“The Champions League returned with early drama and strong statements from big teams.”
The new Champions League season opened with fast-paced action and early surprises. PSG made a strong statement with a 4–0 win over Atalanta, showing they are ready to defend their title. Liverpool also delivered late drama, beating Atlético Madrid 3–2 thanks to a stoppage-time header from Virgil van Dijk.
Manchester City looked comfortable in a 2–0 win over Napoli, with Erling Haaland reaching 50 Champions League goals in record time. Inter, Tottenham, and Arsenal also started the campaign with confident performances, keeping early momentum on their side.
One of the biggest shocks came from Qarabağ, who fought back from 0–2 to beat Benfica 3–2 in Lisbon. Union Saint-Gilloise added another surprise by winning 3–1 in their Champions League debut, showing no fear on Europe’s biggest stage.
The first round showed strong starts from the favourites, but early upsets proved this season could be more unpredictable than ever, with every match carrying extra weight under the new format.