An impressive first season under Adi Hütter in which Monaco finished second in Ligue 1 earned them a return to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) proper for the first time since
2018/19.
A baptism of fire awaits as they face arguably Europe’s most in-form side in Barcelona, yet the Monégasques will be confident after making an unbeaten start to the campaign themselves (W3, D1) most recently beating Auxerre 3-0.
A strong start to this competition could be key to progression for the Ligue 1 side, as they must also face Arsenal and Inter Milan away from home later on. Just one defeat from their
last nine home games against Spanish teams suggests they’ve got a chance (W7, D1), although Monaco have lost each of their last seven home matches in the UCL, which means an unwanted piece of history awaits, as no side has ever lost eight in succession in the competition!
There’ll be no mercy on display from a red-hot Barcelona side who have surged to the La Liga summit by winning all five of their league games this term, scoring 17 goals in the process. Hansi Flick will have to cope without Dani Olmo for this trip though, with his new
signing ruled out for four to five weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in a 4-1
thrashing of Girona on Sunday.
Players to watch: The captain’s armband has inspired Monaco’s Denis Zakaria, who has directly contributed to three goals in his last two club appearances from defensive midfield (G2, A1), with both strikes arriving beyond the 80th minute.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have outscored Robert Lewandowski in the UCL. Eight of his 94 goals in this competition have come for Barça, though just one of them was the match opener.
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Arsenal travel away to take on Atalanta
After making it all the way to the quarterfinals in last term’s comeback campaign, Arsenal
return to the Champions League on Thursday, as they meet Atalanta BC in Bergamo.
Arsenal finally ended a six-season absence from the Champions League last season, when they finished first in Group B – ahead of PSV Eindhoven, Lens and Sevilla – with four wins from six games.
Arsenal will therefore try to continue their continental renaissance this year, having negotiated their first four Premier League fixtures without losing – most recently claiming victory in Sunday’s North London derby.
The Gunners have conceded only one goal so far, while Gabriel’s match-winning header against Tottenham Hotspur was the 23rd time they have scored from a set piece since the start of last season.
Leading into their midweek trip to Lombardy – which is swiftly followed by a high-stakes clash with title rivals Manchester City – Arsenal have won six straight Premier League away games stretching back to last term. They now aim to post maximum points on their travels once again, ahead of another tough test at home to Paris Saint-Germain next month.
With perfect timing, Atalanta celebrated completion of their newly renovated home stadium earlier this month, ready to welcome Champions League football back to Bergamo.
Atalanta now take part in the Champions League for a fourth time, having featured for three successive seasons between 2019 and 2022, twice reaching the knockout phase.
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Bayer Leverkusen kick off their campaign against Feyenoord
After winning the German double and reaching the Europa League last season, Bayer Leverkusen are back in the Champions League this season and kick off their European campaign on Thursday when they visit Feyenoord.
Xabi Alonso’s side have won all their games this season, apart from a 2-3 defeat to RB Leipzig that ended Leverkusen’s unbeaten run in the Bundesliga after more than a year.
Key player Florian Wirtz has started the season in fine form and took his tally to three
goals in three games in Leverkusen’s 4-1 win over Hoffenheim at the weekend. Nigerian
striker Victor Boniface got on the scoresheet for the first time this season in the same
game, firing home a brace and also picking up an assist.
Feyenoord, meanwhile, have endured a tough start to the season as they try to adjust
to life without Arne Slot, who has joined Liverpool. Under new coach Brian Priske, the
Rotterdam club have managed just one win and three draws in four Eredivisie games so
far this season. Most recently, they were held to a 2-2 draw by Groningen.
Their only previous meeting was in the last 16 of the 1987-88 UEFA Cup, when Leverkusen
won 3-2 on aggregate en route to lifting the trophy. Both teams should have a full squad at
their disposal for Thursday’s game.
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Atl. Madrid host Bundesliga opposition RB Leipzig
Just five months after being eliminated from last season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL)
at the hands of Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Atlético Madrid will kick off this European campaign with the first of two home games against Bundesliga opposition.
Making their 12th consecutive appearance in this competition under the tireless Diego Simeone, the Spanish giants are looking to go beyond the quarter-finals for the first time since 2016/17. No visiting side were able to take all three points home from the Metropolitano in the two previous UCLs, and Simeone’s side recently emphasised the strength they boast at home by scoring six unanswered goals in three La Liga outings.
Combine that with an unbeaten home record against German clubs in any UEFA competition this century (W8, D4) and this fixture against both RB Leipzig certainly looks
winnable. Ironically, Atlético’s crosstown rivals Real Madrid were responsible for Leipzig’s departure from the last UCL in the round of 16 last season.
The Red Bulls should be full of confidence of at least reaching the knockouts again this time
around after making an unbeaten start to the season (W3, D1), while they also won their most recent meeting with Atlético in when the pair met behind closed doors at the quarter-final stage in Lisbon back in 2020.
Leipzig have proven themselves to be fearless travellers in the last couple of campaigns and cannot be taken lightly, even if this promises to be a stern test. Players to watch: Four of Antoine Griezmann’s UCL goals last season were scored at home, a tally he’s primed to add to after finding the net in their last two La Liga home victories.
Similarly, Loïs Openda scored in two away games in last season’s UCL, while his three competitive goals this term were all scored on the road.
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