Exciting Matches to Watch in the Champions League Starting Tuesday

The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League group stage kicks off on Tuesday. Thirty-six teams will start their journey in a competition filled with big matches on the first matchday.

UEFA has shared some interesting stats ahead of the first games. This includes milestone appearances, strong home records, historic rivalries, and different recent performances in Europe.

Here are 10 matches to keep an eye on during the three-day opening round. PUNCH Online has picked 10 out of the 18 matchday one games from the UEFA website on Monday.

1. Real Madrid vs Inter, Tuesday

Real Madrid will host Inter in one of the biggest matches of the opening round. There are many stories around this game.

Kylian Mbappé needs just one goal to tie with Raúl González in fifth place on the Champions League all-time scoring list, with 70 goals.

Thibaut Courtois could also make his 100th Champions League appearance if selected. This match will see José Mourinho face his former club Inter, which he led to the Champions League title in 2009/10 as part of a historic treble.

Real Madrid has won six of their last seven meetings with Inter and has taken 17 of their last 19 Champions League opening-day matches. Meanwhile, Inter has not won away against a Spanish team in their last 13 tries.

2. Porto vs Manchester City, Tuesday

Manchester City will play their 150th European Cup match when they visit Porto.

Porto is appearing in the Champions League group stage for the 28th time. They are fourth on the all-time list after Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.

Porto has lost only one of their last 14 home UEFA matches but has won just two of their last 16 against English teams. City has lost six of their last nine Champions League away matches. Their only two losses in 11 matches against Portuguese clubs include a 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP in 2024/25.

3. Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal, Tuesday

Dortmund will welcome Villarreal to Germany, hoping to repeat their previous result against the Spanish team.

The two clubs have met only once, with Dortmund winning 4-0 at home last season. They have lost only two of their last 15 home matches against Spanish teams and have won their last three.

Villarreal, on the other hand, has not lost in the Champions League proper to a goalless draw in their last 31 matches, setting up a chance for an exciting game.

4. Club Brugge vs Aston Villa, Tuesday

Aston Villa is back in the Champions League, facing Club Brugge. They played against Brugge three times in the competition last season.

Brugge won the first match 1-0, but Villa bounced back with 3-1 and 3-0 wins in the round of 16. The Belgian team has lost only three of their last 22 UEFA home matches and scored at least three goals in six of their last seven European home games.

Villa won 13 of 15 matches in last season’s Europa League and lost only three of their last 21 UEFA group stage matches.

5. Barcelona vs Feyenoord, Wednesday

Barcelona opens their campaign against Feyenoord, with Lamine Yamal expected to shine.

The Barcelona winger needs two goals to match Mbappé’s record for Champions League goals by a player aged 20 or under. Barcelona has scored 50 goals in the two editions of the league phase since it started in 2024/25, eight more than any other club.

Feyenoord has failed to score in just two of their last 15 Champions League group stage matches, but they have gone 11 European away games without a win.

6. Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid, Wednesday

Liverpool will face Atletico Madrid at Anfield. This is a repeat of last season’s opening match, which Liverpool won 3-2.

The Reds have finished in the top three of the league phase in the last two seasons and won their last six league phase matches against Spanish teams. Atletico captain Koke might make his 150th UEFA club competition appearance. Diego Simeone is the longest-serving coach in this season’s league phase, having managed Atletico since December 2011.

Atletico has never won a Champions League group stage match against an English side, drawing four and losing six.

7. Napoli vs Arsenal, Wednesday

Arsenal is travelling to Napoli for a heavyweight clash.

The teams have met four times, with Arsenal winning three and Napoli winning one. The Gunners won both legs of their Europa League quarter-final against Napoli in 2018/19.

Napoli has only won two of their last ten Champions League matches and lost their last three against English clubs. Arsenal conceded the fewest goals in last season’s league phase and knockout rounds combined, with just seven, while keeping nine clean sheets. They also went unbeaten on Matchday 1 in their last nine European campaigns.

8. Paris Saint-Germain vs Slovan Bratislava, Wednesday

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain start their title defense against Slovan Bratislava.

Paris is looking to be the second club in Champions League history to win the competition three times in a row, after Real Madrid did it between 2015/16 and 2017/18.

Luis Enrique’s squad has won their opening Champions League match in the last four seasons and did not concede any goals in the last three.

Slovan has gone seven UEFA matches without a loss but lost all eight games during their last league phase in 2024/25.

9. Bayern Munich vs Bodø/Glimt, Thursday

Bayern Munich faces Bodø/Glimt with Harry Kane aiming for another Champions League milestone.

Kane has scored 54 goals in 70 Champions League appearances and could be the third-fastest player to reach 55 if he scores. Bayern has won their opening match in each of their last 22 Champions League campaigns and is unbeaten in their last 38 home group stage matches.

The German champions also need one goal to become the second club after Real Madrid to reach 900 goals in European Cup history.

10. Manchester United vs Sabah, Thursday

Manchester United will celebrate a major European milestone when they play Azerbaijani club Sabah.

This match will be United’s 300th European Cup match, making them the first English club to hit this mark. United is back in the Champions League for the first time since 2023/24 and will make their 26th appearance in the competition, the most by any English club.

But their recent performance gives a warning: United has won only one of their last seven Champions League group stage matches. Sabah is making their first appearance in a UEFA group stage and has won six of their eight qualifying matches.

The 2026/27 Champions League league phase runs from September 8 to January 27, with 36 teams playing eight matches each.