The first matchday of the Champions League group stage has concluded, with many top teams securing victories. However, the opening fixtures were not without their share of surprises. Napoli`s return to the competition was marred when captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo received a red card in the 21st minute. This incident also impacted Kevin De Bruyne`s return to the Etihad Stadium. Despite Vanja Milinkovic-Savic`s best efforts, Erling Haaland eventually scored, securing a win for Manchester City. This was a historic moment for Haaland, as he reached 50 Champions League goals in just 49 matches.
Following the debut performances of the major contenders, significant shifts have occurred in the rankings. Let`s explore how the initial Champions League power rankings stack up:
| Rank | Team | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris Saint-Germain | Despite Bradley Barcola missing a penalty and injury concerns, Luis Enrique`s team was not deterred, looking poised to defend their UCL title. |
| 2 | Real Madrid | Another red card incident, another Real Madrid win. The potential absence of Dani Carvajal and possibly Trent Alexander-Arnold for their next match might pose challenges, but nothing a Kylian Mbappe brace couldn`t overcome. |
| 3 | Arsenal | Mikel Arteta`s tactical adjustments proved effective, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard combining for two goals, securing a strong victory over Athletic Bilbao. This is an ideal start for one of the tournament favorites. |
| 4 | Barcelona | Marcus Rashford scored his first club goal spectacularly, exploiting Newcastle United`s poor defending, then followed up with his first UCL brace since October 2020. Hansi Flick appears to have a Midas touch for attackers. |
| 5 | Liverpool | They seem to consistently find a way to win. Another match, another 90th-minute winner. Arne Slot is building something at Anfield, though the reliance on late goals feels unsustainable. |
| 6 | Bayern Munich | Harry Kane netted a brace, leading Bayern Munich to victory. While their UCL hopes aren`t in question at this early stage, a strong start is always crucial. |
| 7 | Manchester City | Haaland became the fastest player to reach 50 UCL goals, achieving it in just 49 games. However, City only gets partial credit here, given Napoli played with ten men. |
| 8 | Inter | Despite a new manager, Inter delivered a familiar result, defeating Ajax thanks to a Marcus Thuram brace. The defense conceded too many chances, but a clean sheet was exactly what they needed. |
| 9 | Chelsea | Facing their toughest opponent since the Club World Cup final, Chelsea demonstrated significant room for improvement. The Blues were spirited, and Cole Palmer rose to the challenge, but it wasn`t enough to seriously threaten Bayern. |
| 10 | Napoli | After their captain was sent off just 21 minutes into the match, Napoli`s ability to remain competitive was impressive. A victory seems imminent for them. |
| 11 | Tottenham | Thomas Frank needs to work on his team`s chance creation from open play, but their defensive improvements offer some leeway. |
| 12 | Marseille | The French side might feel hard done by a questionable penalty leading to their loss against Real Madrid. However, looking at the positives, their competitive showing and Tim Weah`s goal bode well for future matches. |
| 13 | Borussia Dortmund | Borussia Dortmund astonishingly squandered a two-goal lead. While it made for exciting viewing, it was a major disappointment for the Black and Yellow. |
| 14 | Juventus | It`s difficult to assess this performance. Trailing 4-2, Juventus managed a stoppage-time comeback, but conceding four goals is a clear area for improvement. |
| 15 | Club Brugge | Despite needing to rebuild after last season`s Champions League success and losing starting keeper Simon Mignolet to injury just 19 minutes in, Brugge secured a three-goal victory. |
| 16 | Atletico Madrid | Had Atleti started the match with more intensity, they might have left Anfield with a victory. The opportunities were there, but it ended as a missed chance. |
| 17 | Athletic Club | Losing 2-0 to Arsenal, even while creating some chances, is no disgrace. Many teams will face similar outcomes in this competition. |
| 18 | Eintracht Frankfurt | After their first loss of the season, Frankfurt responded emphatically by hosting Galatasaray and winning convincingly. This team has the potential to cause upsets. |
| 19 | Sporting Club Portugal | Sporting took a while to get going but ultimately got the job done at home, comfortably defeating Kairat Almaty. However, defensively, stronger opponents in the competition could expose some weaknesses. |
| 20 | Union Saint-Gilloise | Another club celebrating their first-ever UCL victory, USG made a statement in the Netherlands, going two goals up in the first half and showing they aim for the knockouts. |
| 21 | Qarabag | Sacking Bruno Lage and securing Azerbaijan`s first UCL win by overcoming a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals is an impressive feat. |
| 22 | Bayer Leverkusen | Even with a front-row seat to an Alexander Grimaldo show, Leverkusen couldn`t complete a comeback in Copenhagen. However, Claudio Echeverri could offer a new attacking dimension for them in this competition. |
| 23 | Copenhagen | A strong home advantage saw Copenhagen take the lead twice, but the Danish side couldn`t hold on. With a tough group stage schedule, they needed more from this match. |
| 24 | Galatasaray | A team formidable at home in Turkiye, Gala needs to translate that form to away games. Conceding five goals is poor, but struggling to score in Germany makes matters worse. |
| 25 | Atalanta | While a loss wasn`t unexpected, allowing four goals to PSG is a demoralizing way to begin their campaign. |
| 26 | Newcastle United | A poor defensive display from Eddie Howe`s side. The Magpies could have conceded far more goals. Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga provided bright spots, but it might not be enough. |
| 27 | Benfica | Jose Mourinho is back! If it took losing spectacularly to Qarabag, it might prove worth it for Benfica in the long run. Can `The Special One` reignite their spark? |
| 28 | Villarreal | Statistically, Villarreal should have defeated Tottenham, but their goalkeeper had other ideas. The Champions League is not a competition where teams can be their own worst enemy, but it`s a valuable lesson to learn early. |
| 29 | Bodo/Glimt | Without their full squad, the Norwegian side showed impressive resilience by coming back from a two-goal deficit away from home. |
| 30 | Monaco | It took until the 91st minute for Ansu Fati to score a consolation goal for Monaco in what was an otherwise uninspiring performance. Conceding four goals always raises defensive questions. |
| 31 | Ajax | They needed to be more clinical at home. Ajax won the xG battle (1.26 to 1.24) but have nothing to show for it on their Champions League return. More finishing quality will be required. |
| 32 | Slavia Praha | Squandering a 2-0 lead to Bodo/Glimt late in the game is not how you want to start your UCL campaign, especially at home. |
| 33 | PSV | Failing to win at home against USG suggests PSV might face a difficult season. Ricardo Pepi`s subpar performance, including conceding a penalty, further complicates matters. |
| 34 | Pafos | Receiving an early red card, then seeing David Luiz leave injured, and still managing a draw away from home in Greece – not a bad Champions League debut. |
| 35 | Olympiacos | Not finding a winner while playing with a man advantage for most of the match at home can only be seen as a disappointment. Securing points against sides like Pafos is crucial for advancing from the group stage. |
| 36 | Kairat | They managed a consolation goal after their trip to Portugal, but this is a team likely content just to be participating. |
