The UEFA Champions League is ready to make its return this week, as matchday one features across three big nights to get the competition underway.
The Champions League’s new season has arrived, as 36 clubs begin their quest for European glory by starting off in the League phase.
The League phase consists of eight matchdays, where all the 36 teams will face eight different opponents and aim to claim points to add to the joint league table. Whoever ends within the rankings from one to eight will automatically seal their place in the next round, while the clubs that finish nine to 24 will go through an extra round where they’ll fight for their place to join the top eight.
The competition will kick off across three nights, something that is only scheduled to happen once during the contest, a special element to start the Champions League off.
There are many unmissable fixtures planned for the league phase, with the likes of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and La Liga holders Barcelona meeting, a clash between two of the biggest clubs as we see Manchester City vs Real Madrid, and Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich taking on Club World Cup title holders Chelsea. These are just some of the many standout matches that will feature during the next few months.
For now, matchday one will have 18 games taking place, and they are all hugely exciting.
Here, we take a look at the schedule for matchday one of the Champions League, including fixtures with their assigned days and times.
Champions League matchday one schedule
Part One
PSV vs Union SG - Tuesday, the 16th at 17:45 (UK)
Athletic Club vs Arsenal - Tuesday, the 16th at 17:45 (UK)
Juventus vs Dortmund - Tuesday, the 16th at 20:00 (UK)
Benfica vs Qarabag - Tuesday, the 16th at 20:00 (UK)
Tottenham vs Villarreal - Tuesday, the 16th at 20:00 (UK)
Real Madrid vs Marseille - Tuesday, the 16th at 20:00 (UK)
Part Two
Olympiacos vs Pafos - Wednesday, the 17th at 17:45 (UK)
Slavia Praha vs Bodo/Glimt - Wednesday the 17th at 17:45 (UK)
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea - Wednesday, the 17th at 20:00 (UK)
Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta - Wednesday, the 17th at 20:00 (UK)
Ajax vs Inter Milan - Wednesday, the 17th at 20:00 (UK)
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid - Wednesday, the 17th at 20:00 (UK)
Part Three
Copenhagen vs Leverkusen - Thursday, the 18th at 17:45 (UK)
Club Brugge vs Monaco - Thursday, the 18th at 17:45 (UK)
Frankfurt vs Galatasaray - Thursday, the 18th at 20:00 (UK)
Sporting vs Kairat Almaty - Thursday, the 18th at 20:00 (UK)
Newcastle vs Barcelona - Thursday, the 18th at 20:00 (UK)
Manchester City vs Napoli - Thursday, the 18th at 20:00 (UK)
The biggest competition in club football is well and truly back, and it's certain we will be in for a spectacular opening matchday.