11 September 2026

The Champions League has begun — but which side looks the strongest after the first set of matches?

The opening round delivered emphatic wins for holders Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all collected away victories to begin with three points. Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid at home, while Manchester United marked their return to the Champions League with a 4-0 victory over debutants Sabah.

Here is how our 36-team power rankings shape up

Results: 6-1 vs Slovan Bratislava

Fixtures: Manchester City (a), Barcelona (h), Villarreal (a), Roma (h), Aston Villa (a), Como (a), Galatasaray (h)

The two-time defending champions remain the side everyone has to chase, despite an uneven start in domestic competition. But Luis Enrique’s team have shown over the past couple of seasons that they understand exactly when to hit top form. They may even end up outside the top eight in this season’s league phase, as happened in each of the previous two years, and would still be seen as favourites because of the midfield excellence of Vitinha and Joao Neves, along with the attacking class of Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Their next two matches — away to Manchester City and then at home to Barcelona — look fascinating on paper, but the French champions know the serious business starts in February.

Ferran Torres struck a hat-trick in PSG’s opening win over Slovan Bratislava.

Results: 1-0 vs Napoli

Fixtures: Lille (h), Bayern Munich (a), Slavia Prague (a), Borussia Dortmund (h), Real Madrid (h), Real Betis (a), Sabah (h)

Last season’s runners-up are intent on going one better after their painful penalty-shootout defeat to PSG last season. Whether Mikel Arteta’s side can make the decisive jump against elite opposition in the latter stages of the Champions League is still to be answered, but the Gunners’ unmatched squad depth gives them an excellent chance of ending this season’s league phase in one of the top two positions. The early-season form of Martin Odegaard, who can feel like a new signing, could also provide Arsenal with an extra edge in attack.

Martin Odegaard has begun the season in outstanding form.

Results: 5-1 v Feyenoord

Fixtures: Galatasaray (a), PSG (a), Aston Villa (h), Sabah (a), Manchester City (h), Sporting (a), Como (h)

Arguably the most in-form side in Europe, Barcelona have made a devastating start to the campaign under Hansi Flick, scoring 22 goals in their first five games and hitting five goals in four of those matches. Despite not replacing Robert Lewandowski, apart from the free signing of Gabriel Jesus, their attack has burst into life: Raphinha has started brilliantly, while Lamine Yamal looks set to return even stronger after missing the end of last season with a hamstring injury. The addition of Rodri also gives Barcelona added experience and strength in midfield. More demanding tests are to come, but if Barcelona continue this run through difficult away trips to Galatasaray and holders PSG, the LaLiga champions could move to the top of these rankings — and strengthen belief that they can challenge for a first Champions League title since 2015.

Raphinha and Barcelona have begun the season in blazing form.

Results: 5-0 v Bodo/Glimt

Fixtures: Viking (a), Arsenal (h), Atletico Madrid (a), Lille (a), Slavia Prague (h), Manchester United (a), Real Betis (h)

It felt last season as though Bayern Munich were close to a breakthrough after finishing second to Arsenal in the league phase and ending their hoodoo against Real Madrid in a thrilling quarter-final. The semi-final against PSG was chaotic and perhaps suggested that Vincent Kompany’s side were the best team in Europe last season apart from the eventual Champions League winners. Certainly, if Harry Kane maintains his extraordinary scoring rate and Michael Olise keeps discovering new levels in his game, Bayern will be firmly in the mix. As with PSG’s supremacy in France, Bayern’s control of the Bundesliga is likely to hand the German champions an advantage over their Premier League and Spanish rivals by the time April and May arrive.

Harry Kane scored his first Champions League goal of the season and Michael Olise netted twice in the 5-0 victory over Bodo/Glimt.

Results: 2-0 v Porto

Fixtures: PSG (h), AEK Athens (h), Leipzig (a), Napoli (h), Barcelona (a), Lens (a), Sporting (a)

Unlike the four elite teams placed above them, it feels more difficult to label Manchester City as genuine contenders for this season’s Champions League. There has been huge change, particularly on the touchline, with Pep Guardiola leaving and Enzo Maresca overseeing a complete rebuild of City’s midfield. There is no shortage of quality across the squad, but Guardiola won only one Champions League in his 10 years at City — a return many saw as underwhelming in Europe’s premier competition given City’s dominance of the Premier League during that period. That highlights the scale of Maresca’s challenge as the Italian takes charge, but victories over PSG or Barcelona in the league phase would immediately mark City out as a serious threat.

Erling Haaland scored twice in City’s opening win at Porto.

Results: 2-1 v Inter Milan

Fixtures: Roma (a), RB Leipzig (h), AEK Athens (a), PSV (h), Arsenal (a), LASK (h), Shakhtar (a)

Whatever happens, Real Madrid are going to be compelling to watch, with Jose Mourinho back at the Bernabeu and tasked with avoiding a third straight season without silverware. The 15-time Champions League winners face the same puzzle as last year: how to get Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr functioning together in a balanced side. Real Madrid still appear light in midfield, and missing out on Rodri — who joined Barcelona — may prove significant. But there remains a special aura around Real Madrid in this competition, and their opening 2-1 win over Inter had something of a Carlo Ancelotti-era feel to it: Inter controlled the first half but somehow found themselves 2-0 down as Real Madrid inevitably scored with their first two shots.

Kylian Mbappe is chasing his first Champions League title.

Results: 2-1 v Atletico Madrid

Fixtures: LASK (a), Villarreal (h), Fenerbahce (a), Club Brugge (a), Porto (h), Inter (a), Lens (h)

Just outside the top bracket of contenders, it would still be a surprise if Liverpool — or any team ranked below them here — were to win the Champions League in their first season under Andoni Iraola. Problems in midfield and defence remain, while a lack of squad depth could hurt them later on, but Liverpool’s major strength is the potential of their attack if Iraola can get the best out of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and new signing Bradley Barcola before Hugo Ekitike returns from injury. A fairly kind fixture list is helpful, as is Liverpool’s Champions League record in recent seasons. It has taken PSG to eliminate them in each of the last two campaigns.

Alexis Mac Allister scored Liverpool’s winner in the opening victory over Atletico Madrid.

Results: 1-2 v Real Madrid

Fixtures: Club Brugge (h), Shakhtar (h), Feyenoord (a), Stuttgart (h), Borussia Dortmund (a), Liverpool (h), Slovan Bratislava (a)

The memories of the past two seasons still sting for Inter, who were beaten 5-0 by PSG in the 2025 final before then being knocked out by Bodo/Glimt in last season’s knockout play-off in one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history. The Serie A champions are still the strongest team in Italy, even though clubs from the country struggled badly overall last season, and the tactical flexibility of their 3-5-2 — with adventurous wing-backs and Lautaro Martinez alongside Marcus Thuram in a strong front two — can give them an advantage in certain matches. Even before the trip to the Bernabeu, Inter’s league-phase fixture list had been rated the easiest among all 36 teams in this season’s Champions League.

Inter were narrowly beaten by Real Madrid on the opening night.

Results: 1-2 v Liverpool

Fixtures: Manchester United (h), Stuttgart (a), Bayern Munich (h), Viking (h), PSV (a), Bodo/Glimt (a), Fenerbahce (h)

Last season’s semi-finalists also have the added incentive of hosting this season’s Champions League final at the Metropolitano in Madrid. Even so, it would be another huge achievement from Diego Simeone if Atleti were to reach a third Champions League final during his 15-year spell in charge. With a Simeone side in Europe, you generally know what to expect — and knocking out Barcelona in last season’s quarter-finals was another reminder of how effectively they can embrace the underdog role in the latter rounds.

Julian Alvarez has stayed at Atletico Madrid.

Results: 4-0 v Sabah

Fixtures: Atletico Madrid (a), Como (a), Roma (h), Sporting (a), RB Leipzig (h), Bayern Munich (h), Villarreal (a)

It has been a very long time since Manchester United were genuinely competitive in the Champions League, and the fact that they have managed only two quarter-final appearances since Sir Alex Ferguson retired underlines the distance to Europe’s top clubs. Michael Carrick is now charged with restoring one of the continent’s grand institutions, but this is also unfamiliar territory for an inexperienced coach who must now juggle Premier League and European demands. A 4-0 opening win over Sabah, the champions of Azerbaijan, means United have already matched their total number of victories from their previous Champions League appearance two years ago, but a demanding run of fixtures is coming up and that should reveal their true level in this tournament.

Bruno Fernandes was on the scoresheet as United brushed Sabah aside.

11. Borussia Dortmund

12. Aston Villa

13. Roma

14. Porto

15. Sporting

16. Napoli

17. Fenerbahce

18. Galatasaray

19. Villarreal

20. Como

21. Real Betis

22. RB Leipzig

23. Stuttgart

24. Lille

25. PSV Eindhoven

26. Bodo/Glimt

27. Club Brugge

28. Lens

29. Feyenoord

30. Shakhtar Donetsk

31. AEK Athens

32. Viking

33. Slavia Prague