions – dating back to 18 January against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey.

Jonathan David scored the only goal from the penalty spot for Lille after a video assistant referee (VAR) review ruled that Real’s French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga had blocked Edon Zhegrova’s free-kick with his arm.

The hosts were superb throughout and more than merited their victory to get up and running in this season’s competition following a 2-0 loss to Sporting in their opening game.

However, the Ligue 1 club were forced to hang on at the end against a Real side that introduced Kylian Mbappe – returning from a thigh injury – just before the hour mark.

A late rally from the 15-time European champions saw Antonio Rudiger’s header cleared off the line and Arda Guler head a gilt-edged opportunity straight at home goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.

Real, who beat Stuttgart in their opening match, host Borussia Dortmund in a repeat of last term’s final in their next Champions League fixture, while Lille travel to Atletico Madrid.

In England, Jhon Duran emerged from the bench in dramatic fashion once more to give Aston Villa a magnificent victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League at an exultant Villa Park.

In a meeting surrounded by a rich sense of history as a repeat of the Villa’s 1982 European Cup final victory over the German giants in Rotterdam, Duran ensured a replica of that scoreline with his fifth goal after coming on as substitute this season.

Duran, on as a 70th-minute substitute for Ollie Watkins, took only nine minutes to make his mark when he caught Bayern’s veteran keeper Manuel Neuer out of position with a composed lofted finish.

It was another triumph for Villa manager Unai Emery, this result continuing his side’s impressive start to their Champions League campaign after a 3-0 victory against Young Boys in Switzerland in their opening game.

Villa Park was awash with colour and noise before the kick-off as it played host to this competition for the first time in 41 years, welcoming Bayern striker Harry Kane and coach Vincent Kompany back to England.

Meanwhile, in Lisbon, Conor Gallagher conceded a penalty as Benfica thrashed Atletico Madrid to continue their perfect start to this season’s Champions League.

Kerem Akturkoglu gave the Portuguese side the lead in Lisbon with a composed 13th minute finish.

Four minutes after coming on as part of a triple half-time substitution, Atletico’s Gallagher was deemed to have caught Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis in the penalty area after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check.

Former Real Madrid forward Angel Di Maria duly converted from the spot.

England midfielder Gallagher, who joined Atletico from Chelsea this summer, saw his night go from bad to worse as he was beaten to the ball by Alexander Bah from a Benfica corner, as he headed home the hosts’ third in the 75th minute.

Orkun Kokcu added a fourth from the penalty spot after a sloppy foul from Reinildo Mandava.

Pavlidis hit the post for the home side just before half-time, while Atletico struck the crossbar at 1-0 down in the first half through Samuel Lino’s mishit cross.

Benfica narrowly beat Red Star Belgrade 2-1 in their Champions League opener last month. Atletico had defeated RB Leipzig by the same scoreline.