Real Madrid beaten again

GENEVA– Real Madrid couldn’t halt its losing streak in the Champions League, and no one seems able to stop Bayern Munich’s winning run.

Madrid’s 3- 2 loss to a depleted Shakhtar Donetsk team was the most surprising result of Wednesday’s opening group games — while Bayern delivered the most impressive performance with a 4- 0 win over Atlético Madrid.

It was a third straight loss in the competition for Real Madrid — its worst run in 34 years. For defending champion Bayern, it was a 12th straight Champions League victory.

Wins for Liverpool and Manchester City capped a good round for English clubs, and Atalanta again showed its free- scoring style to win 4- 0 at overmatched newcomer Midtjylland.

Real Madrid has been unconvincing, especially at home, in the Champions League since lifting a record- extending 13th European title three seasons ago.

Yet Shakhtar was missing several starters after a COVID- 19 outbreak at the club. The Ukrainian champion still led 3- 0 at halftime, exposing a Madrid defense missing injured captain Sergio Ramos.

“It’s my job to find solutions because these kinds of games can’t happen,” said coach Zinedine Zidane, who left veterans Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema on the bench ahead of Barcelona on Saturday.

Few fans attended the eight games, because of the spiking coronavirus infections across Europe, and there were none at Olympiakos to see a stoppagetime goal earn a 1- 0 win over Marseille.

Only 1,000 were at San Siro to see Romelu Lukaku score in his ninth straight European game, including a 90th minute equalizer, to help Inter Milan draw 2- 2 with Borussia Mönchengladbach. /