Champions League begins with wins for Real, Manchester City and Dortmund; Haaland marks the evening with two goals
The league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League began on Tuesday, 8 September, with six matches and a series of closely contested encounters. Real Madrid defeated Inter 2:1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, Manchester City won 2:0 away at Porto thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland, while Borussia Dortmund beat Villarreal 3:2 at home. Aston Villa took three points from Bruges with a 3:2 victory, Real Betis won by the same score against Lille in France, and AEK Athens opened the competition with a narrow 1:0 win over LASK. According to UEFA's official review of the opening day, Kylian Mbappé, Federico Valverde, Serhou Guirassy and Haaland were among the standout figures of the evening, along with teams returning to Europe's elite competition such as AEK and Betis.
The first six matches also opened the third season of the Champions League under the single 36-club league-phase format. UEFA states that each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents, four at home and four away, with all results feeding into one overall table. The top eight clubs will qualify directly for the round of 16, teams finishing from ninth to 24th will play an additional play-off round, while clubs from 25th to 36th place will end their European season. Under such a system, every early point can carry considerable weight, especially in the battle to avoid the additional knockout round.
Real capitalise on Inter's mistakes, Courtois preserves the lead
In Madrid, Real secured victory against Inter thanks to their efficiency in the first half and important interventions from Thibaut Courtois after the break. UEFA states that Kylian Mbappé put the hosts ahead in the 14th minute with a precise finish, while Federico Valverde made it 2:0 nine minutes later after punishing goalkeeper Josep Martínez's mistake when playing the ball backwards. Inter created enough chances in the second half to make the match uncertain, and Carlos Augusto reduced the deficit following a cross from Lautaro Martínez. The Italian side, however, failed to find a second goal before the end.
According to UEFA, Courtois played his 100th Champions League match and made several important saves, while one Inter attempt also struck the frame of the goal. The outcome further highlighted the difference between the two teams in finishing: Inter managed to threaten seriously during parts of the match, but Real punished the key mistakes more effectively. UEFA named Valverde Player of the Match, and the Madrid club therefore began the competition with three points from a fixture that, considering the quality of the opposition, already had the characteristics of a major European test in the opening round.
For Real, the victory is also important because of the demanding schedule that follows in the single league phase. According to UEFA's draw, the Madrid club will face opponents of various profiles throughout the autumn and winter, so the points won against Inter could prove valuable in the battle for a top-eight place. Inter, on the other hand, leave Madrid without points despite periods of good play, which in this format places additional pressure on the upcoming matches because each club has only eight opportunities to improve its position.
Haaland sets the pace again: 59 goals in 59 appearances
Manchester City defeated Porto 2:0 at the Estádio do Dragão, with Erling Haaland scoring both goals in the second half. UEFA states that home goalkeeper Diogo Costa stopped several dangerous City attempts before the break, including shots from Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki, allowing the Portuguese side to keep the match open for a long time. After the interval, however, the visitors increased the pressure. Haaland first headed in a cross from Matheus Nunes and then, in stoppage time, converted from close range after an assist from Rayan Aït-Nouri to make the final score 2:0.
According to UEFA's figures, the two-goal scorer has therefore reached 59 goals in 59 Champions League appearances. That ratio further confirms his exceptional efficiency in a competition in which he has been among the most dangerous forwards for years. UEFA named him Player of the Match, while City took the maximum number of points from their trip to Portugal without conceding a goal, which is particularly valuable in a league phase where goal difference can also become important in the final standings.
Porto nevertheless showed that they could keep the favoured opponent under control for a long time, especially thanks to an in-form goalkeeper and a disciplined first half. But City found more space after the break and turned their territorial dominance into goals. The victory gave Manchester City a calm start to their European campaign, while Porto will look for their first points in the continuation of the competition. The opening match already showed how an individual quality such as Haaland's can decide a game that remained tactically closed for a long time.
Dortmund and Villarreal produce five goals after the break
One of the most dramatic matches of the evening was played in Dortmund, where Borussia defeated Villarreal 3:2, with all five goals coming in the second half. According to UEFA's report, the hosts took the lead through a Renato Veiga own goal shortly before the hour mark. Villarreal responded with a powerful header from Santiago Mouriño, but Dortmund soon regained the initiative. Serhou Guirassy scored twice, first after a flowing move started by Jobe Bellingham and then from the penalty spot.
The closing stages brought renewed uncertainty when Nicolas Pépé's free kick, aided by a deflection, ended up in Dortmund's net. UEFA described the goal as a situation in which the ball, after the strike and several touches, finished behind Gregor Kobel, giving Villarreal an opportunity for one final push. The hosts nevertheless held on and kept all three points. Guirassy was named Player of the Match, while Dortmund continued a very strong run at home in the Champions League: UEFA states that they have lost only two of their last 24 home matches in the competition.
Dortmund's victory also had a worrying backdrop because of a health problem suffered by young Konstantinos Karetsas, who had to leave the pitch during the match. According to the information available at the time and reported by European media, the player was taken for further examinations after suffering circulation problems, while the club stated that his condition was stable under the circumstances. As more detailed findings had not been released immediately after the match, there was no official confirmation of the nature of the problem or the possible recovery period.
Aston Villa withstand Club Brugge's surge
The first goal of the 2026/27 league phase was scored by John McGinn for Aston Villa in the 11th minute of their away match against Club Brugge. UEFA particularly highlighted that the Scottish midfielder thereby became the first goalscorer of the new Champions League season, with his goal opening a very lively match. Brugge equalised eight minutes later through Hugo Vetlesen, but Villa quickly restored their lead thanks to Emiliano Buendía. Near the end of the first half, Nicolas Jackson scored his first goal for Aston Villa to make it 3:1.
The Belgian champions did not give up. Nicolò Tresoldi converted a penalty in the 61st minute to reduce the deficit to 3:2 and later also hit the post, forcing the visitors to defend their narrow lead until the end. UEFA also states that home defender Joaquin Seys saved his team at one point by clearing the ball off the goal line following an attempt from Lamare Bogarde. Villa nevertheless survived the late pressure and took three points, while McGinn received the Player of the Match award.
The victory in Belgium carries additional significance because Villa and Brugge have become well acquainted during recent European seasons. Ahead of the match, UEFA recalled that the clubs met three times in the 2024/25 Champions League, including two round-of-16 matches. The new encounter was again closely contested and showed that the gap between the teams is small when the rhythm of the match becomes open. For Villa, it is particularly important that in such a scenario they found a way to preserve their lead away from home.
Betis return to the Champions League with victory in Lille
Real Betis marked their return to the Champions League after 21 years with a 3:2 victory against Lille. The French side led twice in the first half: Ayase Ueda and Alexsandro scored with headers, while Marc Bartra equalised for the first time between their two goals. After the break, Bartra again found the net with a header to make it 2:2, before Troy Parrott struck into the bottom corner to complete the visitors' comeback. UEFA named Bartra Player of the Match after his two goals from defence.
Lille made their situation even more difficult in the closing stages after Ethan Mbappé received a red card. With an extra player, Betis preserved their 3:2 advantage and therefore immediately collected three away points in their first appearance in Europe's elite competition in more than two decades. The result is particularly important because, under a system of eight matches, every away victory reduces the pressure in the later rounds. Lille, despite scoring twice and leading twice, were left without points because of defensive problems and weaker control of the match after the break.
For Betis, the start in Lille also demonstrated the value of experience. Bartra assumed the role of an unexpected goalscorer with two goals, while the team remained composed enough to recover from a deficit twice. Matches like these often create important psychological capital during a long league phase, especially for clubs that do not enter the competition with the same status as favourites enjoyed by Europe's biggest teams.
Marin's free kick gives AEK a historic evening
AEK Athens opened their campaign with a 1:0 victory over LASK, with the only goal scored by Răzvan Marin from a free kick midway through the first half. UEFA described his goal as an excellent strike that gave the Greek club their first victory in the main stage of the Champions League in 20 years. Marin was named Player of the Match, while AEK immediately collected three points in front of their home supporters after returning to Europe's elite.
LASK, making their debut in the Champions League league phase, were more dangerous in the second half and attempted to repeat the type of comeback that had secured their progress through qualifying. Their best opportunity fell to Sasa Kalajdžić, but his late header went over the goal. AEK goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli kept a clean sheet and allowed the home side to secure a narrow but extremely valuable victory. In a competition where one win can significantly change a team's position in the overall standings, AEK made an ideal start.
The opening round lasts three days, while the league phase ends in January
The opening on 8 September represented only the first third of the opening round. UEFA scheduled the first round over three days, from 8 to 10 September, with a total of 18 matches. On Wednesday, 9 September, the fixtures are Barcelona – Feyenoord, Stuttgart – Viking, Liverpool – Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain – Slovan Bratislava, Sporting CP – Galatasaray and Napoli – Arsenal. A day later come Fenerbahçe – Roma, PSV – Shakhtar Donetsk, Como – Leipzig, Bayern München – Bodø/Glimt, Manchester United – Sabah and Slavia Prague – Lens.
This season's league phase runs until 27 January 2027, when the final 18 matches will be played simultaneously. UEFA has scheduled a total of 144 matches in the 2026/27 league phase, with 18 in each of the eight rounds. Once the table is complete, the knockout play-offs follow in February, the round of 16 in March, the quarter-finals in April and the semi-finals in late April and early May. The final is scheduled for 5 June 2027 at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.
The opening evening already showed several patterns that could shape the beginning of the season: the favourites largely lived up to their status, but almost no victory came without resistance. Real had to defend a narrow lead against Inter, Dortmund and Betis came through five-goal matches, Aston Villa survived strong late pressure in Bruges, while City only broke Porto down after the interval. The only match featuring a single goal was AEK against LASK. The six winners therefore collected their first points in a race in which the final standings will be built across eight different opponents, with very little room for extended runs of poor results.
Sources:
- UEFA – official review of all matches from the opening evening, goalscorers, key events and Players of the Match (link)
- UEFA – official schedule and results of the 2026/27 Champions League league phase (link)
- UEFA – explanation of the 36-club league-phase system, eight matches per team and the criteria for progression to the knockout phase (link)
- UEFA – 2026/27 season calendar and information about the concluding stages of the competition and the final in Madrid (link)
- ZDF – report on Konstantinos Karetsas's health problem during the Borussia Dortmund – Villarreal match and information about his transfer for hospital examinations (link)
- The Guardian – report from the Club Brugge – Aston Villa match and additional context on the closing stages (link)