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UEFA Champions League league phase kickoff

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2026-09-09 03:37 UTC → 2026-09-09 06:10 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase has commenced, marking the third year of the new format featuring 36 clubs playing eight matches each. Under this structure, teams compete in a single league table, where the top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff phase. Matchday 1 saw several notable ~~results.~~ results, with a total of 21 goals scored across the opening matches. Real Madrid secured a 2-1 home victory against Inter Milan, with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde following defensive errors by the Italian side. This match served as a tactical encounter between managers Jose Mourinho and Cristian Chivu. Manchester City also secured an opening win, defeating Porto 2-0 away behind two goals from Erling Haaland. Borussia Dortmund recorded a 3-2 home victory against Villarreal, continuing a strong start to their ~~season with three consecutive wins and 10 goals scored since the campaign began.~~ season. Other opening fixtures included Aston Villa achieving a 3-2 away win against Club Brugge, with goals from John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia, and Nicolas Jackson. Real Betis also secured a 3-2 comeback victory against Lille. AEK Athens secured a 1-0 victory over LASK, courtesy of a Razvan Marin free kick in the 21st minute. Despite a disallowed goal for Luka Jovic due to offside, AEK maintained their lead to secure their first win in the competition after a 20-year absence. The tournament also features the league phase debut of clubs such as Como, Sabah, and Viking. The competition is scheduled to continue through January, eventually moving into playoffs in February and culminating in the final at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5, 2027.

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