The UEFA Champions League rolls into matchweek two with nine high-stakes clashes set for Tuesday night, as Europe’s elite look to build momentum in the group stages.
With early leaders aiming to consolidate their positions and others desperate to bounce back from opening defeats.
Kairat v Real Madrid
Kairat’s game against Real Madrid will be the just the second fixture played between sides from Kazakhstan and Spain in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League, after Astana’s meetings with Atlético Madrid in the 2015-16 group stage (lost 0-4 away in Madrid, drew 0-0 at home).
Real Madrid have only lost three of the last 30 instances when facing a team for the first time in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League (W24 D3), suffering defeats against Lille in 2024 (0-1), Sheriff Tiraspol in 2021 (1-2) and Wolfsburg in 2016 (0-2).
This will be just Kairat’s fourth home match in major European competition, while they are still looking for their first victory (previously D1 L2 in the Uefa Conference League in 2021-22).
Real Madrid have beaten 111 different opponents in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League, more than any other team. The only teams they have faced across the two competitions and not managed to win – of the 114 that they have played against overall – are Arsenal (4 times), AEK Athens (2) and Lille (1).
Real Madrid have lost both of their last two away games in the Uefa Champions League (0-1 v Atlético Madrid and 0-3 v Arsenal), while they haven’t lost three in a row since March/May 2001 (v Anderlecht, Galatasaray and Bayern Munich).
In their seven away matches in the Uefa Champions League last season, Real Madrid failed to score (4) on more occasions than they did find the net (3). Indeed, this was the most away matches the Spanish side have failed to score in during a single European Cup/Uefa Champions League campaign (4).
Kairat had 30 fewer touches in the opposition penalty area than their opponents on MD1 (12 for, 42 against in their 1-4 defeat v Sporting CP), while Real Madrid were the team who had the most in any match in the opening round of this season’s Uefa Champions League (51 v Marseille).
In their 2-1 win over Marseille on MD1, Real Madrid’s start distance – the average distance from their own goal that a team initiates their open-play sequences – was 53.4 metres. This was the highest up the pitch in a single Uefa Champions League game for them since October 2020 versus Shakhtar Donetesk (57.2).
Kylian Mbappé has scored seven goals in eight Uefa Champions League appearances for Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, averaging one every 96 minutes played. However, he’s netted just two goals in seven outings away from home, averaging one every 274 minutes on the road.
Against Marseille last time out in the Uefa Champions League, Aurélien Tchouaméni completed the most passes of any Real Madrid player (51) and made the joint most line-breaking passes (14, level with Dean Huijsen). Meanwhile, his five interceptions were as many as every other Real Madrid player in the game combined (5).
Atalanta v Club Brugge
This will be the second consecutive campaign in which Atalanta and Club Brugge will face each other, with the Belgian sided winning both meetings in the 2024-25 Uefa Champions League play-off round (5-2 on aggregate).
Atalanta only lost three of their 10 matches in the Uefa Champions League last season (W4 D3), while two of those three were inflicted by Club Brugge (the other by Real Madrid). The Italians lost more games in the play-off round (2) than they did across eight games in the league phase (W4 D3 L1).
Club Brugge’s victories over Atalanta last season ended a run of 15 consecutive games against Italian sides in major European competition without winning (D6 L9), spanning between November 2003 and January 2025.
Atalanta have lost each of their last three games in the Uefa Champions League; their joint-longest losing streak in the competition, with the previous instance coming in their first three matches in September/October 2019.
Club Brugge have only lost one of their last five matches in the league phase of the Uefa Champions League (W2 D2), with that lone defeat coming away to Manchester City (1-3 in January). The Belgians won 4-1 in their MD1 opener this term (v Monaco), where only Real Madrid (28) had more shots than them (26) across all fixtures played in the opening round.
Since keeping four consecutive clean sheets to begin the 2024-25 Uefa Champions League campaign, Atalanta have only kept one in their last seven matches (15 goals conceded). They faced 13 shots on target in their defeat to Paris SG on MD1 this season (0-4 defeat); their most in a single game in the competition to date.
Club Brugge were the team with the most direct attacks (7) on MD1 of the current Uefa Champions League campaign. Indeed, only fellow Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise (2.31 metres per second) had a higher direct speed average in attack than Brugge (2.3) in the opening round (via open play sequences).
Hans Vanaken scored and assisted in Club Brugge’s win against Monaco last time out in the Uefa Champions League (4-1), and has now been directly involved in 14 goals for the club in the competition (11 goals, three assists); at least twice as many as any other Brugge player.
Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere could become the first player to both score for and against Club Brugge in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League. De Ketelaere remains the youngest Belgian player to score for Brugge across the two competitions (19y 224d v Zenit St Petersburg in October 2020).
Against Paris SG on MD1 of the new Uefa Champions League season, Raoul Bellanova created more chances (3) and made more line-breaking passes (8) than any other Atalanta player.
Marseille v Ajax
Marseille lost their first three meetings with Ajax in European competition, but have since gone unbeaten across the last five (W3 D2), most recently beating them in November 2023 (4-3 in the Uefa Europa League).
Marseille and Ajax were drawn together in the group stage of a major European competition as recently as 2023-24, in the Uefa Europa League. Their two meetings that season produced a total of 13 goals (7 Marseille, 6 Ajax), 64 shots, and 33 shots on target – all of which were the most in any fixture in this group stage.
Marseille have only lost one of their last eight home matches against Dutch sides in European competition (W5 D2), with that lone defeat coming against FC Twente in the Uefa Cup in 2008-09 (0-1), and going unbeaten in four since then (W3 D1).
Across the eight meetings between Marseille and Ajax in European competition, there have been a total of 34 goals scored (15 Marseille, 19 Ajax), at an average of 4.25 per game. Indeed, both teams have scored in all but one of their eight clashes to date, with the only exception being a 3-0 win for Ajax in the Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal first leg in 1987-88.
Following defeat to Real Madrid last time out, Marseille have now lost 19 of their last 22 games in the Uefa Champions League (W3), while only keeping one clean sheet across those 22 outings (2-0 v Sporting CP in October 2022).
Since winning six consecutive Uefa Champions League matches under Erik ten Hag between September and December 2021, Ajax have only won two of their last nine games in the competition, losing six of those (D1). They last lost their opening two games in a single edition in 2012-13 (v Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid).
Marseille faced 28 shots and 15 on target in their defeat to Real Madrid on MD1; both of which are the most they’ve faced in a Uefa Champions League match on record (since 2003-04). Indeed, they only conceded five more shots on target in the entirety of the group stage in their previous Champions League campaign (20 in six games in 2022-23).
Marseille goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli made 13 saves in their previous Uefa Champions League game, away to Real Madrid in their tournament opener. This was the most by any goalkeeper across this season’s opening matchday, while only Nikita Haikin (2.2) prevented more goals than Rulli (1.7), based on the xG of shots on target faced (two conceded from 3.7 xGoT).
In Marseille’s loss at Real Madrid on MD1, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg led all starters for Roberto De Zerbi’s side for completed passes (82), line-breaking passes (14) and pass accuracy (96.5 per cent - 82/85), as well as creating the most chances for his team (4).
Since the start of last season, Ajax’s Oscar Gloukh (3.2) is one of only five players who have averaged 3+ completed dribbles per 90 in the Uefa Champions League (min. 500 minutes played), along with Lamine Yamal, Rafael Leão, Francisco Conceição and Kenan Yildiz.
Inter Milan v Slavia Prague
This will be the third meeting between Internazionale and Slavia Prague in European competition, with the previous two also coming in the Uefa Champions League in the 2019-20 group stage – Inter drew 1-1 at home, before winning 3-1 in the reverse fixture on the road.
Slavia Prague have never won away to an Italian side in major European competition, losing seven of their eight attempts to date (D1). The one game they did manage to avoid defeat in, however, came against Internazionale in September 2019 (1-1).
Internazionale have won their last four games against sides from Czecha in the Uefa Champions League by an aggregate score of 10-1 (all since the 2019-20 edition), while keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three.
Slavia Prague have lost their last three away matches in European competition without scoring – all in the league phase of the Uefa Europa League last term. They last suffered four consecutive away defeats in major European competition in October 2007 (a run of five).
After beating Ajax on the road last time out in the competition, Cristian Chivu could become just the fourth Internazionale boss to win his first two Uefa Champions League matches in charge, after Luciano Spalletti (2018-19), Claudio Ranieri (2011-12) and Roberto Mancini (2004-05).
Slavia Prague had 26 shots and 11 shots on target against Bodø/Glimt in their Uefa Champions League opener, both of which are their most in a single game in the competition. Meanwhile, their 3.98 xG total was the highest of any team on MD1 of the current campaign.
One of Lautaro Martínez’s two braces for Internazionale in the Uefa Champions League came against Slavia Prague in November 2019 (the other being a hat-trick v Monaco in January 2025). The Argentinean opened the scoring in that game, before adding the third in an eventual 3-1 win at the Fortuna Arena.
Lukás Provod created six chances from open play on MD1 against Bodø/Glimt; the most ever by a Slavia Prague player in a Uefa Champions League match. Indeed, both of their goals in the 2-2 draw were assisted by Provod, which was also the first time a Slavia player has assisted multiple goals in a Champions League game.
Hakan Çalhanoglu assisted Marcus Thuram for both of Internazionale’s goals in their 2-0 win over Ajax, with this just the second time a player has assisted a teammate twice in a Uefa Champions League game for the Italian side (also Romelu Lukaku for Lautaro Martínez v Slavia Prague in November 2019).
Alessandro Bastoni made 19 line-breaking passes in Internazionale’s win over Ajax on MD1; more than any Inter player made in a single game in the whole of the 2024-25 edition, when they finished as runners-up.
Chelsea v Benfica
Chelsea have won all four of their competitive meetings with Benfica (9-3 aggregate scoreline), with the most recent of those coming earlier this year at the Fifa Club World Cup (4-1 in a last 16 match).
This will be the first meeting between Chelsea and Benfica in the group/league phase of a competition, with the previous four all having come in the knockout stages: Uefa Champions League quarterfinals in 2011-12, Uefa Europa League final in 2012-13 and the Fifa Club World Cup last 16 earlier this year (all won by Chelsea).
Benfica are winless in their last eight meetings with English teams (D3 L5), with their last such victory coming over a decade ago, against Tottenham in the Uefa Europa League (3-1 in the last 16 first leg). Meanwhile, they haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last 18 games against English sides (since a 2-0 win v Everton in November 2009, also in the Uefa Europa League).
Benfica manager José Mourinho has only won four of his 14 matches against Chelsea across all competitions (D3 L7), while none of those victories have come in the seven most recent games (D3 L4), last beating them in February 2018 (Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea in the Premier League).
Chelsea are currently on their longest ever losing streak in the Uefa Champions League (three games). However, they haven’t lost a home game in the group/league phase of the competition since September 2019 (0-1 v Valencia), going unbeaten in each of the last 11 since then (W7 D4).
José Mourinho won his first ever game as a visiting manager at Stamford Bridge, with his Internazionale side beating Chelsea 1-0 in March 2010 in the Uefa Champions League. Since then, Benfica boss Mourinho has failed to win in each of his six away games against the Blues across all competitions (D2 L4).
There have been four instances in 2025 of a team losing a Uefa Champions League match in which they had led by 2+ goals, with half of those being accounted for by Benfica (2/4): 4-5 v Barcelona in January and 2-3 v Qarabag in their opening game of the current edition.
Cole Palmer scored Chelsea’s only goal against Bayern Munich last time out in the Uefa Champions League, while making the most passes breaking the opposition’s defensive line (3) of any player on either team. Palmer could become just the third player to score in his first two Champions League games for the Blues, after Didier Drogba in 2004-05 and Michy Batshuayi in 2017-18.
Along with scoring Benfica’s opener against Qarabag on MD1, Enzo Barrenechea was one of only two players who made 10+ line-breaking passes (11) and won possession 10+ times (10) in the opening round of this season’s Uefa Champions League, along with Monaco’s Lamine Camara.
João Pedro didn’t attempt a shot against Bayern Munich on his Uefa Champions League debut – however, he did lead all players across both teams for duels won (10), completed dribbles (3) and fouls won (4) at the Allianz Arena.
Galatasaray v Liverpool
Galatasaray and Liverpool will meet for a fifth time in European competition, with both sides managing one victory apiece across the previous four (D2). This will be their first game against each other since a 3-2 win for Galatasaray in the Uefa Champions League in December 2006.
Liverpool are winless in their previous two away trips to face Galatasaray, 1-1 in February 2002 and losing 3-2 in December 2006. The only teams they’ve faced away from home more often in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League without winning are Chelsea (5 – D3 L2) and Napoli (3 – L3).
Galatasaray are unbeaten in their last three games against English opponents in European competition (W2 D1), with wins over Manchester United (3-2) and Tottenham (3-2) in the Uefa Europa League in the last two campaigns. This is as many victories as they managed in the previous 12 combined (W2 D5 L5).
Liverpool have won 13 of their last 14 matches in the group/league phase of the Uefa Champions League (L1), while the last team to keep a clean sheet against the Reds in a non-knockout stage game in the competition was Atalanta in November 2020 (scored 56 goals in 23 such matches since then).
Galatasaray have only won one of their last 18 games in the Uefa Champions League (D5 L12), while they lost their opening game in the competition this season by four goals (1-5 v Eintracht Frankfurt). They haven’t lost their first two games in a Uefa Champions League campaign since 2012-13.
Galatasaray are currently on their longest ever winless run at home in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League (eight games – D4 L4), with their last victory coming against Lokomotiv Moscow in September 2018 (3-0).
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is now just two goals away from becoming the 11th player to score 50+ goals in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League (currently on 48), as well as the only African player to do so.
Florian Wirtz created a game-high five chances in his first Uefa Champions League game for Liverpool (v Atlético Madrid), all of which came from open play. Indeed, since the start of last season, Wirtz’s average of 3.2 chances created from open play per 90 in the competition is the highest of any player (min. 500 minutes played).
Ilkay Gündogan created four chances in his first Uefa Champions League outing for Galatasaray (v Eintracht Frankfurt); the joint-most by a player making their debut for the Turkish side in the competition on record (since 2003-04), along with Jean Seri in 2019-20 and Lionel Carole in 2015-16.
Along with scoring Liverpool’s winning goal against Atlético Madrid on MD1, no Liverpool player completed more passes (85), made more line-breaking passes (18), won more duels (7) or aerial duels (6) in the match than defender Virgil Van Dijk.
Pafos v Bayern Munich
This will be the 50th game between Cypriot and German teams in major European competition, while only on one previous occasion has a Cypriot side won (D8 L40): Apoel Nicosia 2-1 Berliner FC Dynamo in the European Cup first round in October 1980.
Bayern Munich have won all six of their previous game against Cypriot sides in European competition, scoring 31 goals and only conceding twice across the six matches. The most recent of those, however, came back in October 1990 in a 4-0 win over Apoel Nicosia in the European Cup.
Bayern Munich have won 14 of their last 15 games when facing a side in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League for the first time (D1), with BATE Borisov in October 2012 the last team to beat Bayern in their first meeting (3-1).
Bayern Munich lost three of their four away games in the league phase of the Uefa Champions League last season (W1), losing against Aston Villa, Barcelona and Feyenoord. Prior to last term, they had gone 20 consecutive matches without suffering a defeat in the group/league phase of the competition (W18 D2).
Pafos earned a 0-0 draw at Olympiakos on MD1, despite playing over an hour of the match with 10 men (Bruno Felipe sent off in 25th minute). The Cypriot averaged just 27 per cent possession from the 26th minute onwards, but conceded just three attempts on target in that time (from 18 total shots faced during the whole game).
Of teams to have participated in the last two editions of the Uefa Champions League, Bayern Munich have the lowest PPDA average (opp. passes per defensive action) of any side in the competition (8.6). Similarly, they have also made the most high turnovers since the start of the previous edition (185).
Pafos were the only team who didn’t record at least one 10+ pass sequence in open play on MD1 of the current Uefa Champions League season, while only Newcastle’s open play sequences (5.22 seconds) were shorter than those of the Cypriot side (5.27 seconds) in the opening round.
While Pafos had the lowest pass completion rate of any team on MD1 of this season’s Uefa Champions League (66.9 per cent), Bayern Munich (90.3 per cent) were one of only three teams to complete at least 90 per cent of their passes, along with Manchester City (92.3 per cent) and Paris SG (91.6 per cent).
Following his brace against Chelsea on MD1, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane now has the most combined goals and assists of any Englishman in the Uefa Champions League (53 – 42 goals, 11 assists), overtaking David Beckham (52 – 16 goals, 36 assists).
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich leads all players in the Uefa Champions League for line-breaking passes (226) since the start of last season, while only two players have made more passes breaking the opposition’s defensive line (24) in this period – one of which is his teammate Michael Olise (27 – along with Ousmane Dembélé, 32).
Bodø/Glimt v Tottenham Hotspur
The only previous meetings between Bodø/Glimt and Tottenham came in May of this year, with the English side winning home (3-1) and away (2-0) in the Uefa Europa League semifinals, before going on to lift the trophy (1-0 v Manchester United in the final).
Bodø/Glimt have lost 100 per cent of their games against English sides in major European competition (5/5); their worst losing record against sides from a single nation. All of those defeats have come in the Uefa Europa League since the 2022-23 campaign.
Tottenham’s 2-0 win away to Bodø/Glimt in May ended a five-game winning streak at home for the Norwegian side in Europe. They haven’t lost back-to-back home games in European competition since November 2022, with the first of those two defeats also coming against a side from North London (0-1 v Arsenal in the Uefa Europa League).
Tottenham have won three of their last four away games in major European competition (L1), including the last two. The last time they won three in a row away from home was in November 2013 (3), all of which were 2-0 wins in the Uefa Europa League.
Bodø/Glimt came from two goals down to avoid defeat against Slavia Prague in their very first Uefa Champions League match, the first time they’ve ever recovered a two-goal deficit in a major European game. They were the first Norwegian side to come back from two goals down in a Uefa Champions League match since Molde won 3-2 against Olympiakos in 1999.
Thomas Frank could become the first Tottenham manager to win his first two Uefa Champions League games in charge, with none of the previous four managing to do so (W1 D1 Harry Redknapp, W1 L1 Mauricio Pochettino, W1 L1 José Mourinho and W1 L1 Antonio Conte).
Bodø/Glimt faced 26 shots on MD1 against Slavia Prague, meaning they’ve faced 20+ shots in four of their last six major European matches, though all of these have been in away games (27.5 per game on average). In comparison, in their last four home European games they’ve faced 42 shots (10.5 on average).
Mohammed Kudus made eight dribbles on his Uefa Champions League debut for Tottenham against Villarreal, the most by a Spurs player in a game in the competition since March 2020 (Giovani Lo Celso with 11 and Erik Lamela with 8 v RB Leipzig). Only PSV’s Sergiño Dest (17) and Sporting’s Trincão (10) made more dribbles on MD1 this season.
Spurs benefitted from Luiz Júnior’s own goal for Villarreal in their 1-0 victory on MD1, the first time they’ve ever won a major European match 1-0 thanks to an own goal. It was also the second earliest match-winning own goal in a Uefa Champions League match.
Excluding own goals, five of Bodø/Glimt’s last 11 major European goals have been scored by substitutes. Sondre Fet and Daniel Bassi scored as a sub in the 2-2 draw against Slavia Prague, with Bodø/Glimt the first side to have two subs score in their first ever match in the Uefa Champions League.
Atlético Madrid v Eintracht Frankfurt
This will be the third meeting between Atlético Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt in European competition, with the previous two coming in the last 16 of the 1975-76 Cup Winners’ Cup, and both won by the German side (2-1 away and 1-0 at home).
The last German side to win away to Atlético Madrid in major European competition was Borussia Dortmund in October 1996 (1-0 in the Uefa Champions League). Since then, Atlético are unbeaten in 14 such matches, winning 10 of them (D4).
Atlético Madrid have won their last two games against German sides in the Uefa Champions League, beating both RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen in the league phase last season (both 2-1). They last won three in a row against German sides in major European competition in December 1999 (3 – one win v Borussia Dortmund and two v Wolfsburg).
Eintracht Frankfurt enjoyed their biggest win in the European Cup/Uefa Champions League since beating Rangers 6-1 in April 1960 when they hammered Galatasaray 5-1 on MD1 this season. They last won their first two major European matches in a season in 2018-19 in the Europa League, eventually reaching the semifinals.
Atlético Madrid have won nine of their last 10 home matches in the Uefa Champions League (L1). Since the start of the 2023-24 season, they have the highest home win per centage in the competition (90 per cent - min. two home matches played).
The average age of Eintracht Frankfurt’s starting XI in their MD1 win over Galatasaray was 24 years and 154 days; the youngest of any team in the opening matchday of this season’s Uefa Champions League.
Atlético Madrid lost 3-2 to Liverpool on MD1 but have never previously started a Uefa Champions League campaign with consecutive defeats. In all major European competition, they haven’t done so since 1984-85, losing both legs of their Uefa Cup first round tie with FC Sion and going out.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun became the second youngest Türkiye player to score on his Uefa Champions League debut, netting against Galatasaray on MD1 aged 19 years and 311 days. The five previous teenagers to score in their first two appearances are Rafael van der Vaart (2002), Karim Benzema (2005-06), Alan Dzagoev (2009), Marquinhos (2013) and Erling Haaland (2019).
Since the start of last season, no Atlético player has been involved in more Uefa Champions League goals than Marcos Llorente (4 goals, 4 assists), although Llorente is goalless in his last 17 home games in the competition since scoring against RB Salzburg back in October 2020.
Jonathan Burkardt scored and assisted on his major European debut for Eintracht Frankfurt in their 5-1 win over Galatasaray. Eight players have scored in their first two games in Europe for Frankfurt, with Luka Jovic (2018) and Omar Marmoush (2023) the two to do so this century. (Supersport)
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