Goals galore, Lamine Yamal worldie, late Wojciech Szczesny controversy: Club Brugge and Barcelona produce UEFA Champions League epic

It was a night of high drama in the UEFA Champions League, particularly in Belgium, where Club Brugge and Barcelona played out arguably the game of the tournament so far. We looked back at the major incidents, including spectacular goals, a VAR controversy and lapse defending. Barcelona are now 11th in the league phase standings with seven points, while Brugge are 22nd with four points.

Highlights: Chaos at Club Brugge as Barca escape with a point

Video credit: TNT Sports

Barcelona's UEFA Champions League clash with Club Brugge proved to be one of the most memorable and exhilarating of the competition so far this season.

The visitors were strong favourites against their less-fancied Belgian opposition, but an end-to-end contest certainly did not unfold as anticipated.

Instead, Barcelona looked as susceptible defensively as they were fluid in attack, which made for an enthralling encounter at Jan Breydel Stadium.

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In the end, the Blaugrana might have felt fortunate to escape with a point, while Club Brugge very nearly pulled off a shock victory.

Here are the most dramatic moments from one of the games of the season.

Early blows

The tone was set from the early exchanges as both sides committed players forward in numbers and looked to attack.

Brugge struck first when Carlos Forbs was set clear beyond Barcelona's high line down the right and squared for Nicolo Tresoldi to finish.

A VAR check for offside meant there was a delay until the goal was officially awarded. After it was given, though, Barcelona hit back almost immediately. Similarly to the home side's opener, Fermin Lopez was sent through down the right and squared for Ferran Torres, who finished coolly.

'Extraordinary!' - Watch as Torres equalises SECONDS after Brugge opener

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Not long later, Lopez struck the post, before a corner was cleared and the lively Forbs raced onto a pass to restore Brugge's lead in the 17th minute.

A breathtaking start was just the beginning in a game brimming with drama.

Yamal wondergoal

After the frenetic opening, there were no goals until after the hour mark - though Barcelona did twice hit the crossbar. But if the game had calmed down slightly, it did not last long.

Lamine Yamal received the ball on the edge of the box, skipped effortlessly past two players, exchanged a one-two with Lopez, burst towards the six-yard box and prodded a left-footed finish past the outstretched leg of goalkeeper Nordin Jackers. Andy Townsend, on co-commentary, likened the teenager to a "young Lionel Messi".

Yamal drags Barca level with 'moment of pure individual brilliance'

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It was a moment of exceptional quality from the Ballon d'Or hopeful, whose reputation grows with each passing Champions League matchday.

Again, though, it did not last long, as Brugge instantly went ahead for the third time. And it was Forbs once more, who sped through on goal and finished calmly.

"We're Barcelona. We can't concede so many goals," Yamal said after full-time. "It's very hard to win when you let three goals in. So we need to focus on that - the whole team, not just the defence. It's the whole team; the pressing, the defensive transitions."

Yamal added: "I can't compare myself to Messi. He's scored a thousand goals like that. I have to forge my own path."

VAR intervention

It is no longer a surprise to see VAR play a significant role in the outcome of a Champions League game, and that was the case after Forbs was seemingly felled in the box and Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot.

He was instructed to go over to the monitor, where he established that Alejandro Balde had not made enough contact with the Portuguese winger.

It was a potentially decisive moment in the game, denying Brugge the chance to go 4-2 ahead.

Referee Anthony Taylor officiates the match between Club Brugge and FC Barcelona at the Jan Breydelstadion for the Champions League - League phase - Matchday 4 of the 2025-2026 season in Bruges

Image credit: Getty Images

Injury-time controversy

After a Yamal cross was deflected into his own net by Christos Tzolis to level things up again, the assumption might have been that Barcelona would push on and secure three points.

Instead, it was - and perhaps should have been - Brugge that won it late on.

Wojciech Szczesny received a back pass in the 91st minute and dawdled on the ball, allowing Romeo Vermant to dispossess him and pass into an empty net.

'Just astonishing' as Szczesny gets away with huge stoppage-time mistake

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The crowd celebrated, Brugge's players and staff on the bench raced down the touchline, and the Belgian side seemed to be on the cusp of a seismic win.

But they were to be left thoroughly disappointed, as the VAR stepped in again. Taylor went to the monitor and adjudged Vermant to have fouled Szczesny. "He's a lucky, lucky boy," said Townsend.

Remarkably, it was Barcelona who were content to take a point, and Brugge were left bereft at having been denied all three.

"3-3 is not the best result for us," said Barcelona boss Hansi Flick. "We came back after every goal, so this is a positive thing, but we have to speak about this match."

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