Ferran Torres hits hat-trick as PSG open Champions League title defence with 6-1 rout

Paris Saint-Germain made a powerful start to their Champions League title defence with a 6-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. New arrival Ferran Torres struck a hat-trick and Ousmane Dembele added a brace as the French champions launched their pursuit of a third consecutive European crown.

• Ferran Torres scores three goals in his first European outing for PSG against Slovan Bratislava.
• Ousmane Dembele grabs a double and Fabian Ruiz completes the 6-1 win late on.
• Barcelona cruise past Feyenoord 5-1 with two goals from captain Raphinha.
• Sporting come from behind to beat Galatasaray 3-1 in Lisbon, while Stuttgart win 3-1 against Viking Stavanger.

Ferran Torres announces himself in Europe with a PSG hat-trick

The Spanish forward wasted no time showing why the Parisian club moved for him in the transfer market. Ferran Torres scored three goals in quick succession and completely dismantled a Slovan Bratislava side coached by former Champions League winner Yaya Toure. The Slovak team simply could not handle the striker's movement and finishing.

Before Torres took centre stage, Dembele had already struck twice to put the game beyond doubt. PSG reached 5-0 by the 57th minute, an opening burst that removed any questions about their readiness following an uneven start to the domestic league campaign. Suleiman Camara pulled one back for Slovan and Fabian Ruiz added the sixth goal for the home side two minutes from time.

PSG aim for a third straight Champions League title

The Parisian outfit enters the tournament with a historic target in mind: winning three consecutive Champions League titles, a feat that would cement the club among the continent's recent dynasties. The emphatic display against Slovan Bratislava confirmed that the squad remains hungry for success despite the changes of recent months and the dominance shown in previous editions.

Raphinha leads Barcelona's rout of Feyenoord

Barcelona also began their European campaign with a clear home win. Captain Raphinha scored two of the five goals as the Catalan side thrashed Feyenoord 5-1 in heavy rain. Karim Adeyemi, Lamine Yamal and Gabriel Jesus completed the scoring for the hosts, while Sem Steijn netted the consolation goal for the Dutch side.

There is a long way to go until May, but it is true that things look very good because we are training very hard and everyone is hungry.

Hansi Flick praised his team's performance and highlighted the group's ambition early in the European season. Barcelona's display strengthens their credentials in a competition where they face pressure to compete deep into the knockout stages.

Sporting rally past Galatasaray and Stuttgart shine through Demirovic

In Lisbon, Sporting had to respond after a difficult start. Galatasaray went ahead after five minutes through a Goncalo Inacio own goal, but Geny Catamo levelled in the 27th minute by taking advantage of poor defending from the Turkish side. Luis Suarez converted a penalty in the 57th minute and Rodrigo Zalazar sealed the 3-1 win with a powerful free kick six minutes later.

Demirovic completes a 12-minute hat-trick for Stuttgart

Stuttgart settled their contest against Viking Stavanger thanks to a devastating first-half display from Ermedin Demirovic. The forward opened the scoring after 20 minutes with a near-post touch, but the Norwegian side equalised two minutes later through Zlatko Tripic, who finished off a swift counter-attack with his left foot. Demirovic restored the lead in the 26th minute and completed his treble in the 32nd with a hooked volley.

Champions League matchday one continues with six more fixtures on Thursday

The opening week of the group stage continues on Thursday with six further games. Manchester United, three-time European champions, host Azerbaijani debutants Sabah, who advanced through four preliminary knockout rounds to reach this stage. It will be another chance for leading clubs to set the tone from their first fixture.