Ladies and gentlemen, we are so back. The Champions League is here and with that comes the content games most inaccurate endeavour: attempting to pick every one of the 144 matches in the league phase. Last year we had Real Madrid top, Napoli on the verge of a bye to the round of 16 and Villarreal on an impressive 11 points. We also had Kairat on one point and a goal difference of -16 but no one ever wants to celebrate your moments of near-perfection, do they?
I suppose what I'm saying is, don't take these predictions to your local sportsbook. However by all means bookmark them and we can pick this up again on January 27.
Matchweek 1
- Club Brugge 1, Aston Villa 2
- AEK Athens 1, LASK 0
- Real Madrid 3, Inter 1
- Porto 2, Manchester City 2
- Borussia Dortmund 2, Villarreal 0
- Lille 1, Real Betis 1
- Barcelona 3, Feyenoord 1
- Stuttgart 1, Viking 0
- Liverpool 2, Atletico Madrid 1
- Paris Saint-Germain 3, Slovan Bratislava 0
- Napoli 0, Arsenal 1
- Sporting 1, Galatasaray 0
- Fenerbahce 2, Roma 3
- PSV Eindhoven 2, Shakhtar 0
- Bayern Munich 3, Bodo/Glimt 1
- Manchester United 4, Sabah 0
- Como 1, RB Leipzig 1
- Slavia Prague 1, Lens 0
The headline act for week one, just as he would want it, Jose Mourinho serves up the most impressive performance of the round as his Real Madrid side get much the better of his former employers Inter, Kylian Mbappe translating his gaudy acquisition of shots from LaLiga into the Champions League.
Meanwhile, it's a tough start for the debutants. LASK and Viking losing by one goal on the road while Como find themselves held to a point by a counter-punching RB Leipzig. As for Azeri side Sabah, a night under the Old Trafford lights is a memorable experience even if Michael Carrick's side eventually breezes through. In a familiar theme for the league phase, the competition starts quite rosily for the English clubs. All bar Manchester City emerge victorious, Enzo Maresca's side twice pegged back by an impressive-looking Porto.
Matchweek 2
- Lens 1, Sporting 0
- Sabah 2, Slavia Prague 1
- Inter 2, Club Brugge 0
- Galatasaray 3, Barcelona 2
- Atletico Madrid 1, Manchester United 1
- Arsenal 2, Lille 0
- Viking 1, Bayern Munich 3
- RB Leipzig 2, PSV Eindhoven 2
- Villarreal 0, Napoli 0
- LASK 0, Liverpool 2
- Feyenoord 2, Como 1
- Roma 2, Real Madrid 0
- Manchester City 1, Paris Saint-Germain 0
- Bodo/Glimt 1, Borussia Dortmund 1
- Aston Villa 2, Fenerbahce 1
- Real Betis 1, Porto 2
- Shakhtart Donetsk 2, AEK Athens 0
- Slovan Bratislava 1, Stuttgart 2
A shock-heavy second week, particularly for Spain's big two, who run into brutal away games at precisely the wrong moment. Victor Osimhen and Barıs Alper Yilmaz run riot behind Barcelona's high line while Mourinho's return to the Eternal City is a painful one, with Donyell Malen scoring yet more goals.
The drama is not done there. One of the intriguing questions of the last two seasons has been whether Paris Saint-Germain are indifferent to the league phase or whether their continued involvement in the knockout playoffs is just a coincidence. A 1-0 defeat at the Etihad suggests there might be something to the former viewpoint, a rotated iteration of the holders never really rousing themselves in pursuit of victory.
Maybe the biggest shock of all comes in Azerbaijan. Sabah, who, according to clubELO, rate as a relegation scrapper in the EFL Championship, win their first home match of the league phase, downing Slavia Prague in dramatic late fashion.
Matchweek 3
- Sabah 0, Borussia Dortmund 4
- Fenerbahce 3, Slavia Prague 1
- Manchester City 4, AEK Athens 1
- Stuttgart 1, Atletico Madrid 1
- Liverpool 2, Villarreal 0
- Roma 3, Slovan Bratislava 1
- Porto 2, PSV Eindhoven 2
- Napoli 2, Bodo/Glimt 1
- Paris Saint-Germain 3, Barcelona 3
- Como 1, Manchester United 0
- Lille 2, Galatasaray 0
- Real Madrid 2, RBL Leipzig 0
- Inter 1, Shakhtar 0
- Bayern Munich 2, Arsenal 1
- Club Brugge 1, Lens 1
- Aston Villa 3, Viking 0
- Sporting 2, LASK 1
- Real Betis 1, Feyenoord 1
What are arguably the four favorites to win the Champions League face off this week, and almost all of them emerge from the games with their candidacy to win it all improved. Even Arsenal can feel good about going to the Allianz Arena and pushing Bayern Munich close, how much better might they be later in the year with William Saliba back? The final third power of Michael Olise and Harry Kane is just too much for the Gunners this time out, but things could be different if they meet each other in the spring.
One hopes that if PSG and Barcelona cross paths again in the knockout stages, they serve up another footballing feast like this. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Lamine Yamal devastating off the flanks, Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele every inch the modern center forward. Defending seems like it might be optional, but don't worry too much about that on our accounts lads.
Matchweek 4
- Shakhtar Donetsk 1, Sporting 1
- Galatasaray 1, Stuttgart 0
- Feyenoord 1, Inter 2
- Barcelona 3, Aston Villa 0
- Atletico Madrid 1, Bayern Munich 3
- Villarreal 0, Paris Saint-Germain 2
- Manchester United 1, Roma 1
- Bodo/Glimt 1, Lille 0
- LASK 2, Slovan Bratislava 0
- AEK Athens 2, Real Madrid 5
- Fenerbahce 2, Liverpool 2
- RB Leipzig 0, Manchester City 2
- Slavia Prague 0, Arsenal 4
- PSV Eindhoven 2, Club Brugge 1
- Borussia Dortmund 1, Real Betis 1
- Porto 1, Napoli 0
- Lens 1, Como 1
- Viking 2, Sabah 0
At the midway point, the league table is beginning to coalesce into a manageable form. Leading the way are the only team with a 100% record, Bayern Munich, breezing to a win at the Metropolitano. In hot pursuit are a boatload of English sides, four of them inside the top seven, with Real Madrid and Inter also in the top eight. It is the other team that is the most intriguing, Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma looking like dark horses for this tournament even as they are held to a draw at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, down the other end, it's not looking good for one of last season's semifinalists...
| Pos. | Team | W | D | L | GD | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 | Feyenoord | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 4 |
25 | Bodo/Glimt | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
26 | Real Betis | 0 | 3 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
27 | LASK | 1 | 0 | 3 | -2 | 3 |
28 | Viking | 1 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 3 |
29 | Slavia Prague | 1 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 3 |
30 | AEK Athens | 1 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 3 |
31 | Sabah | 1 | 0 | 3 | -9 | 3 |
| 32 | Atletico Madrid | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 2 |
33 | RB Leipzig | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 2 |
Atletico Madrid's problem early on is probably nothing more than a fixture list that has thrown them Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich out of the traps. When Stuttgart are your "easy" game, things can go wrong, particularly when you yourselves have faltered domestically too. Everything should be fine for Diego Simeone's side, who have two Norwegian opponents left on the fixture docket, but they are dicing with danger.
Matchweek 5
- Galatasaray 2, Aston Villa 2
- Bodo/Glimt 1, LASK 0
- Real Madrid 3, PSV Eindhoven 1
- Manchester City 3, Napoli 0
- Arsenal 2, Borussia Dortmund 0
- Feyenoord 1, Porto 0
- Slovan Bratislava 1, Real Betis 2
- RB Leipzig 1, Lens 0
- Como 3, AEK Athens 1
- Sabah 1, Barcelona 6
- Slavia Prague 1, Villarreal 3
- Inter 2, Stuttgart 0
- Atletico Madrid 2, Viking 1
- Paris Saint-Germain 3, Roma 0
- Club Brugge 1, Liverpool 2
- Lille 1, Bayern Munich 2
- Sporting 1, Manchester United 1
- Shakhtar 0, Fenerbahce 0
With three games left to play English sides occupy positions two, three, six, 10 and... 20. Yes, it has not been an ideal return to the Champions League for three-time winners Manchester United, who by late November look to be buckling under the weight of domestic and continental fixtures. Michael Carrick's cautious, possession-first football means they have a pretty reasonable record of four goals conceded in five games. It is the seven scored that is a problem. With RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Villarreal to come, a spot in the top 24 is not a lock by any means.
Matchweek 6
- Villarreal 2, Sabah 0
- Viking 1, Feyenoord 1
- Barcelona 3, Manchester City 1
- Aston Villa 0, Paris Saint-Germain 2
- Bayern Munich 4, Slavia Prague 0
- Napoli 3, Club Brugge 0
- Roma 2, Sporting 2
- Manchester United 1, RB Leipzig 0
- AEK Athens 3, Galatasaray 0
- Real Betis 1, Como 0
- Slovan Bratislava 1, Shakhtar Donetsk 0
- Arsenal 2, Real Madrid 1
- Borussia Dortmund 2, Inter 2
- PSV Eindhoven 1, Atletico Madrid 2
- Liverpool 1, Porto 0
- Lens 2, Bodo/Glimt 0
- LASK 1, Fenerbahce 1
- Stuttgart 1, Lille 0
Matchweek 6 is the league phase's equivalent to moving day at The Masters or The Open, albeit the prize being the right to play more football matches. By this point, spots in the top eight are starting to get locked off, Bayern Munich absolutely guaranteeing theirs with another win while Liverpool and Arsenal get themselves in a position where they would have to drop points in both remaining games to slip out.
Lower down, Manchester United's win over RB Leipzig has them set pretty well at nine points, enough to qualify for the knockout playoffs last season. Atletico Madrid are rising fast too, but behind them the margins are razor thin. Villarreal are in 22nd on seven points and minus-two goal difference. Galatasaray in 26th have seven and minus-four. Even 32nd-place Viking might feel they have a chance with only a three-point gap to make up.
Matchweek 7
- Bodo/Glimt 1, Atletico Madrid 2
- Galatasaray 3, Feyenoord 1
- Real Madrid 3, LASK 0
- Inter 2, Liverpool 1
- Stuttgart 1, Club Brugge 2
- Aston Villa 1, Borussia Dortmund 1
- AEK Athens 0, Roma 0
- Porto 2, Slavia Prague 0
- Lille 4, Slovan Bratislava 1
- Fenerbahce 1, Villarreal 0
- Sabah 0, Napoli 2
- Lens 1, Manchester City 3
- Sporting 0, Barcelona 2
- Como 1, Paris Saint-Germain 2
- Real Betis 0, Arsenal 1
- Manchester United 1, Bayern Munich 3
- Viking 2, PSV Eindhoven 2
- RB Leipzig 1, Shakhtar 0
A round of games left to play and most of the richest, highest-profile teams in Europe have extricated themselves from the bunfight below them. That seems a harsh but accurate reflection of where the game is right now. First through sixth -- Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Barcelona, PSG, Liverpool and Inter -- are certain of their passage and will just be playing for seeding. Real Madrid can approach their final game with a similar outlook, while a point would likely be enough for Roma.
All the drama of the final round is going to come from below. Lille, RB Leipzig and Villarreal are the teams from a big five league who have work to do to scrabble up the table on the final day, while there is absolutely nothing to separate AEK Athens and Feyenoord. Not points, not goal difference, not goals scored.
Matchweek 8
- Shakhtar Donetsk 1, Real Madrid 3
- Manchester City 2, Sporting 1
- Slovan Bratislava 1, Inter 1
- Barcelona 3, Como 2
- Atletico Madrid 2, Fenerbahce 2
- Paris Saint-Germain 4, Galatasaray 1
- Liverpool 0, Lens 0
- Arsenal 5, Sabah 0
- Bayern Munich 2, Real Betis 2
- Club Brugge 1, Bodo/Glimt 0
- Borussia Dortmund 2, AEK Athens 2
- Slavia Prague 1, Aston Villa 2
- Roma 1, Lille 0
- LASK 1, Porto 2
- Villarreal 2, Manchester United 1
- PSV Eindhoven 3, Stuttgart 1
- Feyenoord 0, RB Leipzig 2
- Napoli 1, Viking 0
Right you've scrolled far enough. You'll be wanting a table.
| Pos. | Team | W | D | L | GD | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bayern Munich | 7 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 22 |
2 | Arsenal | 7 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 21 |
3 | Barcelona | 6 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 19 |
4 | Paris Saint-Germain | 6 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 19 |
5 | Real Madrid | 6 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 18 |
6 | Manchester City | 5 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 17 |
7 | Liverpool | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 17 |
8 | Inter | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 17 |
9 | Roma | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
10 | Porto | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 14 |
11 | Aston Villa | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
12 | Napoli | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13 |
13 | PSV Eindhoven | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
14 | Atletico Madrid | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
15 | Borussia Dortmund | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 11 |
16 | RB Leipzig | 3 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 11 |
17 | Fenerbahce | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
18 | Real Betis | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
19 | Villarreal | 3 | 1 | 4 | -2 | 10 |
20 | Stuttgart | 3 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 10 |
21 | Galatasaray | 3 | 1 | 4 | -5 | 10 |
22 | Manchester United | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
23 | Lens | 2 | 3 | 3 | -1 | 9 |
24 | Sporting | 2 | 3 | 3 | -2 | 9 |
25 | AEK Athens | 2 | 3 | 3 | -3 | 9 |
26 | Como | 2 | 2 | 4 | -1 | 8 |
27 | Feyenoord | 2 | 2 | 4 | -5 | 8 |
28 | Lille | 2 | 1 | 5 | -1 | 7 |
29 | Bodo/Glimt | 2 | 1 | 5 | -5 | 7 |
30 | Club Brugge | 2 | 1 | 5 | -6 | 7 |
31 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 1 | 2 | 5 | -5 | 5 |
32 | Viking | 1 | 2 | 5 | -6 | 5 |
33 | LASK | 1 | 1 | 6 | -7 | 4 |
34 | Slovan Bratislava | 1 | 1 | 6 | -11 | 4 |
35 | Slavia Prague | 1 | 0 | 7 | -15 | 3 |
36 | Sabah | 1 | 0 | 7 | -23 | 3 |
As in the previous two seasons, qualification for the knockout playoffs is decided by goal difference, and in some ways it is a repeat of 2025-26 as a Portuguese side find their way through somehow. Sporting advance because they only lost at the Etihad by a single goal. Any worse a margin than that and AEK Athens would have pipped them at the post.
Pity for Como too, who have a brutal run to the finish line in Real Betis, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. A point from any of those games and they would have advanced on the first try but the Champions League is not the most forgiving of teachers.
