The new format UEFA Champions League first game continued on Wednesday with six games played on Wednesday night across various stadia in Europe.

Celtic defeated Slovan Bratislava 5-1 at home on Wednesday to start their Champions League campaign.

Liam Scales’ strong close-range header from a corner gave Celtic the lead after 17 minutes, and two minutes into the second half, Kyogo Furuhashi extended their lead with a tap-in from Nicolas-Gerrit Kuehn’s cross.

After a Danylo Ihnatenko foul on Alistair Johnston in the 56th minute, Arne Engels scored three goals from the penalty spot.

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Five minutes later, Kevin Wimmer gave the visitors a chance with a fantastic volley into the far corner.

After a ball from fellow Japan international Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda scored to give Celtic a three-goal lead again in the 70th minute, and replacement Adam Idah completed the score with ease three minutes from the end to complete the rout.

In other games played on Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund punished hosts Club Brugge for multiple missed opportunities with a 3-0 victory in their Champions League match at Jan Breydelstadion on Wednesday.

Substitute Jamie Gittens scored two goals, while Serhou Guirassy added a late penalty.

The English winger Gittens, 20, gained the lead when he scooped up the ball on the left side of the box and his angled effort took two deflections before finishing in the far corner of the net.

Last year’s lost finalists rode their luck.

Visitors Shakhtar Donetsk, who missed an early penalty, held Bologna to a scoreless draw 0-0 in a dull Champions League match on Wednesday.

Though there was little excitement in the first half, Bologna’s supporters celebrated the historic occasion as they made their first appearance in Europe’s top club competition in nearly 60 years.

After Stefan Posch fouled Eguinaldo, Heorhiy Sudakov scored from the penalty spot, but Bologna keeper Lukasz Skorupski saved it at the four-minute mark of the match.

With a 3-0 victory over RB Salzburg on Wednesday, Sparta Prague made a memorable comeback to the Champions League, their first in Europe’s top club competition in 19 years.

At the epet Arena, Sparta’s early lead set the tone for the league phase opener as home fans celebrated their team’s first tournament victory since 2003.

After Salzburg’s keeper Janis Blaswich made a fantastic save, Kaan Kairinen pounced on a loose ball and slotted home the rebound to give the hosts the lead just two minutes in.

Girona, making their Champions League debut, lost to Paris St. Germain 1-0 at home thanks to a humiliating late mistake made by the hosts’ goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who allowed a cross from Nuno Mendes to slide between his legs and into the net. In stoppage time, Mendes’ low ball across the goal beat Gazzaniga and found the net to give the hosts the victory after intense PSG siege.

Manchester City’s Champions League debut against Inter Milan ended in a goalless draw as they were unable to muster any momentum.

At the Etihad Stadium, City found it difficult to overcome an impressive Inter team that had given them plenty of problems.

There was none of the suspense that existed when the two last faced off in the 2023 final.