Six clubs won on a thrilling opening night of the new-look, 36-team UEFA Champions League
By Andalo Christine Ingutia
It is that time of year again. The UEFA Champions League is back, and European football’s grandest stage wasted absolutely no time in reminding us why we love it so much. Matchday One of the 2026–27 edition — now expanded to a 36-team league phase — produced goals, drama and late twists across the continent, with six clubs picking up winning starts.
The evening got under way with good news for English supporters. Aston Villa travelled to Belgium and came away with a hard-earned 3–2 victory over Club Brugge, with John McGinn claiming the honour of scoring the very first goal of the new campaign. Meanwhile, AEK Athens made it a night to remember for Greek football, beating Austrian debutants LASK 1–0 at home — their first win in the Champions League proper in 20 years, secured by a magnificent Răzvan Marin free kick midway through the first half.
Then came the main event.
At the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid hosted Inter Milan in the kind of fixture that makes the Champions League the spectacle it is. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute, and Federico Valverde doubled Madrid’s lead nine minutes later. Carlos Augusto pulled one back for Inter before the break, and the visitors pushed hard for an equaliser, but Madrid held firm to take the points in a tense, absorbing contest that could have gone either way.
Across the city of Manchester, Erling Haaland was simply doing what Erling Haaland does. The Norwegian was the undisputed star of the show as Manchester City defeated Porto 2–0 at the Estádio do Dragão. Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa kept the visitors at bay with a string of fine saves in the first half, but after the break there was no stopping City. Haaland headed in a cross from Matheus Nunes before converting at close range in stoppage time to seal a comfortable win. His tally now stands at 59 goals in as many Champions League appearances — a remarkable statistic for a man still seemingly just getting started.
In France, Real Betis pulled off one of the nights’s most dramatic results. Making their first appearance in the Champions League in 21 years, the Spanish side came from two goals down to beat Lille 3–2 in a contest full of twists and plenty of nerve. Betis defender Marc Bartra was the hero, heading in twice to bring his side level before Troy Parrott found the bottom corner to complete the turnaround. Lille, who played the final 34 minutes with ten men after Ethan Mbappé was shown a red card for elbowing, will rue what might have been. For Betis, it was the perfect way to announce their return to Europe’s biggest stage.
Germany provided another five-goal thriller. Borussia Dortmund edged Villarreal 3–2 in a match where all five goals arrived after the break. Serhou Guirassy was the decisive figure, netting twice — in the 80th and 85th minutes — to give the home side the win after an own goal and a Villarreal equaliser had made for a tense and unpredictable second half. A deflected free kick from Nicolás Pépé gave the Spanish side brief hope, but time ran out and Dortmund celebrated a winning start.
So, at the close of a wonderful opening night, six clubs took maximum points: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa, Real Betis and AEK Athens. The goals flowed, the drama was plentiful, and the new expanded format is already delivering on its promise of more football, more competition and more memorable moments.
The action continues in the days ahead, with Liverpool facing Atlético Madrid, Napoli hosting Arsenal, Barcelona welcoming Feyenoord, and PSG taking on Slovan Bratislava among the fixtures still to come.
If Matchday One is anything to go by, this is going to be quite a season.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER September 10, 2026
- Ruto tells Rift Valley “I love you” — but a million unregistered voters tell a different story
- Counties foot the bill for health deals they never signed
- Matiang’i breaks silence on DCP’s Mt Kenya grip, Jubilee’s future and the Nyoro war
- Methu demands action on Ruto’s idle Moyale gold mine order
About the Author
