The revamped league phase of the competition, the UEFA Champions League, began on Tuesday 17 September, with all 36 teams in action for three days.

UEFA.com takes a look at all the fixtures and selects the most important statistics and key storylines from the six remaining games of Matchday 1 on Thursday.

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All kick-off times are 21:00 CET unless otherwise stated.

Thursday, September 19

Feyenoord – Bayer Leverkusen (18:45)

Brian Priske’s interest was piqued by the new league phase. “I found it interesting and I’m excited to see what impact this type of competition will have,” said the new Feyenoord coach. “A lot can change each round of matches, which makes it harder to predict the outcome.” Leverkusen were extremely predictable last season – they simply refused to lose. Their only defeat came in the UEFA Europa League final against Atalanta, but that did not detract from a historic season in which they won their first German league title and then went on to win the domestic cup. How Xabi Alonso’s charges fare in this competition will be the subject of great excitement.

Did you know?
Feyenoord have lost to Roma in Europe for the last three seasons – once in the Conference League final and twice in the knockout stages of the Europa League.

Crvena Zvezda vs Benfica (18:45)

Uroš Spajić was delighted when Crvena Zvezda narrowly beat Bodø/Glimt in the play-off match. “This is my best night in a Zvezda shirt,” said the defender. “A very sweet victory. I have dreamed of this moment. We showed that our place is in the Champions League and that (the Rajko Mitić Stadium) has soul.” Benfica are the first team in the league phase with the task of calming the mood, but they are well placed to do so, having suffered only three defeats in their last 17 away matches in the competition, including qualifying.

Did you know?
Crvena Zvezda and Benfica met for the only time in the 1984/85 European Cup, when Benfica won in the first round by an aggregate score of 4:3.

Monaco vs Barcelona

Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro beamed as he spoke about the new competition format for this season and the thought of facing Barcelona. “That’s why we wanted to qualify for the Champions League!” he said. “It’s an opportunity for us to show our level. Our main goal is to reach the play-offs and every point counts for a possible qualification. I think it’s a more exciting formula.” The French side have not reached the knockout stages since the 2016/17 season inspired by Kylian Mbappé – the same striker who helped Paris Saint-Germain knock out Barcelona in the quarter-finals last season.

Did you know?
Monaco have lost only two of their last nine European home games (4 wins, 3 draws).

Atalanta vs Arsenal

There was a sense of inevitability as the Europa League winners faced an English side in the first league stage. Atalanta had played a Premier League side in each of the three previous Champions League group stages and a record of one win and three losses in those six matches does not bode well. That poor run ended in impressive fashion last season, however, as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side recorded a sensational 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in the Europa League quarter-finals. Changing of the guard or blip? We’ll see when Mikel Arteta’s star-studded charges turn up in Bergamo.

Did you know?
Atalanta were the only team to beat Leverkusen in all competitions last season when they won 3-0 in the Europa League final.

Atlético de Madrid vs Leipzig

It’s been quite a year for Arthur Vermeeren. He made his debut at this stage of the competition for Antwerp on September 19 last year – exactly one year later, he will be hoping to face his former club Atlético. That 2023 match also came against Spanish opposition, Barcelona, ​​and proved to be a baptism of fire for the then 18-year-old midfielder, as Antwerp suffered a 5-0 defeat. Both he and his team learned quickly, however, and Vermeeren scored a goal in Antwerp’s 3-2 second leg win on matchday 6. The following month, Atlético took him to Madrid, but Leipzig pounced and brought him to Germany this summer. This opening match of the league stage offers the Belgian talent a quick opportunity to showcase his skills again.

Did you know?
In the only previous meeting between the teams, Leipzig won 2-1 in the one-off quarter-final of the 2019/20 Champions League in Lisbon.

Brest vs Sturm Graz

Brest’s third-place Ligue 1 finish was one of the great underdog stories of the 2023/24 season, but Éric Roy believes they have what it takes and have successfully recruited enough players to challenge Europe’s elite. “We have quality and quantity,” said the Brest coach. “We overturned a lot of predictions last year, we will be the minor power in this Champions League. We will enjoy this moment.” Sturm also turned the tables last season, ending Salzburg’s run of ten consecutive Austrian titles, so expect two fearless sides to look to continue their fairytale stories in this league stage opener.

Did you know?
For Brest, it is their first ever appearance in a UEFA competition, while Sturm is playing in the Champions League proper for the first time since the 2000/01 season.

Further ahead

• The second matchday starts on October 1st, with Leverkusen against Milan and Arsenal against Paris sure to cause a stir.
• In their first home game in the Champions League, Aston Villa will face Bayern Munich, the team they beat in 1982 to win their only European trophy.
• Girona will make its home debut in the competition on Matchday 2 when it hosts Feyenoord.