10 things to look out for in Champions League gameweek 1
With 18 games across three days, there will be something for everyone in the first round of Champions League fixtures this season.
The new format kicks off with a handful of huge ties, including AC Milan vs Liverpool and Manchester City vs Inter, as the road to Munich begins for 36 European hopefuls.
Here are ten things to watch out for in gameweek one.
1. Thiago Motta’s first test on global stage
Motta joined Juventus this summer / Gabriele Maltinti/GettyImages
Juventus ushered in the era of manager Thiago Motta this summer, having been dazzled by his exploits with Bologna.
He may have overachieved with Bologna, but expectations in Turin are different, and Tuesday’s clash with a PSV Eindhoven side who have scored 20 goals in their first five games of the campaign will prove to be a major test for Motta and Juventus.
Juve come into the game on a run of two straight draws but fans will demand a return to winning ways.
2. Viktor Gyokeres vs Jonathan David
Two in-demand forwards / Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images | Visionhaus/Getty Images
If your team is looking to sign a new striker, chances are you’re very familiar with the names Viktor Gyokeres and Jonathan David.
The pair will butt heads when Sporting CP host Lille, battling to prove who should be the top transfer target for Europe’s elite sides.
Gyokeres already has eight goals to his name this season, while David, who is in the final 12 months of his Lille contract, netted twice in qualification as his side saw off Fenerbahce and Slavia Prague.
3. Erling Haaland eyes Cristiano Ronaldo’s record
Haaland could make history / Naomi Baker/GettyImages
Erling Haaland has 99 goals to his name for Manchester City and will hope to make it 100 when Inter travel to the Etihad on Wednesday.
This next outing will be his final chance to claim the record for his own, and you just know he’ll come out like a man possessed.
4. Bayern Munich’s quest to bounce back
Kane arrives in impressive goalscoring form / Stuart Franklin/GettyImages
After a bitterly disappointing 2023/24 campaign, Bayern Munich have reshuffled. Vincent Kompany is in the dugout, Michael Olise is strutting his stuff on the wing and Matthijs de Ligt has been shipped off to Manchester United.
Three wins from three to start the season has helped build some momentum, but European eyes will be watching to see how they fare on the international stage.
Bayern are up against a tricky Dinamo Zagreb side which features 21-year-old midfielder Martin Baturina, a reported target for both Man Utd and Real Madrid.
5. Kylian Mbappe’s first taste of the Champions League juggernaut
Mbappe needs a statement showing / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages
Real Madrid haven’t been very good this season, despite what 11 points from five games might suggest. Kylian Mbappe’s start to life in Spain has hardly gone to plan.
As we all know, however, Madrid are a different animal in the Champions League, and they may have to be to avoid an upset at home to Bundesliga overachievers Stuttgart.
The German side are still finding their feet after losing most of their top talents in the summer, but Sebastian Hoeness is a fantastic young manager who will fancy his chances of exploiting the holes in Madrid’s shaky team.
6. Pep Lijnders flees the nest
For years, Pep Lijnders was synonymous with Jurgen Klopp, but the former Liverpool assistant has now spread his wings and is back for another crack at management with Red Bull Salzburg.
The Austrian side are always a popular outfit among neutrals, many of whom are watching to see whether their favourite Football Manager wonderkids can justify the hype in real life.
All eyes will be on Oscar Gloukh, Amar Dedic, Mads Bidstrup, Lucas Gourna-Douath and Bobby Clark, as well as Liverpool loanee Stefan Bajcetic.
7. PSG prepare to send a message
PSG are flying this season / Franco Arland/GettyImages
Many feared for Paris Saint-Germain following Mbappe’s summer exit, but the French side wasted little time switching up their image and coming back with a bang.
Their young side has been cooking under Luis Enrique, winning four from four thanks to the dazzling showings of Bradley Barcola and Joao Neves, and they will be keen to prove they can compete for this trophy even without Mbappe in the ranks.
Girona will head to Paris on Wednesday looking to bounce back from a crushing 4-1 defeat to Barcelona.
8. Conor Gallagher’s Atletico love-in
Gallagher is already a cult hero / Mateo Villalba/GettyImages
Diego Simeone fought and fought and fought for Conor Gallagher to join Atletico Madrid from Chelsea this summer, and the midfielder has quickly lived up to the hype.
Greeted by a hero’s welcome, the 24-year-old has already won over supporters of his new club and even scored his first goal for Atleti in the weekend’s 3-0 win over Valencia.
Gallagher will lead his new side out on Thursday for a potentially tricky clash with RB Leipzig.
9. Barcelona face a major test of their credentials
Yamal is already a star / Pedro Salado/GettyImages
Barcelona are arguably the in-form team in Europe. They’ve been absolutely flying under Hansi Flick and have quickly forced their way back into the list of pre-tournament favourites to go all the way this season.
Their first test under the Champions League lights comes away to Monaco, who are unbeaten in Ligue 1 and boast a mean defence that has conceded just once in four games this season – and that was a penalty.
With Dani Olmo missing through injury, Lamine Yamal will need to stand up and produce one of his top performances to guide Barca through this one.
10. Do Arsenal have the squad depth?
Arsenal will welcome Declan Rice back into the team after he served his domestic suspension, but the Gunners remain without the injured Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino. There are even fears Bukayo Saka could be set for a spell on the sidelines.
An away trip to last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta on Thursday will prove a massive test to a strained squad, not least because Mikel Arteta also needs to have one eye on Sunday’s clash of the titans against Manchester City.
Arteta will need all his tactical acumen to navigate this tricky period and keep his biggest names healthy for what could easily be a season-defining four days.
