The Champions League league phase officially made its comeback on Tuesday as record European champions Real Madrid headlined the action when hosting Inter Milan. Now it’s the turn of their Clásico rivals Barcelona to kick off their European campaign, as well as Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool with tricky fixtures. Back-to-back winners Paris Saint-Germain also begin the defense of their crown. Wednesday’s six-match schedule boasts some tantalizing affairs that promise plenty of goals, with the aforementioned quartet of European behemoths seeking to make a winning start to proceedings. Will they manage to do so? Well, here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts the games to play out. Barcelona vs. Feyenoord PredictionPrediction: Barcelona 3–0 FeyenoordLocation: Barcelona, SpainStadium: Spotify Camp NouDate: Wednesday, Sept. 9Kick-off Time: 5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PTReferee: Sven Jablonski (GER)It’s been 11 years since Barcelona last clutched the Champions League trophy. There have been some close calls and deep runs since, and there’s optimism within Catalonia that Hansi Flick’s current crop can end the drought this season. Based on the start of their domestic campaign, European glory is certainly in the cards. Barça have won all four of their La Liga matches to date, scoring 17 times in the process and conceding just twice. Spain’s champions have been typically ruthless, despite the absence of an elite No. 9. Flick, who won the Champions League in 2020 as Bayern Munich boss, will demand a statement performance from his side against 1970 European Cup winners Feyenoord, who journey to Camp Nou requiring perfection and a healthy dose of good fortune to return to Rotterdam unscathed. They’re unbeaten across the opening five Eredivisie matches, winning all three of their away matches despite drawing both home games, but their domestic displays mean little up against Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Rodri and Co. Stuttgart vs. Viking PredictionPrediction: Stuttgart 4–1 VikingLocation: Stuttgart, GermanyStadium: MHPArenaDate: Wednesday, Sept. 9Kick-off Time: 5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PTReferee: Nenad Minaković (SRB)Following in the footsteps of compatriots Bodø/Glimt last season, Viking are Norway’s second-successive Champions League debutants. Unlike Bodø, however, who spent years building foundations in the Conference League and Europa League, Viking have jumped straight into the deep end. Not since the 2005–06 UEFA Cup have the Scandinavians qualified for the group stage or league phase of a European competition, meaning they find themselves in very unfamiliar territory. A trip to Stuttgart is certainly not a straightforward start for the Dark Blues, with the last two campaigns having provided invaluable European experience for their German hosts. Stuttgart were far more competitive than the 5–1 scoreline suggested in their Bundesliga opener with Bayern, and they responded by thrashing Köln 4–1 last Friday. Sebastian Hoeneß could witness a similar scoreline from the home dugout as he unleashes his high-intensity, attacking-style soccer on the competition newbies. Liverpool vs. Atlético Madrid PredictionPrediction: Liverpool 3–2 Atlético MadridLocation: Liverpool, EnglandStadium: AnfieldDate: Wednesday, Sept. 9Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PTReferee: Davide Massa (ITA)For the second season running, Liverpool host Atlético Madrid on Matchday 1 of the league phase. A rollercoaster affair finished 3–2 to the Reds last September, and a similarly-frenetic occasion is expected during Andoni Iraola’s managerial debut in the Champions League.Liverpool secured their first competitive win under the Spaniard last Friday as a quick-fire Alexander Isak brace downed Ipswich Town, but while their attacking performances have offered encouragement during the opening weeks, the Merseysiders are still struggling at the other end of the field. The same can be said of Diego Simeone’s Atléti, who shipped three unanswered goals to Athletic Club at the weekend. They have conceded six times in their last three games and are no longer the wily, defensively-secure outfit they once were under the Argentine boss. Simeone was sent off in this fixture last term after confrontations with the home crowd. Him and his players will be out for revenge, but Liverpool might edge the chaos on another special Anfield night under the lights.Paris Saint-Germain vs. Slovan Bratislava PredictionPrediction: PSG 3–0 Slovan BratislavaLocation: Paris, FranceStadium: Parc des PrincesDate: Wednesday, Sept. 9Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PTReferee: Mykola Balakin (UKR)As PSG held their second-successive Champions League trophy aloft back in May, few would have anticipated their dire start to the 2026–27 campaign. Since winning the UEFA Super Cup last month, they have failed to triumph during any of their four domestic matches. Defeat to 10-man Lens in the Trophées des Champions was followed by back-to-back 2–2 draws in Ligue 1, both of which required late comebacks. To make matters worse, they were beaten by Monaco last Friday, meaning they are currently 13th and seven points off the principality side at the summit. Luckily for Luis Enrique and his players, the fixture list has been kind to PSG for the beginning of their league phase campaign. A visit from Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava should prove routine, and they might be able to restore some confidence with a high-scoring victory at Parc des Princes. Slovan, who lost all eight of their Champions League games in 2024–25, will need a miracle to come away with their pride intact from what is Yaya Touré’s managerial debut in the competition’s league phase—also the first-ever for an African manager.Sporting CP vs. Galatasaray PredictionPrediction: Sporting 2–1 GalatasarayLocation: Lisbon, PortugalStadium: Estádio José AlvaladeDate: Wednesday, Sept. 9Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PTReferee: Espen Eskås (NOR)Galatasaray might have reached last season’s round of 16, but their away record was woeful. Bar their 3–0 win over Ajax, the Turkish outfit lost all of their trips across the continent, and the new European season might begin in a similar vein. Sporting, who reached the quarterfinals last season and were only narrowly beaten by Arsenal, have started their domestic season with a draw and four emphatic wins, and Rui Borges will take confidence from his side’s excellent record at the Estádio José Alvalade—just three defeats in all competitions over the past year. Gala boast their share of superstar talent, but talismanic striker Victor Osimhen is missing through injury, and that could have significant consequences. Sporting, meanwhile, will be able to rely on their clinical finisher Luis Suárez, who has scored four times in his last three games. Napoli vs. Arsenal PredictionPrediction: Napoli 0–2 ArsenalLocation: Naples, ItalyStadium: Stadio Diego Armando MaradonaDate: Wednesday, Sept. 9Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PTReferee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)On paper, Arsenal’s trip to Napoli looks to be a serious test of their credentials. However, given Napoli’s current predicament and the terrific form of the Premier League champions, many are expecting a comfortable away win on Matchday 1. Arsenal flexed their creative and defensive muscles in the 2–1 weekend win over Chelsea, maintaining their perfect start to the season. Mikel Arteta’s men have allowed just 0.9 expected goals in the Premier League so far, and another clean sheet appears likely against a struggling Napoli side. The 2024–25 Serie A champions are enduring teething problems early in Massimiliano Allegri‘s reign. The home defeat to Como was followed by a stunning collapse at San Siro at the weekend, where Napoli surrendered a two-goal lead in their 3–2 loss to Inter. The Italians have lacked the defensive solidity associated with Allegri teams and, rather unexpectedly, have been fairly unspectacular on offense. A visit from Arsenal will almost certainly end in defeat. Champions League Predictions: Sept. 9Kickoff TimeFixturePrediction5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ETBarcelona vs. Feyenoord3–05:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ETStuttgart vs. Viking4–18 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ETLiverpool vs. Atlético Madrid3–28 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ETPSG vs. Slovan Bratislava3–08 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ETSporting vs. Galatasaray2–18 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ETNapoli vs. Arsenal0–2Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow