UEFA Champions League Matchday 1: Key Stats and What to Look out for in Every Game
The UEFA Champions League returns today as 36 contenders look to charge out of the blocks on Matchday 1 with stand-out fixtures including repeats of three previous finals in this competition – Juventus against Dortmund, Bayern versus Chelsea and Ajax against Inter. Here are the key facts and stats from every fixture as the league phase commences.
All matches kick off at 21:00 CET unless stated.
Athletic Club vs Arsenal
Athletic Club’s last participation in the group stage/league phase of the Champions League was in the 2014/15 season. Their only other previous appearance was 1998/99.
The Spanish side won all four of their home matches in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League last season. They also won their home leg in the round of 16 and quarter-finals against Roma (3-1) and Rangers (2-0) respectively, but lost 3-0 against Manchester United at home in the first leg of the semi-finals.
Athletic Club have won 14 of their last 18 UEFA club competition matches at home (L4).
Arsenal have won their last five UEFA club competition matches against Spanish teams. Last season they won 2-1 away against Girona on Champions League Matchday 8 and were successful in both legs of their quarter-final tie against Real Madrid (3-0 h, 2-1 a).
The Gunners are unbeaten on Matchday 1 in their last eight UEFA club competition group/league campaigns (W6 D2). Their last defeat in an opening fixture was 2-1 at GNK Dinamo in the 2015/16 Champions League.
Arsenal have lost only two of their last 22 Champions League group/league matches (W16 D4).
PSV Eindhoven vs Union Saint-Gilloise
PSV have lost only two of their last 13 Champions League group/league matches (W6 D5) and are unbeaten in their last 11 UEFA club competition group/league matches at home (W7 D4).
The Dutch side have scored in each of their last 16 UEFA club competition matches at home.
Ivan Perišić has scored in three of his four UEFA Champions League appearances for PSV.
This is Union SG’s debut in the Champions League proper. They are the eighth Belgian team to reach the group stage/league phase.
However, the Belgian outfit are competing in a UEFA club competition group/league for the fourth successive season after three consecutive appearances in the Europa League (2022/23 to 2024/25).
Union SG won their previous two UEFA club competition matches away from home against Dutch teams, both in last season’s Europa League; 1-0 vs FC Twente (league phase) and 2-1 vs Ajax (knockout play-offs second leg).
Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund
This is a repeat of the 1997 Champions League final, which Dortmund won 3-1 – Karl-Heinz Riedle set them on their way with two first-half goals in the Munich showpiece.
However, Juventus have won six of their nine UEFA club competition matches against Dortmund (D1 L2) and seven of their 12 games against German teams (D3 L2).
The Bianconeri have never lost on Matchday 1 of the Champions League at home (W6 D3).
Summer signing Jonathan David has scored seven goals in his last nine Champions League appearances – he is also the all-time top-scoring Canadian in the competition with ten goals in 18 games.
Dortmund have won only one of their last seven UEFA club competition matches away from home against Italian teams (D1 L5) and have only five victories – and 13 defeats – against Serie A sides in Italy.
The German outfit have won their Matchday 1 fixture in three of the last four seasons (L1).
Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy scored nine goals in eight appearances in the league phase of the 2024/25 Champions League.
Real Madrid vs Marseille
Los Merengues have won 199 matches and scored 698 goals in the Champions League proper – they could be the first team to reach the respective landmarks of 200 wins and 700 goals.
Real Madrid won the previous four UEFA club competition matches between these teams – all in the UEFA Champions League group stage (2003/04: 4-2h, 2-1a, 2009/10: 3-0h, 3-1a). They have also lost only one of their previous 17 at home against French teams (W12 D4) – 1-0 against Paris in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final first leg in 1993/94.
Kylian Mbappé has scored on Matchday 1 of the Champions League in the last three seasons.
Marseille have won only one of their previous eight UEFA club competition away matches against Spanish teams (D2 L5).
Marseille have lost 18 of their last 21 matches in the Champions League proper (W3) and suffered a Matchday 1 defeat in six of their last seven campaigns in the competition.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored in his last four Champions League appearances against Real Madrid – all for Dortmund in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 group stages.
Benfica vs Qarabağ
This season is Benfica’s 45th European Cup/Champions League participation – the second most overall (behind Real Madrid, 56).
The Portuguese side have won five of their last nine UEFA club competition matches (D2 L2). They are unbeaten in four this season (W3 D1) without conceding a single goal.
Benfica have won their Matchday 1 fixture in two of the last three Champions League campaigns (L1).
This is Qarabağ’s second participation in the Champions League proper, following their group stage appearance in 2017/18. They are the only team from Azerbaijan to reach this stage.
This is Qarabağ’s 12th successive season in a UEFA club competition group/league.
Qarabağ have faced two Portuguese teams previously in UEFA club competitions. They lost twice against Sporting CP in the 2018/19 Europa League group stage (0-2a, 1-6h) but defeated Braga 6-5 on aggregate in the 2023/24 Europa League knockout round play-offs (4-2a, 2-3h, aet).
Tottenham vs Villarreal
Tottenham have won only two of their previous 14 UEFA club competition matches against Spanish teams (D5 L7).
Spurs are unbeaten in their last 20 UEFA club competition matches at home (W16 D4).
The north London outfit have scored in 15 of their last 16 UEFA club competition matches.
Villarreal have won only two of their last 20 UEFA club competition matches against English teams (D9 L9).
The Yellow Submarine have won their last two Champions League group/league matches away from home, against Young Boys (4-1) and Atalanta (3-2) in 2021/22.
Villarreal midfielder Manor Solomon joined on a season-long loan from Tottenham on 1 September while defender Juan Foyth spent four years at Spurs before moving to the Spanish side permanently in 2021.
Olympiacos vs Pafos
Olympiacos are making their 36th European Cup/Champions League participation – the most of any Greek team.
The Piraeus outfit are unbeaten in their last seven UEFA club competition matches at home (W5 D2).
Olympiacos have won only two of their last 20 Champions League group/league matches (D2 L16).
Pafos are participating in the Champions League group/league phase for the first time. They reached the UEFA Conference League round of 16 on their UEFA club competition debut last season.
They are the third team from Cyprus to reach Champions League proper after APOEL (four times) and Anorthosis Famagusta (once).
Pafos have lost only one of their last 12 UEFA club competition matches (W7 D4), are unbeaten in six this season (W4 D2), and have scored in 13 of their last 14 European games.
Slavia Praha vs Bodø/Glimt
This is the first ever match in a Champions League group/league between teams from Czechia and Norway.
This is Slavia Praha’s third Champions League group/league participation (2007/08, 2019/20 and 2025/26) but their ninth successive season in a UEFA club competition group/league.
The Czech side are without a win in their last seven UEFA club competition matches (D2 L5).
Bodø/Glimt are the first Norwegian team since Rosenborg in 2007/08 and the third overall – after Rosenborg (11 times) and Molde (once) – to reach the Champions League proper.
In last season’s Europa League, Bodø/Glimt became the first Norwegian team to reach the semi-finals of a UEFA senior men’s club competition.
The Norwegian side are without a win in their last seven UEFA club competition matches away from home (D1 L6), since a 2-1 victory against Braga on Matchday 3 of the 2024/25 Europa League.
Ajax vs Inter
This fixture is a repeat of the 1972 European Cup final, in which Ajax secured a 2-0 victory in Rotterdam, and the first meeting between the two sides since the round of 16 in the 2005/06 Champions League, when Inter advanced to the quarter-finals with a 3–2 aggregate win.
Ajax coach John Heitinga and Inter coach Cristian Chivu were team-mates at Ajax from 2001–03. Chivu captained Ajax in their 1-0 defeat at Inter in September 2002.
The Dutch club are without a win in their last seven UEFA club competition matches against Italian teams (D2 L5), since a 2-1 victory at Juventus in their 2018/19 Champions League quarter-final second leg, and their last 13 home European games against Italian teams (D6 L7), since a 2-1 win against Roma in the Champions League second group stage in December 2002.
Ajax have won their Matchday 1 fixture in four of their last five Champions League campaigns (L1).
Inter are unbeaten in their last 13 UEFA club competition matches against Dutch teams (W9 D4), since a 1-0 home defeat by Feyenoord in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup semi-final first leg, and last eight Champions League group/league matches against Dutch clubs (W6 D2).
The Nerazzurri have lost only one of their last 14 Champions League group/league matches (W9 D4) and kept eight clean sheets in their last nine games at that stage. However, they have won only two of their last 13 Champions League Matchday 1 fixtures (D7 L4), the last coming in a 2-1 home success against Tottenham in September 2018.
Inter’s Yann Sommer could become the first Swiss player to make 60 appearances and Nicolò Barella could make his 50th appearance in the Champions League proper.
Bayern München vs Chelsea
This is a repeat of the 2012 Champions League final when Chelsea lifted the trophy for the first time with a victory on penalties. Their most recent encounters were in the round of 16 in 2019/20 when Bayern won 7-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 success in London and a 4-1 victory at home. They have never met in a UEFA club competition group/league.
Bayern have won eight of their last ten UEFA club competition matches at home against English teams (D1 L1).
The Bavarian club are unbeaten in their last 34 home Champions League group/league phase matches (W32 D2), since losing 3-2 against Manchester City in December 2013.
Bayern have won their opening match in each of last 21 Champions League campaigns, including 18 without conceding a goal. The last time they did not win on Matchday 1 was in September 2002 when they lost 3-2 at home against Deportivo La Coruña.
Chelsea have won seven of their last 11 Champions League group/league matches against German teams (D2 L2).
The west London club have won 15 of their last 23 Champions League group/league matches (D6 L2).
Nicolas Jackson joined Bayern on loan from Chelsea on 1 September.
Liverpool vs Atlético de Madrid
Liverpool have won their last four Champions League group/league matches against Spanish teams. They defeated Atleti twice in the 2021/22 group stage (3-2a, 2-0h) and recorded wins against both Real Madrid (2-0h) and Girona (1-0a) in the 2024/25 league phase.
The Reds have won their last 14 home UEFA club competition group/league matches, scoring two goals or more in the most recent 13 of those games and keeping nine clean sheets in the last 12.
Liverpool had won 12 successive Champions League group/league matches prior to their 3-2 defeat at PSV on Matchday 8 of the 2024/25 league phase, and have won nine of their most recent 14 Matchday 1 fixtures (D3 L2) in the competition.
Florian Wirtz has scored six goals in his first nine appearances in the Champions League proper – the most scored by a German player in his opening nine matches in the competition – while Mohamed Salah has 18 goals in his last 20 Champions League group/league outings.
Atleti have won only one of their last eight Champions League matches against English teams (D2 L5) and have never tasted victory against an English side in a UEFA competition group/league game (D4 L4 – all in the Champions League).
The Madrid club have lost their Matchday 1 fixture in only two of their previous 15 Champions League campaigns (W8 D5).
Diego Simeone’s men have scored in 15 of their last 16 Champions League group/league matches.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta
Paris have lost only one of their last 12 UEFA club competition matches against Italian teams (W5 D6). They have won five of the six most recent (L1) and beat Atalanta in the only previous European match between these teams, 2-1 in the 2019/20 Champions League quarter-finals (played as a one-off fixture in Lisbon).
The French side have played 100 successive UEFA club competition matches since they were involved in a 0-0 draw (vs Real Madrid, 2015/16 Champions League group stage). It is 99 in the Champions League – the 2025 UEFA Super Cup is the other match in the sequence.
Paris have lost on Matchday 1 in only two of their last 13 Champions League campaigns (W8 D3). They have won on Matchday 1 in each of the last three seasons.
Atalanta’s defeat by Paris in that 2019/20 Champions League quarter-final is their only loss in five UEFA club competition matches against French teams. They drew 1-1 away and won 1-0 at home against Lyon in the 2017/18 Europa League group stage and in the semi-finals of the same competition in 2023/24 they drew 1-1 away and won 3-0 at home against Marseille.
La Dea have lost only one of their last 14 UEFA club competition group/league matches away from home (W9 D4) and are unbeaten in eight (W5 D3).
Atalanta have scored in 21 of their last 23 UEFA club competition group/league matches, and have found the net in their most recent 15 European group/league away games.
Club Brugge vs Monaco (18:45 CET)
Club Brugge have won six of their last ten UEFA club competition group/league matches at home (D2 L2).
The Belgian side have lost only two of their last 17 European matches at home (W11 D4).
Club Brugge have scored in 29 of their last 32 UEFA club competition matches.
Monaco are unbeaten in their last three UEFA club competition matches away from home against Belgian teams (W1 D2).
The Ligue 1 outfit have won their Matchday 1 fixture in four of their last seven Champions League campaigns (D1 L2). Last season they started the league phase with a 2-1 home victory against Barcelona.
Only one of Monaco’s last 70 UEFA club competition matches has finished goalless.
Copenhagen vs Leverkusen (18:45 CET)
Copenhagen recorded their first-ever victory in a UEFA club competition against German opposition in their most recent encounter, 3-1 at Heidenheim in their 2024/25 Conference League knockout round play-off second leg. Prior to the fixture, the Danish club had failed to win any of their 15 previous matches against German sides (D5 L10).
The Danish champions have lost only two of their previous 18 home Champions League group/league matches (W8 D8).
Copenhagen have kept six clean sheets in their last nine home Champions League group/league matches.
Leverkusen won 4-0 at Feyenoord on Matchday 1 of the 2024/25 league phase. That was only their second opening-game victory in their last eight Champions League campaigns (D1 L5).
The German side have won their last three European matches against Danish clubs, their most recent successes coming against Copenhagen in the 2014/15 Champions League play-offs (3-2a, 4-0h).
Leverkusen have won 11 of their last 16 UEFA club competition group/league matches (D3 L2).
Frankfurt vs Galatasaray
Frankfurt’s only defeat in eight UEFA club competition matches against Turkish teams (W3 D4) was 1-0 at Galatasaray in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup second round second leg. Their most recent encounter was a 3-1 away win at Beşiktaş on Matchday 2 of the 2024/25 Europa League.
The German side’s only previous Champions League group/league participation was in 2022/23 when they went on to reach the round of 16.
Frankfurt have lost only two of their last 13 home UEFA club competition group/league matches (W7 D4).
Galatasaray are without a win in their last nine European matches away from home (D3 L6), since a 3-2 victory at Manchester United on Matchday 2 of the 2023/24 Champions League.
The Turkish champions have won only one of their last 17 Champions League group/league matches (D5 L11).
Galatasaray have scored in 25 of their last 27 UEFA club competition matches.
Manchester City vs Napoli
Manchester City have lost only one of their previous nine UEFA club competition matches at home against Italian teams (W4 D4). In 2024/25 they opened their league phase campaign with a 0-0 home draw against another Serie A side, Inter.
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 21 Champions League group/league matches at home (W18 D3) and have scored three or more goals in 13 of the last 16 games at that stage in front on their home fans.
Erling Haaland has scored 49 goals in his 48 Champions League appearances. He could become the tenth player to reach the landmark of 50 goals and would be the fastest to do so, beating the record held by Ruud van Nistelrooy (62 matches).
Napoli are without a win in their previous ten away matches against English teams in UEFA club competition (D3 L7), but they have only lost once on Matchday 1 in eight Champions League group/league participations (W5 D2).
The Italian side have won 11 of their last 18 Champions League group/league matches (D4 L3) and have scored in 15 of their last 16 games at that stage.
None of Napoli’s last 40 European matches have finished goalless. The last time was at Genk on Matchday 2 of the 2019/20 Champions League.
Kevin De Bruyne makes a speedy return to the City of Manchester Stadium. The Belgian creator joined Napoli from City in the summer having spent ten years in Manchester, winning six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League.
Newcastle United vs Barcelona
These teams have met four times previously in UEFA club competition. Though Barcelona have recorded three wins to Newcastle’s one, the Magpies’ 3-2 home success in the 1997/98 Champions League came on Matchday 1.
Newcastle have lost only three of their last 31 European matches at home (W21 D7). However, they suffered reverses in their two most recent such fixtures, in the 2023/24 Champions League group stage against Dortmund (0-1) and Milan (1-2). The Premier League side have won four of their six home matches against Spanish teams in UEFA club competition (L2).
Barcelona have lost only two of their last 17 Champions League group/league matches (includes second group stage) against English teams (W8 D7).
The Catalan club have won 20 of their previous 29 Champions League Matchday 1 games (D6 L3). However, one of those defeats came last season when they lost 2-1 at Monaco.
Robert Lewandowski has scored nine goals in his last seven appearances in the league phase of the Champions League, while Raphinha found the net 16 times in his last 16 games in this competition.
Sporting CP vs Kairat Almaty
Sporting CP’s only previous European games against a team from Kazakhstan were versus Astana in the 2017/18 Europa League round of 16 when the Portuguese outfit progressed 6-4 on aggregate following a 3-1 away win and a 3-3 draw in Lisbon.
The Portuguese champions are without a win in their last six Champions League matches (D2 L4).
Sporting CP have won their Matchday 1 fixture in three of their last four Champions League campaigns (L1). They started the 2024/25 league phase with a 2-0 home victory against Lille.
Kairat are only the second team from Kazakhstan to feature in the Champions League proper after Astana in 2015/16. Astana did not manage to record a victory in their participation (D4 L2).
