Eight Champions League first legs across two kick-off windows, and not a single one feels like a gentle warm-up. This is the stage where reputations get tested in unfamiliar places, where a five-minute wobble becomes a week-long narrative, and where the favourites discover that away goals may be gone, but away-leg anxiety is alive and well.
What follows is a match-by-match guide built for the hour before kick-off: team news, real numbers from the league phase, recent form, what the managers have been stressing, and the key players who can tilt a tie.
Champions League’s new format always throws up some wicked games
Galatasaray vs Juventus
The shape of it
Galatasaray’s route to a punchy first leg is straightforward: turn Istanbul into a pressure cooker, force Juventus into long phases of defending, and keep the ball moving until Victor Osimhen gets a look at goal.
Key stats
- Galatasaray finished 20th in the league phase, Juventus 13th.
- Osimhen scored six of Galatasaray’s nine league-phase goals.
- Juventus’ difference-maker in the league phase was Kenan Yıldız: 1 goal, 3 assists, plus 2 Player of the Match awards.
Team news and likely XIs
Galatasaray: Uğurcan Çakır; Boey, Sánchez, Abdülkerim Bardakçı, Eren Elmalı; Torreira, Sara; Sané, Yunus Akgün, Barış Alper Yılmaz; Osimhen
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; McKennie, Locatelli, Miretti; Francisco Conceição, Kenan Yıldız; Openda
One big practical note: Juventus’ forward options have been a talking point, with reports indicating Jonathan David is out for the first leg and Dušan Vlahović still absent.
Recent form
- Galatasaray: WWWWLW, latest 5-1 vs Eyüpspor (13 Feb).
- Juventus: LDLWDW, latest 3-2 loss at Inter (14 Feb).
What the managers are saying (themes)
Okan Buruk’s message has been about compactness and collective defending as the platform for the attack. Spalletti’s tone is pure responsibility: under these lights, you do not get to hide.
Where it swings
- If Galatasaray can keep Torreira and Gabriel Sara winning second balls, Juventus spend too long pinned, and that is when Sané’s timing between full-back and centre-back becomes lethal.
- Juventus’ path is more surgical: bait the press, slip a pass into Yıldız, and suddenly Gala’s back line is sprinting towards its own goal. If the away side leave Istanbul with a draw, it will look very Juventus-y.
Benfica vs Real Madrid
The sequel energy
These teams met in Lisbon 20 days ago and produced the league-phase classic that still feels slightly unreal: Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid, sealed by a 98th-minute header from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Key stats
- Real are chasing a response, and Benfica are chasing proof it was not a one-off. Real’s own reference point is last season’s play-off success, a 6-3 aggregate win over Manchester City that included a Mbappé hat-trick in the second leg.
Team news and likely XIs
UEFA’s predicted line-ups are stacked with names you would expect to decide a tie:
Benfica: Trubin; Dedić, Otamendi, Tomás Araújo, Dahl; Barrenechea, Barreiro; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
Real Madrid: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Arda Güler, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior
Recent form
- Benfica: WWDWWL, latest 2-1 at Santa Clara (13 Feb).
- Real Madrid: WWWLWW, latest 4-1 vs Real Sociedad (14 Feb).
Mourinho returns to the Bernabéu for war 🔥🏟
— 365Scores (@365Scores) January 30, 2026
José Mourinho’s Benfica will clash with Real Madrid TWICE in a ruthless, do-or-die showdown for a place in the Champions League Round of 16 ⚔️🏆
It will be Mourinho’s first step back onto the Santiago Bernabéu since 2013 😲🤍 pic.twitter.com/Y8PNyt4DEU
What the managers are saying (themes)
Mourinho has framed Madrid as a wounded giant that becomes most dangerous when embarrassed, while Arbeloa’s framing is more pragmatic: the goal is the trophy, and Benfica are simply the next obstacle.
Where it swings
- Benfica’s best minutes in the previous meeting came when they won the middle third and turned recoveries into immediate forward actions. If Sudakov can receive on the half-turn and connect to Pavlidis, the home side can keep the tie in its preferred tempo.
- Madrid will try to stretch Benfica’s full-backs with Vinícius and Mbappé constantly threatening depth. The subtle battleground is Valverde + Camavinga: if they control second balls, Benfica’s transitions dry up, and the match tilts towards Madrid’s shot volume.
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
Two identities, one question: who blinks first?
Atalanta want a match that never settles. Dortmund want their attacking talent to decide it in waves.
Key stats
- Dortmund scored 19 goals in the league phase, 7th overall for goals scored.
- Atalanta conceded 10 goals in the league phase, one of the tighter defences in the competition.
- Both sides lost their final two league-phase matches, so this is also about resetting mood.
Team news and likely XIs
Dortmund: Kobel; Ryerson, Anton, Bensebaini, Svensson; Nmecha, Bellingham, Sabitzer; Fábio Silva, Brandt; Guirassy
Atalanta: Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Ahanor; Zappacosta, De Roon, Éderson, Bernasconi; Samardžić, Zalewski; Scamacca
Niko Kovač has been blunt: Dortmund are dealing with four injured centre-backs, and they do not want to risk Nico Schlotterbeck.
Recent form
- Dortmund: WWWLWL, latest 4-0 vs Mainz (13 Feb).
- Atalanta: WWWDLW, latest 2-0 at Lazio (14 Feb).
Where it swings
- If Dortmund are patched up centrally, Atalanta will pressure the build-up and force honest passes under stress. That is where Scamacca becomes a magnet for second balls and chaos.
- Dortmund’s edge is the variety: Brandt between the lines, Guirassy occupying centre-backs, and runners arriving from midfield. If they can create shots before Atalanta’s man-marking gets organised, the home side can bank a first-leg lead.
Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain
All-French, all stakes
These teams know each other’s habits, which usually means the first leg is decided by who executes the basics under stress: rest defence, set-piece focus, and avoiding silly turnovers.
Key stats
- PSG are the current holders, and last season began the knockouts with a demolition: 10-0 on aggregate against Brest.
- Monaco have already beaten PSG at Stade Louis II this season: 1-0, with Takumi Minamino scoring.
Team news and likely XIs
Monaco: Köhn; Vanderson, Faes, Kehrer, Caio Henrique; Camara, Zakaria; Adingra, Golovin, Coulibaly; Balogun
Paris Saint-Germain: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, João Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Barcola
Recent form
- Monaco: WDLWDD, latest 3-1 vs Nantes (13 Feb).
- PSG: LWWDWL, latest 3-1 loss at Rennes (13 Feb).
What the managers are stressing (themes)
Monaco’s camp has leaned into belief and the need to earn a return-leg chance. PSG’s camp has leaned into chance creation and efficiency: keep generating, then finish better away from home.
Where it swings
- Monaco’s best route is controlling PSG’s counter-press. If Zakaria and Camara can play through the first wave, Monaco can release Golovin into space and let Balogun attack the channels.
- PSG will try to force Monaco’s full-backs into constant decisions. With Hakimi and Nuno Mendes pushing, the wide overloads set up the fun part: Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia attacking defenders who are already on their heels.
Qarabağ vs Newcastle United
Newcastle’s problem: doing the job on a new type of night
Qarabağ have made history just by getting here, and they are not interested in being anyone’s nice story.
Key stats
- Qarabağ are the first Azerbaijani club to advance from the group or league phase in this competition.
- Newcastle conceded 7 goals in the league phase, and only Arsenal conceded fewer with 4.
- Newcastle’s top scorers in the league phase included Anthony Gordon (6) and Harvey Barnes (5).
Team news and likely XIs
Qarabağ: Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazade, Medina, Jafarguliyev; Bicalho, Janković; Leandro Andrade, Montiel, Zoubir; Duran
Newcastle United: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Ramsey; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
Recent form
- Qarabağ: WWLWLL, latest 1-0 vs Mil-Muğan (14 Feb).
- Newcastle: WWLLLD, latest 3-1 at Aston Villa (14 Feb, FA Cup).
Where it swings
- Qarabağ’s path is set-piece leverage and emotional momentum. If they can keep it tight for an hour, the stadium does the rest.
- Newcastle’s path is simple and ruthless: win the first duels, keep the ball moving quickly enough to avoid traps, and let their wide scorers attack the space behind Qarabağ’s full-backs.
The numbers don’t lie.📉
— 365Scores (@365Scores) January 30, 2026
In the single-league phase of this season’s UEFA Champions League, clubs from Europe’s top five leagues produced a clear hierarchy — and the Premier League stood alone at the summit.
Another year, another demonstration of Premier League power at the… pic.twitter.com/wbZzKa2h2L
Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Milan
The trip is part of the tie
Aspmyra in February is not a vibe, it’s a condition. Bodø/Glimt have turned that into a weapon, and the league phase gave them a marquee receipt: a 3-1 home win over Manchester City.
Team news and likely XIs
Bodø/Glimt: Haikin; Sjøvold, Bjørtuft, Gundersen, Bjørkan; Evjen, Berg, Brunstad Fet; Blomberg, Høgh, Hauge
Inter: Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Zieliński, Sučić, Dimarco; Lautaro Martínez, Thuram
Recent form
- Bodø/Glimt: WWDWLW, latest 2-1 at Atleti (28 Jan, UCL).
- Inter: WWWWWW, latest 3-2 vs Juventus (14 Feb).
Where it swings
- Bodø/Glimt’s edge is tempo. They want quick combinations and early crosses before Inter’s back three set. If Hauge and Berg can keep Inter turning, the home side can create volume.
- Inter’s edge is control. Their best first leg is the quiet kind: limit transitions, win the box defending, and let Lautaro and Thuram take the couple of chances that arrive.
Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid
Bruges as a problem, Atlético as a lesson
This is a tie where confidence is earned by surviving the moments you do not control.
Key stats
- Club Brugge beat Atleti 2-0 at Jan Breydelstadion in October 2022 and have never lost at home to them in UEFA competition across four matches dating back to 1978.
- Brugge’s league-phase home record: W2 D1 L1, with a 3-3 draw vs Barcelona and the only home defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League.
- Brugge have lost only 3 of their last 21 European home games.
Team news and likely Champions League XIs
Club Brugge: Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordoñez, Mechele, Seys; Stanković, Vanaken, Onyedika; Carlos Forbs, Vermant, Tzolis
Atlético Madrid: Oblak; Llorente, Ruggeri, Giménez, Hancko; González, Cardoso, Koke, Álex Baena; Alvarez, Sørloth
Recent form
- Brugge: WWLWWW, latest 2-1 vs Cercle Brugge (15 Feb).
- Atleti: LWLWDL, latest 3-0 loss at Rayo (15 Feb).
Where it swings
- Brugge will come with intensity and early shots. If Vanaken can keep feeding runners beyond Atleti’s midfield line, the home side can build a lead before Atlético settle.
- Atlético will try to turn it into a patience test, then hurt Brugge in the spaces left by their full-backs. Simeone’s game plan in these ties rarely changes: absorb, wait, strike.
Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen
The weird part: they already did this a month ago
Olympiacos beat Leverkusen 2-0 in Piraeus on Matchday 7, with first-half goals from Costinha and Mehdi Taremi. That matters because it proves the home stadium can still turn a slick side into a stressed one.
Team news and the Champions League storylines
Olympiacos: Tzolakis; Costinha, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; Hezze, García; Rodinei, Chiquinho, Gelson Martins; Taremi
Bayer Leverkusen: Blaswich; Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba; Lucas Vázquez, García, Fernández, Grimaldo; Tillman, Poku; Schick
Recent form
- Olympiacos: DLWDWW, latest 0-0 at Levadiakos (14 Feb).
- Leverkusen: WDWWWW, latest 4-0 vs St. Pauli (14 Feb).
Where it swings
- Olympiacos need the stadium to matter again: fast starts, smart fouls, and making every Leverkusen build-up phase feel like it has to be perfect.
- Leverkusen’s task is to prove they learned from the league-phase trip. If they control the centre and keep their spacing clean, they can drain the emotion and create the kind of away performance that turns the second leg into an administrative task.
FAQs
Are these Champions League ties two legs?
Yes. These are two-legged play-offs, with a second leg the following week.
What should underdogs prioritise in a Champions League first leg?
A clean defensive structure, set-piece value, and avoiding transition chaos after losing the ball.
Which Champions League tie feels most likely to swing on a single player?
Galatasaray vs Juventus has a clear move-finishing focal point in Osimhen, while Benfica vs Real Madrid can flip on one Vinícius or Mbappé acceleration.
Which Champions League match is most shaped by environment rather than names?
Bodø/Glimt vs Inter, because the travel and setting are part of the game plan as much as the tactics.
If you only watch one Champions League game, which is the best neutral’s pick?
Benfica vs Real Madrid for narrative and shot quality, Dortmund vs Atalanta for pure tactical friction and tempo.
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyHelfgott1 on Twitter (X)
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