Pep Guardiola returned to the Etihad Stadium stands on Wednesday night and watched his former club suffer a chastening 4-2 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, according to BILD.
It was the Spaniard's first appearance in the stands since leaving Manchester City in the summer, and BILD reports he saw a clear gulf in class between the two sides, with German referee Sven Jablonski overseeing the match.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid recovered from two goals down to win 4-3 at Roma, Aston Villa thrashed Fenerbahçe, and Real Betis beat Porto 3-2 in a night of high-scoring Champions League football.
Why it matters
The result leaves City, a two-time defending champion of the competition, with a damaging home loss against one of the teams expected to challenge for the trophy. For PSG, it was a statement performance away from home.
Guardiola's presence added a layer of scrutiny to the evening. BILD described him as a shocked observer, watching from the tribune as the side he previously managed was overwhelmed in the opening half hour.
Real Madrid's late win in Rome, meanwhile, kept the Spanish club's campaign on track after a night in which they trailed for long spells.
PSG take control early in Manchester
BILD reports that PSG, the reigning champions, applied pressure from the first whistle and were rewarded in the 13th minute when Désiré Doué struck low from around 20 metres. City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma did not cover himself in glory on the play, according to the German outlet.
Two minutes later it was 2-0. Doué turned provider, picking out Ousmane Dembélé with a cross to the far post that the forward converted.
City briefly steadied, but only briefly. Vitinha made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute after intercepting a City pass, leaving Guardiola to watch from above as his old team fell apart.
Erling Haaland pulled one back in the 53rd minute to make it 3-1, giving the home side a foothold. But PSG responded through Maghnes Akliouche in the 63rd minute, restoring the three-goal cushion at 4-1.
Haaland scored again in the 75th to reduce the deficit to 4-2, but City could not close the gap further. BILD noted that the Norwegian refused to give up even as the game slipped away.
Rüdiger completes Real Madrid's turnaround in Rome
In the Italian capital, Roma took a surprise lead in the 20th minute. After Real Madrid lost possession, Roma worked the ball well and Marten de Roon's long-range effort took a deflection that left Thibaut Courtois with no chance, BILD reports.
The advantage lasted only five minutes. Kylian Mbappé shot from outside the box at the other end and benefited from a deflection of his own to level at 1-1 in the 25th minute.
After the break, Donyell Malen — the former Borussia Dortmund forward — scored twice in the 51st and 58th minutes to put Roma 3-1 ahead. BILD noted that Malen had scored six goals in seven games before this match and continued his strong start to the season by troubling the Spanish side.
What followed was a frantic closing stretch. Substitute Espi scored in the 84th minute to make it 3-2, Endrick headed in an equaliser in the 85th, and Antonio Rüdiger struck the winner in the 90th minute to spark wild celebrations among the Real Madrid players.
Villa rout Fenerbahçe as Goretzka returns
At Villa Park, Aston Villa produced the night's most one-sided result against Fenerbahçe. BILD reports that former Freiburg player Johan Manzambi opened the scoring in the 12th minute, before Nicolas Jackson — who had a previous loan spell at Bayern Munich — scored twice in the 31st and 39th minutes.
Ross Barkley added two more in the 68th and 72nd minutes, and Tammy Abraham completed the scoring in the 90th minute.
There was also a notable personal milestone for Villa: Leon Goretzka made his debut in the 82nd minute after a long injury layoff. BILD noted that Prince William, described as a prominent Villa supporter, was in attendance.
Betis edge Porto, Shakhtar beat AEK
Real Betis defeated Porto 3-2 at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in a match BILD described as played in a heated atmosphere. The hosts started the better side but repeatedly wasted chances in the first half.
Abde Ezzalzouli scored a fine goal in the 47th minute to put Betis ahead, but the lead lasted only until the 54th minute, when Veiga equalised with a goal of similar quality. Striker Samu then put Porto in front in the 61st minute.
Betis's supporters drove the team forward, and Hernandez made it 2-2 in the 74th minute. Isco converted a penalty in the 84th minute to secure the home win.
In the meeting of two outsiders in the competition, Shakhtar Donetsk beat AEK Athens. The visitors took the lead in the 28th minute through Majer, a former Wolfsburg player, who finished calmly after being picked out in the box.
Shakhtar responded from the penalty spot through Pedrinho in the 34th minute and were the better team overall, according to BILD. In the second half, AEK goalkeeper Brignoli inadvertently put the ball into his own net in the 80th minute, and Mendoza sealed the result in the 86th minute.
Stuttgart also picked up another three points away from home, with full details available separately.
What to watch next
The results reshape the early picture in this season's league phase, with PSG's win in Manchester and Real Madrid's escape in Rome among the standout outcomes. City's response in their next European fixture will be closely watched, as will Guardiola's continued presence around his former club.
