Champions League Matchday 1: Real Madrid, Man City and Dortmund open with wins

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund were among the winners on the opening night of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League.

Last season's top scorer Kylian Mbappé set Madrid on their way to a 2-1 win against Inter, but it was John McGinn who had earlier claimed the honour of scoring the opening goal of the campaign, Aston Villa going on to win 3-2 at Club Brugge.

Borussia Dortmund and Real Betis also edged five-goal thrillers, against Villarreal and Lille respectively, while Erling Haaland scored both goals as Manchester City won 2-0 at Porto and AEK Athens beat debutants LASK 1-0.

We round up all the action from the first night of UEFA Champions League Matchday 1.

Play Fantasy Football!

AEK Athens 1-0 LASK

Răzvan Marin's magnificent free-kick midway through the first period was enough to earn the Greek hosts a first win in the Champions League proper in 20 years. LASK pulled off a famous comeback against Celtic in the play-offs and the Austrian debutants threatened another amid a much-improved second-half showing.

They could not find a way past 35-year-old Alberto Brignoli, though, with the unmarked Sasa Kalajdzic heading the best chance just over the bar late on.
Player of the Match: Răzvan Marin (AEK Athens)

Club Brugge 2-3 Aston Villa

Nicolas Jackson's first Aston Villa goal helped the Premier League side win in Belgium. McGinn curled in the 11th-minute opener but Club Brugge levelled eight minutes later when Hugo Vetlesen struck.

Emiliano Buendía took three minutes to restore Villa's lead and, after Jackson slotted in two minutes before the interval, Nicolò Tresoldi reduced the deficit with a 61st-minute penalty.

Tresoldi hit a post and home defender Joaquin Seys denied Lamare Bogarde on the line as the Villans edged an absorbing contest.
Player of the Match: John McGinn (Aston Villa)

Real Madrid 2-1 Inter

José Mourinho's men were made to work for their slender victory over his former club Inter.

Kylian Mbappé's neat finish gave the hosts a 14th-minute lead which Federico Valverde doubled nine minutes later when dispossessing visiting goalkeeper Josep Martínez following a back-pass.

The Nerazzurri found Thibaut Courtois in inspired form on his 100th UEFA Champions League outing, with Curtis Jones' strike also clipping the frame of goal.

Carlos Augusto set up a nervy ending when he swept in Lautaro Martínez's cross, but Los Blancos held out to claim maximum points.
Player of the Match: Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)

Download the app

B. Dortmund 3-2 Villarreal

Dortmund got their campaign off to a winning start with a dramatic victory, all five goals coming in the second half.

Renato Veiga's own goal just before the hour put Dortmund in front, but Santiago Mouriño's bullet header levelled the scores. Serhou Guirassy then struck twice, finishing a flowing move sparked by Jobe Bellingham before converting from the spot.

A deflected Nicolas Pépé free-kick glanced off Gregor Kobel's glove, Guirassy's face and into the net moments later, but Dortmund held on to ensure they have now lost only two of their last 24 Champions League home games.
Player of the Match: Serhou Guirassy (B. Dortmund)

Porto 0-2 Man City

Haaland moved on to 59 goals in as many Champions League games as his second-half double gave City the points at Porto.

Home goalkeeper Diogo Costa kept the Norwegian, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki at bay before the break with a string of fine saves.

After the restart, however, Enzo Maresca's side exerted their authority as Haaland first headed in Matheus Nunes' cross and then converted with a close finish in added time having been set up by Rayan Aït-Nouri.
Player of the Match: Erling Haaland (Man City)

Lille 2-3 Real Betis

Betis celebrated their first Champions League game in 21 years by coming from behind to win in Lille.

The hosts led at the break through headers from Ayase Ueda and Alexsandro, either side of Marc Bartra nodding in an equaliser.

Bartra headed his second shortly after the interval before Troy Parrott found the bottom corner to put Betis ahead.

Moments later, Ethan Mbappé received a red card, with the visitors seeing out the victory to start with three points.
Player of the Match: Marc Bartra (Real Betis)

Remaining Matchday 1 games

Wednesday 9 September 2026
Barcelona vs Feyenoord (18:45)
Stuttgart vs Viking (18:45)
Liverpool vs Atleti 
Paris vs S. Bratislava 
Sporting CP vs Galatasaray 
Napoli vs Arsenal

Thursday 10 September 2026
Fenerbahçe vs Roma (18:45)
PSV vs Shakhtar (18:45)
Como vs Leipzig
Bayern München vs Bodø/Glimt
Manchester United vs Sabah 
Slavia Praha vs Lens

All kick-offs 21:00 CET unless stated