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Champions League 2025/26: Key Matchday One Fixtures You Can’t Miss

The UEFA Champions League is well and truly back ladies and gentlemen. Matchday one presents a conveyor belt of thrilling fixtures between European greats, guaranteeing goals and drama. After closer examination, the 18 matches played over the next three days include some intense crunch affairs. Football Park reveals the games you should be tracking that promise unmissable action.

Tuesday ✅
Wednesday ✅
Thursday ✅

The Champions League is back 🙌#UCL pic.twitter.com/GR1GIJ45en
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 15, 2025

Juventus vs Dortmund

Arguably the best fixture on offer amongst today's line-ups, this pair played in front of 81,000+ in a pre-season friendly, and undoubtedly will see a packed out ground once again just over a month later.

It has been six seasons since Juventus last advanced past the UCL round of 16, highlighting just how far the Old Lady has fallen (hopefully her injuries aren’t too life-threatening) since their two runners-up performances in 2015 and 2017.

Dortmund, on the other hand, have enjoyed some of their best memories in Europe in the last couple of campaigns. This includes their 3-1 win over Barcelona in last year's UCL quarter finals, as well as that set of semi-final legs against PSG in 2023/24.

This most enticing factor in this fixture is how unpredictable it is; both sides have started their league campaigns unbeaten after three fixtures, conceding a meagre three goals each. A stacked list of attacking stand-outs will also be on display tonight, as Dusan Vlahovic, Kenan Yildiz, Lois Openda, and Jonathan David will have a part to play in Juve’s insane forward line.

This will also (potentially) be Jobe Bellingham’s Champions League debut, so all eyes will be on the young Englishman at the centre of Dortmund’s midfield.

⚫️⚪️ 3 games, 3 wins for Juventus so far this season...

✅ 2-0 win vs Parma
✅ 1-0 win vs Genoa
✅ 4-3 win vs Inter

Igor Tudor's side will play Borussia Dortmund next in the UCL. pic.twitter.com/VATThQpxwG
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) September 15, 2025

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid

Many football fans' last memories before COVID-19 struck were Atletico Madrid knocking out the soon-to-be English Champions thanks to a 121st-minute winner from Alvaro Morata. This fixture promises to be equally gripping as that night at Anfield.

Liverpool speed-ran the UCL league phase last year, winning seven straight games to kick off the new format. Their season took an unfortunate turn when they were drawn against a PSG side who were only getting out of first gear in the round of 16. Returning with a stronger squad than ever, Liverpool will want to make things right this time around, and that journey begins tomorrow.

Diego Simeone will be cautiously approaching this tie with the knowledge that he will be without Julian Alvarez. The Argentine's injury is followed by a list of starters expected to be missing, including Johnny Cardoso, Thiago Almada, Alex Baena, and Jose Gimenez. Without these key players, this game will go one of two ways. A classic Simeone shut-out display, or a routine Anfield thumping.

Álvaro Morata seals a 3-2 win for Atlético at Anfield, #OTD in 2020 ⚽️@atletienglish | #UCL pic.twitter.com/km7uhAdSZ9
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 11, 2022

Bayern Munich vs Chelsea

The game of the week simply has to be the 2012 Champions League Final rematch. Enzo Maresca’s managerial debut in the competition will be a telling test of just how efficient this super squad that Chelsea have built is, upon their return to the heights of Europe after a two-year absence.

Bayern’s squad is relatively unchanged since last year, but Luis Diaz, Nicolas Jackson, and Jonathan Tah will all have a chance to make their UCL debuts for the German side tomorrow. The constant supply of goals that is Harry Kane will be looking to add to his tally of eight strikes against the Blues as well.

Between both Chelsea and Bayern, 23 league goals have been scored in seven games this season, averaging out at 3.2 goals per game, and that's without factoring in the goals scored by the opposition!

Harry Kane has now produced 93 goals + 29 assists in 101 games for Bayern Munich while winning 2 collective trophies + 1 Golden Boot.

One of their BEST signings in CLUB HISTORY! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌟 pic.twitter.com/d3X9ITIT7h
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) September 15, 2025

Newcastle vs Barcelona

The Toon were handed a group of death two years ago, and despite competing, ultimately missed out on qualification to the latter rounds. Newcastle’s struggles in the summer transfer window were no secret, and neither has their underwhelming start to the Premier League season.

Barca have the youngest average squad age in La Liga and almost a full team's worth of Spanish internationals. It speaks volumes that the most senior figure who started last weekend’s clash with Valencia was Marcus Rashford.

The reigning La Liga champions have continued to play enthralling football under Xavi, and after reaching the UCL final four for the first time in six years last season, will want to take the next step in 2025/26.

Hosting Barcelona on Thursday night is the exact morale boost everyone involved with Newcastle United needs, especially if they win. A fixture for the romantics, seeing what was previously a sleeping giant return to the greatest stage to compete in fixtures like this is why we all adore football.

❗️Marcus Rashford vs Newcastle in his career so far: 5 goals, 3 assists.

Up Next: Newcastle vs Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/gj956q0IB0
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) September 16, 2025

Manchester City vs Napoli

Kevin de Bruyne could’ve never guessed that he would be returning to the Etihad only a couple of months after he departed Manchester City. Napoli is a current favourite for ex-Manchester-based players, as Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund are also expected to line up in this all-Sky Blue affair on Thursday.

City must feel like a curse has been brought upon them since they won their first ever Champions League in 2023, as in the two years since they have failed to reach the final four. In contrast, the three years leading up to the club’s debut success saw the Citizens reach at least the semi finals, if not the final every time. Some fall off.

Napoli present themselves as tough opponents, even away from home. The Azzurri have let in one goal this Serie A season and boast one of the best central midield rosters in the world when you factor in Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Anguissa, and of course Billy Gilmour.

Do not be surprised if this match ends up being low-scoring, however, due to the possibility that Hojlund or De Bruyne might hilariously score in this game, its worth tuning in to.