Paris Saint-Germain kick off their 2025/26 Champions League league phase this Wednesday against Atalanta at the Parc des Princes. They’re the defending European champions, unbeaten so far this season, and carry the clear tag of favorites. On the other side, the Italians have stumbled at the start of Serie A and now try to turn the underdog label into fuel against the toughest opponent the tournament can throw at them.
PSG start with the weight of a champion
The thrashing of Inter Milan in last season’s final still lingers. Five–nil, a result that went straight into the history books and set the bar sky-high. It means PSG can’t afford to ease into this campaign. Luis Enrique kept most of the squad together, made small tweaks here and there, and goes into the opener with a team that looks strong. The league phase last year wasn’t great, 15th place, just 13 points, but once the knockouts began, the team exploded. Brest crushed, Liverpool knocked out on penalties, Aston Villa edged in a tense battle, Arsenal beaten with confidence, and Inter destroyed in the final.
Luis Enrique’s personal record in the Champions League is another reason for confidence: 64.5% wins, the best rate of any coach with more than 50 games in the competition. Even so, there are issues. Dembélé and Doué are definitely out, while Beraldo, Kvaratskhelia and Lee are still questionable. The absences don’t strip PSG of their favorite status in Paris, but they do force Enrique to shuffle things earlier than he’d like.
Atalanta arrive as outsiders
It’s a very different picture on the other side. Atalanta have started Serie A poorly, far from the top spots, still chasing some consistency. Their Champions League campaign last season was also underwhelming: ninth in the league phase and then eliminated by Club Brugge in the playoffs. This time they show up with a new coach, Ivan Juric, who’s never managed in the Champions League. His only taste of Europe came recently with Roma in the Europa League, just four games.
That’s not much when you’re about to face the reigning champions. And the squad problems only pile on. Kolašinac and Éderson are unavailable, and Scamacca’s status is still uncertain. With so many things working against them, Atalanta can only lean on the idea of being the underdog, trying to resist the pressure inside the Parc des Princes.