UEFA Champions League: Matches to watch out for on Matchday 1

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League rolls off with a number of interesting matches in Matchday 1 with a new format. Let's look at the few standout matches to look out for:

AC Milan vs Liverpool (September 17, 2024)

This is a proper European classic, as AC Milan hosts Liverpool in what is one of the marquee matchups of Matchday 1. Milan have shown, under Paulo Fonseca, spurts of form; however, they have been pretty inconsistent. Coming off a good, solid 2-0 win against Venezia, they will depend on Tammy Abraham and Rafael Leão to cause some problems to the Liverpool backline.

In the meantime, Liverpool, in an upset loss in the Premier League to Nottingham Forest, will seek to bounce back. The lineup for Arne Slot's team is still an attacking powerhouse. The heavy attacking prowess, no doubt, give Milan a headache, and with two teams looking to start on a high, the game is bound to be action-packed.

Manchester City vs Inter Milan (September 19, 2024)

A rematch of the 2023 Champions League final pits Manchester City against Inter Milan, two teams that have something to prove. Manchester City has continued the dominant form it showed last year with Pep Guardiola at the helm. The usual suspects, along with Erling Haaland, will be expected to take a convincing result at the Etihad.

Simone Inzaghi's Inter Milan are a different animal from that which City found themselves up against in 2023. While inconsistent this campaign, the counter-attacking threat remains real, with Lautaro Martínez on top form. This is likely to be a tactical game where City will see much of the ball while Inter look to counter-attack.

Arsenal vs Atalanta ( September 19, 2024 )

Arsenal returns to the Champions League stage with a tricky away outing against Atalanta. Arsenal have been in phenomenal form in the Premier League, fresh from seeing off Tottenham Hotspur, and will be eager to carry that into Europe. The high-pressure football that Mikel Arteta asks for, combined with the creative sparkle of Bukayo Saka , may be too great for Atalanta.

Atalanta is an aggressive, high-tempo team. In such a match, they will try to put pressure on Arsenal's backline. This game is expected to be open, with both sides playing attacking football. Hence, this will be an exciting contest to watch.

Atletico Madrid vs RB Leipzig - September 18, 2024

The match between Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig is simply a case of opposites. Diego Simeone's Atletico, anchored in a tight defense and swift counters, comes up against Marco Rose's Leipzig, which is impetuous to press high and transit abruptly. With its physicality and experience, Atletico will look to control the tempo of the game and make Leipzig's youthful exuberance edgy.

Leipzig might have lost some star players, but they are good enough to compete in the Bundesliga. They will be looking to press high and push Atletico to make errors. This game has all the makings of a tactical encounter, with the midfield battle set to decide it.

PSG vs Girona (September 18, 2024)

In the transition phase following the losses of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid and Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United, PSG will be up against Girona at Parc des Princes. Luis Enrique's PSG has adjusted really well despite those key outfield losses, with players like Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele stepping up in attack. This time out, PSG will look to keep the winning momentum alive after defeating Brest 3-1 in Ligue 1.

Girona, in their Champions League maiden season, will go into this match with their confidence in the sky. They have fared well in La Liga and thumped Osasuna 4-0 in the last outing. The team looks confident with their attack. Though PSG might be tipped as favorites owing to their experience and the home advantage, Girona's resolute back four and counter-attacking play may throw a surprise or two at PSG.

These fixtures show real tactical variety and potential drama for the Champions League group stages for Matchday 1. The best clubs in Europe go head-to-head against each other in the ultimate fight for supremacy, with plenty of excitement expected from the matchdays.