Nine Cinematic Matches of the 2025/26 Champions League League Phase

The revamped UEFA Champions League (UCL) group phase hasn’t escaped scrutiny, but last year’s debut proved it could deliver. The fight for knockout stage spots was thrilling, and now, heading into its second edition, last Friday’s draw has given fans plenty to get excited about. From underdog debutants to heavyweight clashes, here’s a look at the most compelling matchups and narratives from the draw.

The Champions League is never short on emotional returns for players and coaches alike, but few games this season will match the romance of Kevin De Bruyne’s Manchester homecoming. After a storied 10-year career at Manchester City, KDB left the English Premier League this European summer for Italian champions Napoli. With the club not renewing his contract, the Belgium international links up with Antonio Conte in Naples.

Describing the club’s choice as a “business decision”, De Bruyne will almost certainly receive a thunderous ovation upon his return to the Etihad. That said, it wouldn’t be a shock if the midfielder is eager to prove himself against his former club. The Belgian has already had an impact in his short time in Italy, scoring a free kick on his competitive debut against Sassuolo. His mesmerising playmaking ability and big game experience will be crucial for the Gli Azzurri, making their debut in the revamped UCL format.

The clash of the sky blues will mark their first competitive meeting since 2017, as Kevin de Bruyne registered an assist in a 4–2 Mancunian win at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Expect a mixed bag of emotions throughout the Etihad Stadium come Matchday 1 as KDB makes his Manchester return. Also returning to the spotlight is Manchester United academy prospect Scott McTominay. The 2024/25 Serie A MVP knows what it takes to succeed against his old rivals, with his strike from 30 yards out securing a famous win in 2020. Now in career-best form, the Scotsman will be determined to once again get on the scoresheet against them.

Unlike Kevin de Bruyne’s return to the Etihad, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s homecoming is expected to create a hostile atmosphere. The English right-back’s departure from his boyhood club sparked a polarising reaction on social media. Many fans were left furious over the circumstances surrounding his departure, with the full-back running down his contract to join Real Madrid this june, depriving the club of receiving any significant revenue for their academy product. Finishing his time at Anfield on a sour note, Trent’s perceived betrayal adds another layer to one of Europe’s most storied continental rivalries.

A combined 21 Champions League titles, Liverpool and Real Madrid’s fabled history included two finals this decade, with the Spanish giants emerging victorious on both occasions. A second-half Vinicius goal was the difference in 2022, whilst their 2018 encounter is mostly remembered for Gareth Bale’s bicycle goal and a series of mistakes by Loris Karius. Liverpool’s record against the Madrid club does not make for pleasant reading, with their last meaningful victory dating back to 2009 in the round of 16.

On paper, Liverpool and Real Madrid are two of the strongest teams in all football right now. Arne Slot’s head into this UCL campaign as Premier League champions, comfortably winning the league. Despite a disappointing season by their standards, Los Blancos will enter the 2025/26 campaign confident of going all the way. Xabi Alsonso has enjoyed a positive start to life in the Spanish captail, entering into the first international break top of the league. Bringing to the club a fresh, exciting style of football, the Spainard is slowly adjusting the team to his tactically versatile, posession-dominant style of football. Combining the sensational circumstances surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool departure with the recent history shared by these two European heavyweights, all the ingredients are in place for a spicy UCL contest come early November.

According to Opta Analyst, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Bayern Munich were handed the two toughest draws of the UCL league phase, with their showdown at the Parc des Princes a key reason why. Two giants of modern football, both clubs have monopolised their domestic leagues to the extent that anything short of first place is seen as a catastrophic disaster. Such domestic dominance means their European performances often define whether a season is judged a success or a failure.

As the group of genuine UCL contenders becomes further enclosed, the rivalry between PSG and Bayern has continued to simmer. Their most recent meeting came during this year’s FIFA Club World Cup, where goals from Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé fired the Parisian side into the semi-finals, in a feisty contest overshadowed by a horrific injury to Jamal Musiala. Their most famous encounter, however, remains the 2020 UCL final in perhaps the most bizarre knockout phase of the competition’s history. With no fans in attendance due to COVID restrictions, the Bayern club lifted their sixth Champions League trophy, defeating its French counterparts 1–0 in a tense final. PSG academy product Kingsley Coman was ironically the matchwinner for the Germans, as the cheers from the Bayern bench echoed throughout the Estádio da Luz following his 59th-minute winner.

PSG’s long wait for a maiden UCL crown lasted only a few more years, with Luis Enrique’s side finally breaking the duck this May. Heading into the new season, the defending champions are undoubtedly the team to beat, with Bayern one of the top contenders to snatch their crown. With the gap between Europe’s elite and the rest widening, this Matchday 4 clash could well offer a preview of the battles to come in the knockout rounds.

Of the four clubs making their Champions League debut this season, FC Kairat have perhaps the most fascinating story. The 2024 Kazakhstan Premier League champions earned their spot in the league phase after defeating Celtic on penalties in the playoff round. The Almaty-based club became only the second Kazakhstan team to reach the UCL group stage, matching the feat of longtime rivals FC Astana.

Any of their eight league phase matchups tells a fascinating story, particularly for the four clubs facing the long journey east. For this article, I’ve picked their Matchday 1 visit to the Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon. The easternmost team to ever qualify for the UCL league phase, FC Kairat, is expected to travel approximately 7,200km to the José Alvalade Stadium, setting a new UEFA record for the longest trip in their competitions. The current record belongs to each team’s respective local rivals in SL Benfica and FC Astana, who set the record at 6,173km during the 2015/16 group stage. This season’s fixture is set to break the record, with Almaty’s journey further prolonged by the Portuguese authorities’ ban on flights through Russian airspace.

Their September clash will be the first time the two clubs have met in official competition. A historic tie, the occasion will also mark Almaty’s first-ever match against a Portuguese side, while Sporting last faced Kazakhstan opposition in the 2017/18 Europa League quarter-finals against FC Astana. Logistical nightmares aside for Kairat and the teams they’ll host, their 2025 UCL league phase promises to be a monumental period for Kazakhstan football, with the trip to Lisbon just one of the highlights.

A star-studded contest awaits football enthusiasts on Matchday 2 as Barcelona and PSG collide for the first time since 2024. A rematch of their epic quarter-final, it was the Parisian club that advanced to the semi-finals, coming from behind to secure a 6–4 aggregate victory.

As aforementioned, PSG head into this year’s UCL season as one of the favourites, having finally claimed the trophy that had long eluded them. After a slow start to the 2024–25 season, the perennial French champions found their form following a come-from-behind win over Manchester City. In the second half of the season, the Parisians were unstoppable, with Luis Enrique’s ultra-pressing side a pleasure to watch. Dynamic in attack with a fluid frontline, the Ligue 1 club dominated their opposition, controlling games with a beautiful blend of speed, energy and flair. The likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, and João Neves have completely transformed the club’s attack, complemented by arguably the best full-back duo in world football, Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi.

On the other side of the coin, Barcelona have looked completely rejuvenated under Hansi Flick. A high-octane, high-risk style of footy, the Catalan club have rediscovered their identity under the German coach, returning to the attacking brand of play the club is renowned for. Quick and direct in attack, the La Liga champions will enter the 2025/26 UCL season as one of the top contenders. La Masia graduates Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Pau Cubarsí lead the next generation of Spanish football, whilst the likes of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski pack even more firepower into the sides’ attack.

Two of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe right now, football lovers will certainly have this fixture pencilled in to their calendars. With both sides delivering free-flowing, high-octane football, expect this contest to be yet another end-to-end, high-scoring affair.

Another first-time participant of this season’s Champions League will be Bodo Gilmt. Unlike their fellow debutants, the Norwegian club enters their inaugural campaign with recent European success, having reached the semi-finals of last season’s Europa League. The team that knocked them out, eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs’ 2024/25 was nothing if not bizarre 2024/25. Their domestic performance was abysmal, finishing a hollow 17th, and despite a mountain of injuries, Ange Postecoglou’s side were clearly struggling. Yet for all their shortcomings last season, their run in Europe was incredible. In a single night that salvaged their dire season, the Lilywhites edged local rivals Manchester United 1–0 in the Europa League final, securing their first piece of silverware in 17 years. Before that famous night in Bilbao, the north London club had to travel to the Aspmyra Stadion in Norway for the second leg of their semi-final against Bodo. On a cold night in the Arctic Circle, Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro each scored to seal a 5–1 aggregate win and book Spurs’ place in the final.

Heading into the first international break, new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is still in the early stages of his rebuild. Strong showings against Burnley and Manchester City gave the Dane a perfect start to the Premier League season, before a 1–0 loss to Bournemouth quickly brought the club back down to earth. Although question marks remain, there have been encouraging signs in the former Brentford manager’s reign so far.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Glimt will have taken plenty of positives from their historic Europa run, which included victories over FC Porto, Beşiktaş and Lazio in the quarter-finals. As the first Norwegian team to participate in the UCL since 2007–08, Bodo Glimt fans can look forward to several memorable nights this campaign, including trips to Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid, as well as welcoming Manchester City and Juventus to their home ground. The chance to avenge their European exit may top the list for the Yellow Horde, with Glimt’s home debut coming against their north London adversaries. Already a difficult away day given the cool conditions and synthetic pitch, it’s safe to presume the Bodo faithful will deliver a formidable atmosphere.

Arsenal’s quest for a first European title must once again go through one of their most infamous rivals in the form of Bayern Munich. Throughout much of the 21st century, the German giants have consistently proved to be a formidable obstacle for the London club, with their UCL head-to-head record being woeful. While managing to secure a few wins during the group stage, Arsenal have never prevailed over Germany in a knockout stage tie. Their most notorious elimination occurred in 2017, where the Barvarians amassed a 10–2 aggregate score to dominate the tie.

In contrast to many of their campaigns of the late 2010s, the Gunners look far more confident and are unquestionably amongst the top contenders for the title. A semi-final exit last season marked their best performance in Europe since 2009. A run which included a famous win over Real Madrid, the pressure is now on Mikel Arteta to deliver some silverware for the North London club, following a near-perfect transfer window. A win over one of their biggest European enemies would mean far more than just three points; it could set the tone for their entire knockout-stage campaign.

Among the players taking the field at Emirates Stadium, Harry Kane’s name will be thrust into the spotlight as the former Tottenham striker returns to the home of his old rival. Kane’s record against Arsenal is formidable, finding the back of the net 15 times across 20 appearances, including a decisive penalty for Bayern in his last visit to London. Keeping the former Arsenal youth prospect quiet will be crucial in deciding the outcome of this matchup.

Few clubs can match the star power of Real Madrid and Manchester City, and when they face off, fireworks are inevitable. Unlike recent meetings between the two modern powerhouses, both teams are in the midst of a slight rebuild, adding extra intrigue to their Matchday 6 fixture.

As aforementioned, Real Madrid have hit the ground running under Xabi Alonso, showing early signs of their attacking prowess. The same can’t be said as of writing for Manchester City, however, with the club ranked in a lowly 13th position after 3 games. Back-to-back defeats to Spurs and Brighton have already put Pep Guardiola and his array of new signings under the microscope. With several of the stars of City’s 2023 UCL winning team either moving on or aging out of the team, many of the recruits from the past 12 months have failed to hit the ground running. That is often the case, however, in a Pep side, with the Mancunians still capable of delivering mesmerising passages of play. The Cityzens will undoubtedly have December’s clash with the Spanish giants marked in bold, as it promises to reveal just where both clubs stand in their respective rebuilds.

This season’s league phase showdown marks the 15th European meeting between the sides, who have squared off in every knockout stage since 2022. Real Madrid have dominant proceedings in recent memory, with Man City’s sole knockout-stage victory coming in 2023, when they outclassed their Spanish rivals to reach the final. Regardless of the outcome, these two sides consistently deliver some of the season’s most unforgettable moments. From Karim Benzema’s heroics in 2022 to a nail-biting penalty shootout in 2024, this European duo never fails to deliver drama and top-class football. Whatever the outcome, the December 10 fixture is sure to leave its mark on this season’s UCL.

Barcelona’s trip to Stamford Bridge on November 25 will mark only their third visit to South West London since the infamous semi-final of 2009. On that controversial night in London, Chelsea saw four penalty appeals waved away, including two shouts for handball. A foul on Florent Malouda had been ruled to have taken place outside the penalty area, whilst Eric Abidal’s challenge on Drogba was seemingly missed. Michael Essien’s first-half strike was ruled out by a 93rd-minute winner from Andres Iniesta, with the Catalan club securing their spot in that year’s UCL final on away goals. The scenes at full time have long haunted Chelsea fans as referee Tom Henning Øvrebø was escorted out of the stadium to a myriad of boos and furious blue shirts. UEFA officials even went as far as to relocate the Norwegian to another hotel that night due to concerns for his safety.

Although the Matchday 5 meeting is unlikely to mirror the hostility from 16 years ago, a hostile atmosphere in London is to be expected. Turning our attention to the field, the stars will definitely be out for an exciting clash of styles. Enzo Maresca secured Chelsea their return to Europe’s elite following a fourth-place finish in the league. Despite a few rough patches of form and question marks over the club’s recent transfer activity, Chelsea has seemingly reclaimed its winners’ pedigree, as evidenced by victories in the Europa Conference League and revamped FIFA Club World Cup. Regardless of whether the London club can sustain the consistency needed to challenge for the league, their recent performances have shown they can thrive in knockout football. Their November showdown against the Spanish giants will be a true litmus test, revealing where they really rank among Europe's elite.