Champions League Kicks Off With 18 Match Day One Clashes -

The UEFA Champions League roars back to life on Tuesday (tomorrow), and with it comes the drama, nostalgia, and spectacle that only Europe’s premier club competition can deliver.

The expanded league phase means every fixture carries weight, and every debutant or veteran has something to prove.

Over the next three nights, the floodlights will shine on 18 encounters that stretch from the Basque Country to Manchester, from debutant dreams to heavyweight clashes between former champions.

This season’s curtain-raiser is no ordinary opening.

Three fixtures alone revive finals of the past — Juventus vs Dortmund recalls the 1997 showpiece, Ajax vs Inter brings echoes of the 1972 decider, while Bayern vs Chelsea reopens the wounds and memories of that unforgettable 2012 night in Munich.

Add in historic milestones in reach — Real Madrid chasing their 200th Champions League win, Erling Haaland hunting his 50th goal, and debut campaigns for Union Saint-Gilloise, Pafos, Bodø/Glimt, and Kairat Almaty — and Matchday 1 already looks loaded with storylines.

For the giants, it is about asserting dominance early .

Clubs like Bayern, Liverpool, and Real Madrid have made a habit of stamping their authority on Matchday 1 and building campaigns on fast starts.

READ ALSO: Spain Unleash Squad for 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

For the newcomers, it is about writing themselves into the history books, sometimes with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Meanwhile, others — like Marseille, Sporting CP, and Galatasaray — are fighting to change the narrative of long European struggles.

Every fixture brings its own subplot, from returning heroes like Kevin De Bruyne back at Manchester in Napoli colors, to personal streaks like Kylian Mbappé’s tendency to strike on opening night, or Mohamed Salah’s scoring streaks in the group phase. With records waiting to be broken and reputations to be made or shattered, Matchday 1 promises to set the tone for the road ahead.

Here is a Preview of All Champions League Games:

The lights are on, the anthem is ready, and Europe’s 36 contenders are primed for liftoff. Three nights, 18 battles, and storylines soaked in history, droughts, streaks, and revenge. Let’s go game by game, PUNCH Online reports from the key stats obtained on Monday from the UCL website.

Tuesday, 16 September
Athletic Club vs Arsenal (18:45 CET)
Athletic return to the Champions League for the first time since 2014/15. At San Mamés, they’re fierce: 14 wins in their last 18 European home games.

Arsenal? They’re a different beast on Matchday 1 — unbeaten in eight straight openers (W6 D2) and only two defeats in their last 22 group games.

Spain beware: The Gunners have five straight wins over Spanish opponents.

Expect a clash of fortress vs consistency.

PSV Eindhoven vs Union Saint-Gilloise (18:45 CET)
PSV are relentless at home: unbeaten in 11 straight European group matches and scoring in 16 consecutive games in Eindhoven.

Ivan Perišić is a quiet weapon — 3 goals in 4 UCL games for PSV.

Union SG make their Champions League debut, but they’ve already beaten Dutch teams away (Ajax & Twente) in last season’s Europa League.

A debut dream vs a Dutch scoring streak.

Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund
A throwback to 1997: Dortmund beat Juve 3-1 in the final. But history leans Juve — six wins in nine vs Dortmund and never a home defeat on Matchday 1.

New Bianconeri star Jonathan David has 10 UCL goals in 18 games.

Dortmund’s road form in Italy is grim: 1 win in last 7 trips. Still, they usually fly out the gates — three Matchday 1 wins in last four years.

Serhou Guirassy? Nine goals in eight UCL games last season.

A heavyweight rematch, with firepower all around.

Real Madrid vs Marseille
Madrid are chasing milestones: 200th win and 700th goal in the UCL.

Los Blancos own Marseille: 4 wins out of 4 and just one home loss vs French sides in history.

Mbappé has a habit — scoring on Matchday 1 for three straight seasons.