New Champions League format makes its debut with same old winners: Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern, Juve

ROME (AP) — New format. Same old winners.

The revamped Champions League made its debut Tuesday with some familiar clubs claiming victories on opening night.

After joining from Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé scored for 15-time champion Real Madrid, which needed late goals from Antonio Rudiger and Endrick to beat Stuttgart 3-1.

Six-time champion Liverpool came back from a goal down for a 3-1 win at seven-time champion AC Milan in a rematch of the 2005 and 2007 finals.

Harry Kane scored four in Bayern Munich’s 9-2 rout of Dinamo Zagreb as the German club opened its bid for a seventh title — which could be achieved in its home stadium in May.

Two-time champion Juventus dispatched PSV Eindhoven 3-1.

During the new league phase, all 36 teams are ranked from top to bottom in a single standings that finishes in January.

Also, Aston Villa returned to the competition for the first time in 41 years and won 3-0 at Young Boys; and Sporting Lisbon beat 10-man Lille 2-0.

The first round of league matches continues with six more matches on both Wednesday and Thursday.

After a scoreless first half, Mbappé put Madrid ahead seconds after the break when he redirected a cross from Rodrygo.

After Deniz Undav equalized for Stuttgart midway through the second half with a header, Rudiger restored Madrid’s advantage with a header and Endrick sealed it with a solo counterattack in stoppage time.

“This was a typical Madrid match in the Champions League," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. "We always have difficult games. We sometimes complicate things ourselves, but credit to to Stuttgart. They pressed high, they were really offensive and they created chances.”

At 18 years and 58 days, Endrick became Madrid's youngest scorer in the Champions League. Raul Gonzalez was 18 years and 113 days old when he scored a hat trick in a 6-1 win against Ferencvarosi in 1995 for the previous record.

Christian Pulisic scored early for Milan before Liverpool struck back with headers from both of its center backs: Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk. Dominik Szoboszlai added another for Liverpool.

“I’m very proud to be standing here after 50 appearances, a goal and a win at the San Siro after a difficult start. The way we played after that start was outstanding,” Liverpool captain Van Dijk said.

Kane converted three penalties and broke Wayne Rooney’s record for the most Champions League goals by an English player by boosting his tally to 33 — three ahead of Rooney.

Bayern's best goal might have been its second from Raphael Guerreiro, who crushed in a powerful drive after a chest pass from Jamal Musiala.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was not the first choice when he was hired in May but so far his team has won all five of its matches. His team now tops the Champions League standings on goal difference.

Kenan Yildiz’s goal for Juventus after 21 minutes was the first of the revamped competition. And what a goal it was.

The Turkey winger dribbled into the left side of the box and curled in a long shot off the far, top corner of the goal frame.

At 19 years and 136 days, Yildiz broke the Juventus record for youngest scorer in the competition that Alessandro Del Piero established when he scored at 20 years and 308 days against Borussia Dortmund in September 1995.

With a goal reminiscent of the way Del Piero used to score, it seemed fitting that Yildiz was wearing the same No. 10 that Del Piero wore for Juventus.

“He was my idol as a child,” Yildiz said. “An incredible evening, goosebumps.”

Under experienced coach Unai Emery, Villa has won three of its four Premier League matches and was in control virtually throughout at Young Boys in its return to the competition after 41 years.

Youri Tielemans put Villa ahead with a bouncing shot midway through the first half and Jacob Ramsey doubled the lead 11 minutes later by taking advantage of a loose ball. Amadou Onana sealed it four minutes from time.

Emery has won the Europa League four times with two clubs — three with Sevilla and once with Villarreal. He also coached Villarreal to the Champions League semifinals in 2022 and led Villa to the Conference League semifinals last season.

Villa was mourning the death a day earlier of 1982 European Cup winner Gary Shaw.

Viktor Gyokeres, who had been an Arsenal transfer target, opened the scoring for Sporting with a neat turn and shot into the bottom left corner. It was Gyokeres' ninth goal in six matches this season.

Lille midfielder Angel Gomes was sent off before the break and Zeno Debast added a long-range strike midway through the second half.

Bayern fans didn’t appear enthusiastic about the new format, holding aloft a gigantic banner that ran the length of one end of the stands reading “Too much of a good thing — back to the roots — undo new CL-format.”

The protest banner was displayed during the playing of the Champions League anthem.

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Bayern's Harry Kane scores his sides 7th goal and his 4th of the game from the penalty spot during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez, right, and AC Milan's goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani fight for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

Stuttgart players celebrate their side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Juventus' Kenan Yildiz celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Juventus stadium in Turin, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe walks along the pitch after Stuttgart score its side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AC Milan and Liverpool at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Bayern's Harry Kane scores his sides 6th goal and his third of the game for a hat-trick, from the penalty spot during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and GNK Dinamo at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior runs after the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and VfB Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, in Madrid, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

New Champions League format makes its debut with same old winners: Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern, Juve

New Champions League format makes its debut with same old winners: Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern, Juve

HONG KONG (AP) — The first person convicted under a tough new Hong Kong national security law was sentenced on Thursday to 14 months in prison for wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan.

Chu Kai-pong, 27, wore a shirt on June 12 reading “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times,” a slogan chanted during anti-government protests in 2019. That day was the fifth anniversary of a demonstration in which thousands of people surrounded the city's legislative council complex to protest a now-withdrawn extradition bill. Months of often-violent protests followed as demonstrators expanded their demands to call for greater police accountability and democracy.

Authorities have said the protest slogan could imply the separation of Hong Kong from China — a red line for Beijing.

Chu pleaded guilty in court on Monday to the charge of carrying out an act or acts with a seditious intent.

The city's new security law, which critics say further stifles freedom of expression, took effect in March and imposes stiffer punishments for sedition offenses. Offenders face up to seven years in prison, up from the previous maximum sentence of two years for a first offense and three years for a subsequent offense.

Colluding with an external force to carry out such activities is now punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

In handing down the sentence on Thursday, Chief Magistrate Victor So said June 12 is viewed as a symbolic date among protesters and Chu's case was not minor. He noted that Chu had already been jailed for sedition earlier this year and his subsequent act showed the deterrent effect of his previous sentence was insufficient.

He said Chu was “evidently unwilling to reform,” but reduced the prison term by one-third because of Chu's guilty plea.

In January, So sentenced Chu to three months in jail under a colonial-era law before the security law took effect. In that case, Chu was arrested for wearing a similar T-shirt at the airport and possessing publications deemed seditious by authorities.

The court heard on Monday that Chu had told police that he wore the T-shirt in June to remind people of the 2019 protest movement. Chu also wore a mask printed with “FDNOL,” an abbreviation of another protest slogan, “Five demands, not one less."

The prosecution accused Chu of attempting to cause hatred, contempt or disaffection toward the country's fundamental system and the city's constitutional order. It said his acts could incite others to use illegal means to change what the authorities have decided on.

The 2019 protest movement was the most concerted challenge to the Hong Kong government since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. It waned because of massive arrests, the exile of democracy activists, the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of an earlier 2020 security law by Beijing.

FILE - A protestor holds a flag that reads: "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times" at a rally in Hong Kong, on Dec. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)