Young stars Yamal and Wirtz shine in Champions League but with mixed results

Shortly after lighting up the European Championship, two of the world's most exciting young players shone on club soccer's biggest stage.

With mixed fortunes, however.

Teenager Lamine Yamal's goal couldn't prevent 10-man Barcelona from falling to a 2-1 defeat at Monaco on Thursday in the Champions League — ending the Spanish club's perfect start to the season.

Meanwhile, it took Florian Wirtz less than five minutes to score his first Champions League goal on his debut in Europe’s elite club competition.

Wirtz also netted another as Bayer Leverkusen romped to a 4-0 win at Feyenoord.

Leverkusen lost in the Europa League final in May, its only defeat in a remarkable season that saw it win the Bundesliga and German Cup.

Atalanta, the team that beat Leverkusen four months ago, had a penalty saved in a 0-0 draw with Arsenal at home.

Atlético Madrid beat Leipzig 2-1 and Benfica topped Red Star Belgrade 2-1, while Brest's first-ever appearance in European competition ended in a 2-1 win over Sturm Graz.

It was the third evening of the new Champions League format which replaces the traditional group stage.

Now, 36 teams each play eight different opponents through January and are ranked in a single league table to decide which teams advance to the knockout phase.

Unusually, Lamal's goal was not yet another record for the precocious 17-year-old.

Lamal boasts a number of scoring milestones for Barcelona and for Spain and became the youngest-ever scorer at the European Championship in the summer on the way to helping Spain win the tournament.

But his first Champions League goal saw him become the second youngest goalscorer in the competition, behind teammate Ansu Fati, who was 28 days younger when he netted his first goal in December 2019.

Yamal's 28th-minute equalizer canceled out Maghnes Akliouche's opener.

Barcelona had faced an uphill struggle after after defender Eric Garcia was sent off with less than 11 minutes played and 18-year-old forward George Ilenikhena scored with a fine finish for Monaco in the 71st.

Barcelona hosts Young Boys on Oct. 1.

Wirtz has had a great start to the season, with three goals in as many Bundesliga games.

And the 21-year-old continued that streak on Thursday in Rotterdam. Robert Andrich intercepted a poor Feyenoord pass and slipped the ball through to Wirtz, who surged forward before firing into the bottom right corner.

Leverkusen doubled its lead on the half-hour mark as Victor Boniface’s clever pass from the edge of the penalty area released Jeremie Frimpong on the right and his cross was slotted in by Alejandro Grimaldo at the far post.

Another Frimpong cross was volleyed in by Wirtz six minutes later.

Leverkusen hardly needed any help but it was given it on the stroke of halftime when a howler by Feyenoord’s German goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther saw him turn the ball over the line following Edmond Tapsoba’s header.

David Raya came to Arsenal’s rescue with a double save at a penalty in the 51st minute after Thomas Partey tripped Ederson.

Mateo Retegui’s spot kick was saved by the Spain international but the ball came back out to the striker, whose header was clawed off the line by a scrambling Raya.

Arsenal struggled in attack with the injured Martin Odegaard, its biggest creative force, and relied on its typically obdurate defense — and Raya — to preserve a point in Bergamo. In the next round, Arsenal hosts Paris Saint-Germain.

Brest first-ever goal in European competition was scored by midfielder Hugo Magnetti at home, but far away from its own stadium.

Brest’s stadium did not meet UEFA’s requirements and so the club’s European home games were re-located to Guingamp’s Stade de Roudourou — located roughly 114 kilometers (71 miles) away.

Brest finished a remarkable third in the French league last season. It is Sturm's first appearance in the Champions League proper in 24 years and came after it ended Salzburg’s run of 10 consecutive Austrian titles.

New Benfica coach Bruno Lage made it two wins out of two thanks to goals from Turkey internationals Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Orkun Kökçü.

Kökçü’s strike was particularly sumptuous as he curled a free kick into the top right corner from 25 yards.

Felicio Milson scored late for the home team.

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Benfica's Orkun Kokcu, right, scores a free kick, his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Red Star and SL Benfica, at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Benfica's Orkun Kokcu, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Red Star and SL Benfica, at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso holds the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Feyenoord and Leverkusen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz scores during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Feyenoord and Leverkusen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz reacts after he scored during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Feyenoord and Leverkusen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick looks on prior to the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Monaco and Barcelona at the Louis II stadium, in Monaco, Monaco, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Monaco and Barcelona at the Louis II stadium, in Monaco, Monaco, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The extended family of Erik and Lyle Menendez will advocate for the brothers' release from prison during a news conference set for Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles as prosecutors review new evidence to determine whether they should be serving life sentences for killing their parents.

Billed as “a powerful show of unity” by more than a dozen family members — including the brothers' aunt — who are traveling across the country to Los Angeles, the news conference will take place less than two weeks after LA County District Attorney George Gascón announced his office was looking at the brothers' case again.

Erik Menendez, now 53, and his 56-year-old brother, Lyle Menendez, are currently incarcerated in state prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion more than 35 years ago.

Lyle Menendez, who was then 21, and Erik Menendez, then 18, admitted they fatally shot-gunned their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez, in 1989 but said they feared their parents were about to kill them to prevent the disclosure of the father’s long-term sexual molestation of Erik.

The extended family’s attorney Bryan Freedman previously said they strongly support the brothers’ release. Comedian Rosie O’Donnell also plans to join the family on Wednesday.

“She wishes nothing more than for them to be released,” Freedman said earlier this month of Joan VanderMolen, Kitty Menendez’s sister and the brothers' aunt.

Earlier this month, Gascón said there is no question the brothers committed the 1989 murders, but his office will be reviewing new evidence and will make a decision on whether a resentencing is warranted in the notorious case that captured national attention.

The brothers’ attorneys said the family believed from the beginning they should have been charged with manslaughter rather than murder. Manslaughter was not an option for the jury during the second trial that ultimately led to the brothers’ murder conviction, attorney Mark Geragos previously said.

The case has gained new traction in recent weeks after Netflix began streaming the true-crime drama “ Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. ”

The new evidence includes a letter written by Erik Menendez that his attorneys say corroborates the allegations that he was sexually abused by his father. A hearing was scheduled for Nov. 29.

Prosecutors at the time contended there was no evidence of any molestation. They said the sons were after their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.

But the brothers have said they killed their parents out of self-defense after enduring a lifetime of physical, emotional and sexual abuse from them. Their attorneys argue that because of society’s changing views on sexual abuse, that the brothers may not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole today.

Jurors in 1996 rejected a death sentence in favor of life without parole.

Attorney Mark Geragos informs the media on developments on the case of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, both serving life sentences for the murder of their parents in 1989, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jaimie Ding)

FILE - Lyle Menendez looks up during testimony in his and brother Erik's retrial for the shotgun slayings of their parents, Oct. 20, 1995 in Los Angeles. (Steve Grayson/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Erik Menendez, center, listens to his attorney Leslie Abramson, as his brother Lyle looks on in a Beverly Hills, California, May 17, 1991. (AP Photo/Julie Markes, File)

FILE - An Oct. 31, 2016, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Erik Menendez, left, and a Feb. 22, 2018 photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP, File )

Menendez brothers' family to push for their release as prosecutors review 1989 case

Menendez brothers' family to push for their release as prosecutors review 1989 case

FILE - Lyle, left, and Erik Menendez sit with defense attorney Leslie Abramson, right, in Beverly Hills Municipal Court during a hearing, Nov. 26, 1990. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)