Champions League Matchday One: Five things to watch

The Champions League is back this week as Europe’s elite begin their pursuit of club football’s biggest prize.

Matchday one brings blockbuster reunions, unwanted records and plenty of questions for some of the continent’s biggest clubs.Jose Mourinho faces former side Inter Milan with history in his sights, while Antonio Conte will hope to finally translate his domestic success onto the European stage.

Elsewhere,Barcelona must address familiar defensive concerns and Manchester United will celebrate a major milestone on their return to the competition.

Here are five things to watch on Champions League Matchday One.

Mourinho meets former side as Inter aim to end Spanish hoodoo

The biggest fixture of matchday one seesReal Madrid host Inter Milan at the Bernabeu. Two of Europe’s biggest names go head-to-head on opening night, as Jose Mourinho welcomes his former team to the Spanish capital.

Mourinho masterminded Inter’s most recent Champions League triumph, after leading the Serie A side to treble success in 2009/10. He’s out to make history this season as the first manager to win the Champions League with three clubs, having also lifted this trophy with Porto in 2004. His previous spell at Real Madrid brought three consecutive semi-final exits.

Inter arrive in Madrid with a dreadful recent record against La Liga opponents. Inter have not beaten a Spanish side away from home in the Champions League since 2004/05, a run of 13 away matches that includes nine defeats.

Can Hansi Flick get Barcelona’s balance right?

Barcelona have been the best side in La Liga across the last two seasons, but their European campaigns have ended in agonising fashion. After an epic semi-final against Inter Milan ended with the Catalans collapsing late on in 2024/25, a costly red card undid Barca againstAtletico Madrid in last season’s quarter-final.

Barcelona have been unable to get their defensive balance right in the Champions League, with Flick’s high line exposed. Barca have not kept a clean sheet in 15 matches in this competition, a statistic that must change if the Spaniards are to end a 12-year wait for this trophy.

Liverpool look to extend Atletico Madrid’s English misery

Liverpool welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield on matchday one, in a repeat of last season’s opening fixture. The Reds won that contest 2-0 in a result that extended Atletico’s awful record against English opponents in the group stages. Atletico have never beaten a Premier League team in the group stage or league phase of the Champions League, losing six of 10 previous encounters.

Liverpool could hand a full debut to Bradley Barcola, as Anfield gets a first glimpse of the marquee recruit.

Can Conte crack the Champions League?

Antonio Conte has been one of the great modern managers. A serial winner domestically, he’s hoovered up six league titles across four clubs and two top-five leagues.

For all that success, however, Conte has struggled to make his mark in Europe. The Italian has reached one quarter-final in seven attempts across spells with Juventus, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur, andNapoli.

Last season’s league phase was a disaster for Napoli, who won twice in eight games to finish 30th and crash out. Napoli had arrived into the competition as Italian champions, but failed to make their mark. The Serie A side are not among the favourites but Conte will demand improvement. An opening fixture against 2026 runners-up Arsenal is a huge early test.

Manchester United set for milestone on Champions League return

Manchester United will celebrate a milestone on Thursday night when tournament debutants Sabah arrive at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils will become the first English club to reach 300 games in the European Cup/Champions League, in what will be their first fixture in the competition since 2023/24. United are set to begin a 26th campaign in the Champions League proper, another record for an English side.

Hopes will be high that Manchester United can improve on recent fortunes in the Champions League, after group-stage exits in two of their last three campaigns.