Champions League League Phase Opening Round Preview: Real Madrid Face Inter, Manchester City and Spanish Sides Take Action

In the early hours of September 9 Beijing time, the first round of the Champions League league phase began, with six exciting matches scheduled. Real Madrid will host Inter Milan, while Mourinho will face a former club; Manchester City will visit Porto, with Haaland hoping to score again and surpass Thomas Müller; meanwhile, three La Liga teams will also compete, with Villarreal facing the toughest situation. Austrian side LASK created a miracle by reaching the Champions League main stage and making their debut.

At 00:45, Club Brugge and Villa will meet. This will be the fourth encounter between the two sides. In the 2024-25 Champions League round of 16, Villa defeated Club Brugge twice, winning 3-1 and 3-0, showing their growing strength as a top team. They have participated in eight of the last nine Champions League seasons, and in their last 21 Champions League group-stage and league-phase matches, Villa recorded 16 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses. They are aiming for a winning start in this match.

At the same time, AEK Athens will face LASK. As last season's domestic league and cup double winners, LASK overturned Celtic in the Champions League qualifying playoffs, scoring five unanswered goals after trailing 0-4 on aggregate to complete a legendary comeback. This marked their first ever appearance in the Champions League main stage. However, AEK Athens have shown impressive form at home in European competitions, recording 9 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss in their last 11 home European matches, and they cannot be underestimated.

At 03:00, the headline match arrives as Real Madrid face Inter Milan in a blockbuster clash valued at 2.2 billion euros. According to Transfermarkt data, Real Madrid's squad value reaches 1.46 billion euros, ranking first in the Champions League, while Inter Milan are valued at 730 million euros, making them one of Serie A's leading teams. Mourinho will naturally be a major focus, as he led Inter to the 2009-10 Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia treble. Fans of both sides will give him a warm reception in this match. In addition, another goal from Mbappé would equal Raúl's Champions League goal tally and move him into fifth place on the all-time list. If Courtois plays, he will reach his 100th Champions League appearance. Real Madrid have also recorded 19 wins and only 2 losses in their last 21 meetings with Italian teams.

At the same time, Porto will face Manchester City. This will be Porto's 28th appearance in the Champions League main stage, ranking fourth historically and reflecting their extensive experience. However, Porto have won only two of their last 16 matches against Premier League teams. Manchester City have started the season with a perfect record after summer transfer reconstruction, and Maresca has performed well since taking charge, with the team hoping to shine in European competition. Haaland, famous for his 57 goals, would move alone into seventh place on the all-time scoring list by surpassing Thomas Müller's record with another goal. Meanwhile, Enzo, who moved to Manchester City, will make his Champions League debut in this match.

At 03:00, Borussia Dortmund will host Villarreal. This will be the second meeting between the two teams, with Dortmund winning the previous encounter 4-0. Dortmund have made a strong start in the new Bundesliga season with two consecutive victories, and they have a record of 9 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses in 15 home matches against Spanish teams. Villarreal, meanwhile, have struggled in the new La Liga season, remaining without a win, and have conceded in 31 consecutive Champions League matches, leaving them in a difficult situation.

Finally, Lille will face Real Betis. This match marks Betis' return to the Champions League stage after 20 years, as they return to the competition for the first time since the 2005-06 season. In the new La Liga campaign, Betis have regained form, collecting 9 points from their first four matches and taking a 1-0 lead in their game against Real Madrid. Pellegrini's team hopes to fight for three points away from home and celebrate a winning start.