Thursday Champions League Match Preview

2024-09-19 17:35 © Reuters

In the UEFA Champions League – a novelty. From this updated format, matches in the tournament will also be played on Thursdays.

The portal "EuroFootball.lt” looked into the recent matches of the first round and interesting facts about them.

19:45 "Feyenoord” – Bayer Leverkusen

Last season, the Germans became very predictable – they simply never lost. The only defeat was recorded in the Europa League final against "Atalanta”, but that did not tarnish the overall impression of a powerful season, during which the team became national champions for the first time in its history and won the German Cup. How Xabi Alonso's squad will perform this year – a huge intrigue in the competition.

Interesting fact: The Dutch are grateful to fate that there is no team from the Italian capital in the tournament – over the last three seasons, "Feyenoord” was defeated by "Roma” three times: once in the Conference League final and twice in the knockout stages of the Europa League.

19:45 "Crvena Zvezda” – Benfica Lisbon

Playing in foreign Champions League arenas, the Portuguese demonstrate excellent form – in the last 17 matches, including the knockout rounds, they suffered only three defeats.

Interesting fact: The Serbian club faced "Benfica” only once in the 1984–1985 European Cup first round, when the Portuguese celebrated a difficult victory with an aggregate score of 4:3.

22:00 "Monaco” – "Barcelona”

Monaco's manager Thiago Scuro was pleased that they would have to compete against the mighty "Barcelona” in their opening match: "That’s exactly why we wanted to play in the Champions League. It’s a chance for us to show our level. Monaco's main goal is to reach the decisive phase of the season.” Monaco has not played in knockout rounds since the 2016-2017 season when the young Kylian Mbappe was shining in the team.

Interesting fact: In the last 9 European tournament matches, the "Ligue 1” team suffered only two defeats (4 wins, 3 draws).

22:00 "Atalanta” – Arsenal London

After the draw, there was an inevitable feeling when the Europa League winners were matched again with an English team. In the last three seasons playing in the Champions League, "Atalanta” played six matches against representatives of the Premier League and only achieved one victory (2 draws, 3 losses). The unsuccessful series was broken last season when Gian Piero Gasperini's team beat "Liverpool” 3-0 away in the quarterfinals of the Europa League.

Interesting fact: Last season, only "Atalanta” managed to defeat the "Bayer” club. This happened in the 3:0 win of the Europa League final.

22:00 Atlético Madrid – Leipzig

Somewhat unexpectedly, one of the main players of the night will be 19-year-old Belgian Arthurs Vermeeren. The promising midfielder made his Champions League debut just last year and managed to beat "Barcelona” 3-2 with the "Antwerp” team. Last summer he transferred to Atlético Madrid and was later loaned to "Leipzig”.

Interesting fact: In the past, the two clubs faced each other only once, when in the quarterfinals of the 2019-2020 season, "Leipzig” defeated the Spaniards 2:1 in Lisbon.

22:00 "Brest” – Sturm Graz

Last season, "Brest” secured a third-place finish which was like a Cinderella story, but the club's coach Eric Roy hopes to replicate sensational results in Europe. Meanwhile, the Austrian team is sharpening its claws, having managed to dethrone the long-time national champion "Salzburg” last spring.

Interesting fact: This will be the very first match for the "Brest” club in European tournaments, while "Sturm” will play in the Champions League for the first time since the 2000-2001 season.