September 10: Six More Champions League Matches Overnight, Former Player Faces Barcelona, Two Major Clashes; PSG Expected to Cruise

Champions League first round kicks off tonight: former player turns against Barcelona, two heavyweight clashes, and will PSG cruise past their opponent?

In the early hours of September 10 Beijing time, the second matchday of the first round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase begins, with six matches taking place simultaneously.

Barcelona host Feyenoord, Liverpool face Atletico Madrid, and Napoli meet Arsenal — three major fixtures, each with its own storyline.

Barcelona vs Feyenoord: A familiar face returns

Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is very familiar to Barcelona fans.

During his playing career, he spent four years at Barcelona, winning one Champions League title and two La Liga titles. This return to Camp Nou marks the first time he faces his former club as an opponent.

“I spent four years here and am part of this club’s history,” Van Bronckhorst said before the match. “Facing Barcelona feels strange; this is the first time I have encountered this situation.”

Barcelona have made a flying start. They won all of their first four La Liga matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding only two, showing dominance in both attack and defense. Raphinha has scored six goals in five matches, Yamal and Fermin have each scored four, and Gordon has provided five assists, with the attacking group firing together.

The 19-year-old Yamal has already scored 11 Champions League goals. Two more would see him equal Mbappe’s record for Champions League goals by a player under 20.

However, Barcelona also have concerns. Main midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been sidelined for a long time due to a knee injury, affecting midfield control and transitions. In addition, Barcelona’s Champions League defense has been unstable — they have conceded in each of their last 10 Champions League matches, averaging 1.7 goals conceded per game.

Although Feyenoord are unbeaten in the Eredivisie start (3 wins and 2 draws), their away form is poor — they have won only one of their last 10 European away matches, conceding 2.1 goals per game. Several defenders are also injured, weakening defensive stability.

Van Bronckhorst remains calm: “Barcelona are the best-playing team at the moment. We must be brave and try not to let the difference in quality become too obvious.”

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid: The Anfield curse

Liverpool and Atletico Madrid are old rivals.

In last season’s Champions League first round, Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 at home. Liverpool have won all six of their previous Champions League league-phase meetings against La Liga teams. Atletico have not won in regular time at Anfield in their last five years of visits.

Liverpool have started the new Premier League season with one win and two draws. Isak has exploded into form, scoring twice in nine minutes against Ipswich, and the attack has remained productive. But defensive issues remain, with opponents scoring twice in each of the first two rounds, while Liverpool have struggled against quick transitions and second-ball protection.

Atletico Madrid’s situation is worse. They have two wins, one draw and one loss in La Liga’s first four rounds, and recently suffered a 3-0 away defeat to Athletic Bilbao. They have conceded four goals in two league away matches, with the defense struggling against quick transitions.

Liverpool also have injury problems. Gakpo missed training on Tuesday and is doubtful. Ekitike is recovering from a serious Achilles injury, Bradley’s knee injury has not healed, Joe Gomez is close to returning from a muscle strain, and Chiesa and Wataru Endo were not included in the Champions League squad list.

Atletico’s Sorloth cannot play due to a muscle injury, and Arnau Ortiz is suspended for European competition. However, Alvarez has added extra training before the match and is regaining form, potentially becoming a key figure who could change the game.

Napoli vs Arsenal: Arteta’s old score to settle

The two teams have met four times historically, with Arsenal winning three and losing one.

In the 2013/14 Champions League group stage, Arsenal and Napoli each won 2-0 at home. In the away match Arsenal lost 2-0 to Napoli, current Arsenal manager Arteta was sent off with a red card.

Arsenal have made a strong start to the new season, winning three consecutive Premier League matches. Napoli have struggled early, with one win and two losses in their first three Serie A rounds, including a recent 2-1 home defeat to Como and a narrow 3-2 away loss to Inter Milan.

Arsenal’s defense has been excellent — they have conceded only one goal in four competitive matches (including the Community Shield), with the Saliba-Gabriel partnership looking very solid. Napoli face issues with low-block defensive protection and insufficient midfield screening.

Other highlights: PSG expected to dominate, Stuttgart seek a breakthrough

Paris Saint-Germain face Slovan Bratislava, with a major gap in strength between the teams. The defending champions have a squad value of 1.36 billion euros, compared with their opponents’ 36 million euros, making the outcome appear almost predictable. PSG manager Enrique has won each of his last four Champions League opening-round matches.

Stuttgart face Viking. Viking are the second Norwegian club in consecutive years to make their Champions League debut after Bodo/Glimt last season. Stuttgart have started European campaigns with one draw and three losses over the past four seasons and hope to break that pattern at home.

Sporting CP face Galatasaray, with the two teams meeting for the first time in history. Sporting CP were last season’s Champions League quarter-final dark horse, while Galatasaray reached the round of 16. However, Galatasaray have failed to win in their last five matches against Portuguese league teams, with one draw and four losses.

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