Champions League Matchday 1 Preview – CopyBet
With qualification done and dusted, it’s all eyes on the league phase and Matchday 1 of the 2025/26 Champions League league phase, with 15-time European champions Real Madrid in action against Marseille on Tuesday night.
The clash at the Santiago Bernabeu is just one standout fixture and provides one of four selections to consider ahead of this week’s action from Europe’s elite club competition.
Real Madrid vs Olympique de Marseille
Real Madrid have enjoyed a strong start to their La Liga campaign and will look to take that winning form into Tuesday’s clash with Marseille in the Spanish capital.
Winning all of their first four games in La Liga, Los Blancos have hit the ground running with new boss Xabi Alonso at the helm.
Striker Kylian Mbappe has been a key figure behind this positive start and, having scored the opening goal in three of Real’s four La Liga games this term, the French star is backed to bag the opener against Marseille.
SL Benfica vs Qarabag FK
Ahead of their home clash with Qarabag, Benfica have made a strong start to life in the Primeira Liga, picking up three wins from their opening four fixtures and sharing the spoils in the other.
The Lisbon Eagles’ defensive resilience has stood out, conceding just twice across those games and providing a solid platform for their early success on the domestic front.
That stability should prove valuable in their opener against a Qarabag side that often finds it tough going away from home in European competition.
Last season, Qarabag lost three of their four Europa League away matches, drawing a blank in each of those defeats.
Given the contrast in form, backing Benfica to win without conceding looks the smart play in Tuesday’s clash in Lisbon.
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
Looking ahead to Wednesday and there’s a heavyweight clash between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield to look forward to.
These sides have met on six occasions in the Champions League previously and both teams have got on the scoresheet in four of those games.
Liverpool have won in the last two meetings between the sides and, after a perfect start to the Premier League season after the first four games, Arne Slot’s side are good value to beat Atleti in a match that should see the trend continue of both teams getting on the scoresheet.
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
In arguably the pick of the Matchday 1 fixtures, former European champions Bayern Munich and Chelsea go head-to-head at Allianz Arena on Wednesday night.
Chelsea, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Brentford at the weekend, are unbeaten in the Premier League this term, but they might just suffer their first defeat of the campaign in Bavaria.
Bayern have won all of their first three Bundesliga games and, having scored 14 goals across those three matches, the German champions are backed to beat the Blues in a game with three or more goals.