Key Takeaways:
- Six Champions League league stage fixtures are scheduled for today, with two matches starting at 18:45 and four following at 21:00 CET
- Athletic Bilbao host Arsenal at San Mamés, as the Gunners arrive buoyed by a 3:0 win over Nottingham Forest
- Juventus face Borussia Dortmund, pitting managers Igor Tudor and Niko Kovac – both Croatians and close friends – against one another
Fixture Overview and Kick-off Times
Champions League excitement returns this evening as the league stage commences. Today’s programme consists of six matches: two fixtures will begin at 18:45, while the remaining four are set to start at 21:00. European football fans can look forward to an enticing mix of high-profile meetings and pivotal opening ties.
Champions League football returns ✨#UCL pic.twitter.com/KVZCSKNjzd
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 16, 2025
Key Match Previews and Recent Form
At San Mamés, Athletic Bilbao aim to repeat their strong La Liga performances, having won three consecutive league matches before an unexpected home defeat to Alavés last weekend. Arsenal, meanwhile, arrive in formidable spirits. The Gunners recently registered an emphatic 3:0 victory over Nottingham Forest, and after making significant and high-quality squad investments, many commentators now consider them one of the tournament’s main favourites.
Elsewhere, PSV Eindhoven approach their encounter with Royale Union SG as favourites, yet fixtures between Dutch and Belgian clubs have a history of being unpredictable. At Estádio da Luz, Benfica are targeting all three points against Qarabag, with the Azerbaijani champions boasting sufficient quality to pose a challenge.
Heavyweights and Tactical Battles
Real Madrid will be intent on avoiding the kind of stumbles that affected their league stage campaign last season. The Spanish giants take on Marseille at the Santiago Bernabéu, and with OM’s squad featuring significant depth, Los Blancos are fully aware they cannot take their opponents lightly.
Tottenham provide another highlight in London as they host Villarreal. Fresh from a 3:0 victory over West Ham, Spurs have enjoyed an impressive start to the Premier League season. However, their Spanish visitors have repeatedly demonstrated their resilience and fearlessness against top opposition, both in La Liga and across continental competitions.
The showdown between Juventus and Borussia Dortmund completes today’s set of fixtures. Juventus are on an upward trajectory after an impressive start in Serie A and a recent 4:3 win in derby d’Italia against Inter. Borussia Dortmund are also in strong form. This encounter is further enlivened by the presence of two Croatian managers and close friends, Igor Tudor and Niko Kovac, who lead their respective sides into this high-stakes contest.
