Uefa Champions League Predictions: Matchday 1/21

The 2025–26 convention is edging towards its conclusion, pinch nan 2nd half of nan penultimate matchday playing retired connected Wednesday.

We whitethorn beryllium without a blockbuster brushwood betwixt 2 of nan continent’s best, but nan accrued jeopardy and hostility intends mitigation is provided.

A congested array intends truthful overmuch tin alteration complete nan adjacent week, pinch teams now successful hopeless request to consolidate their positions to widen their Champions League campaigns.

Here’s really Sports Illustrated predicts nan upcoming information of fixtures to play out.

Jump to:

1. Galatasaray vs. Atlético Madrid
2. Qarabağ vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
3. Atalanta vs. Athletic Club
4. Bayern Munich vs. Union Saint-Gilloise
5. Chelsea vs. Pafos
6. Juventus vs. Benfica
7. Marseille vs. Liverpool
8. Newcastle United vs. PSV Eindhoven
9. Slavia Prague vs. Barcelona
10. Matchday 21/1 Predictions

Galatasaray vs. Atlético Madrid

Kick-off time: 5.45 p.m. GMT / 12.45 p.m. ET / 9.45 a.m. PT

Galatasaray person a conflict connected their hands if they’re to clasp their home Süper Lig title this season, pinch Fenerbahçe making a beardown push, but nan Turkish champions are surely prioritising progression successful Europe, fixed nan pricey make-up of their squad.

Back-to-back Champions League defeats intends they still person activity to do if they’re to find themselves successful nan playoffs, but their buffer complete those extracurricular nan apical 24 is 2 points.

The hosts will use from Victor Osimhen’s return from nan Africa Cup of Nations, arsenic Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid make nan travel to Istanbul. The La Liga side, finalists successful 2014 and 2016, person won 3 connected nan bounce successful nan convention shape and presently beryllium eighth successful nan table.

Last clip out, a precocious victor from José Giménez thrust Simeone’s men to a melodramatic 2–1 triumph complete Inter, boosting their chances of making nan past 16.

Prediction: Galatasaray 1–0 Atlético Madrid

Qarabağ vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

Kick-off time: 5.45 p.m. GMT / 12.45 p.m. ET / 9.45 a.m. PT

The visitors person parted ways pinch Dino Toppmöller up of their travel to Azerbaijan. A 3–3 tie astatine Werder Bremen connected Friday nighttime proved to beryllium nan last straw for nan man responsible of returning Die Werkself to nan large clip this season.

Interim managers Dennis Schmidt and Alexander Meier person been tasked pinch shoring up a porous protect unit, pinch only 4 teams conceding much goals than Eintracht Frankfurt successful nan convention shape truthful far.

After winning their opening 2 games, Qarabağ are without a triumph successful four. Thus, their hopes of making nan knockouts are successful doubt, and their 4–2 location conclusion to nan antecedently point-less Ajax must’ve hurt. The Dutch broadside scored 3 times successful nan last 4th of nan title to bargain each 3 points.

A triumph for nan Bundesliga broadside could spot them leapfrog nan Azerbaijani broadside successful nan table.

Prediction: Qarabağ 1–2 Eintracht Frankfurt

Atalanta vs. Athletic Club

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Atalanta are starting to find their groove nether Rafaelle Palladino, pinch caller victories complete Roma, Torino and Bologna pointing towards a squad that could soon beryllium a unit to beryllium reckoned pinch successful Italy.

Their fantabulous continental run continued pinch a 2–1 triumph complete what was past Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea past month, pinch Charles De Ketelaere taking complete nan title aft La Dea recovered themselves down successful nan first half.

They’re eighth successful nan array and not yet assured of a bye to nan information of 16.

Athletic Club, connected nan contrary, person disappointed truthful far. Just 1 triumph from six leaves them down successful 32nd, but they did unafraid an admirable tie against nan European champions past clip out.

Prediction: Atalanta 2–0 Athletic Club

Bayern Munich vs. Union Saint-Gilloise

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Only Arsenal person been much productive successful this season’s convention shape than Bayern Munich, pinch nan Gunners toppling nan Bundesliga leaders successful an awesome 3–1 triumph backmost successful November.

That conclusion is nan sole blemish connected Bayern’s Champions League record, pinch Sporting CP formed speech past clip out. Their stellar shape has continued into nan caller year, pinch Vincent Kompany’s broadside winning their first 3 Bundesliga crippled of 2026 by 8–1, 3–1 and 5–1 scorelines.

Union Saint-Gilloise are apt to consciousness Die Roten’s wrath next, but nan Belgians person won 2 convention shape outings to springiness them a chance of moving into nan adjacent stage. However, a mediocre protect grounds successful this title truthful acold points towards different productive outing for Kompany’s entertainers.

Prediction: Bayern Munich 4–1 Union Saint-Gilloise

Chelsea vs. Pafos

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Liam Rosenior’s first 4 games arsenic Chelsea leader person travel successful 4 different competitions. The caller head has already gotten a sensation of some home cups and nan Premier League. Now, he’s preparing to make his managerial front successful nan Champions League.

It’ll beryllium his first acquisition of Europe’s premier nine competition, having grounded to ascend to specified heights during his playing days.

The Blues are taking connected first-timers Pafos FC and aiming to sphere their chances of finishing wrong nan apical eight. The Cypriot champions person conscionable parted ways pinch nan head who oversaw their title triumph successful 2024–25, and they’re apt to beryllium without erstwhile Chelsea defender and Champions League victor David Luiz done wounded connected Wednesday night.

Prediction: Chelsea 2–0 Pafos

Juventus vs. Benfica

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

The ideological conflict will beryllium chopped successful Turin, moreover if José Mourinho believes he’s moving pinch nan times. There are very fewer captivating units successful European shot correct now, but Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus are among them.

Spalletti’s power connected nan Old Lady has quickly go obvious, though their momentum was sapped successful Sardinia by Cagliari astatine nan weekend.

Still, back-to-back wins successful this title mean Juve are well-placed to make nan playoffs. Benfica, 3 points worse off, are connected nan extracurricular looking in, but Mourinho’s triumph complete Antonio Conte connected Matchday 6 has emboldened their push to widen their Champions League campaign.

Prediction: Juventus 3–0 Benfica

Marseille vs. Liverpool

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Many Liverpool supporters will undoubtedly retrieve erstwhile Rafael Benitez’s broadside wholly overwhelmed Marseille astatine nan Vélodrome successful December 2007, romping to a 4–0 triumph that helped them into nan knockout stages.

The 2 teams faced disconnected nan pursuing season, too, but they haven’t encountered each different since.

A triumph for nan distant broadside will thief easiness nan unit connected Arne Slot, who has a Xabi Alonso-sized protector looming complete him, but Marseille, erstwhile they purr, are reliable to slow down. Roberto De Zerbi’s broadside person already beaten Newcastle United connected location ungraded this season, and they’re connected nan hunt for a much important scalp here.

Prediction: Marseille 2–1 Liverpool

Newcastle United vs. PSV Eindhoven

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Three wins successful succession complete nan autumn near Newcastle United successful a beardown position, but Eddie Howe’s Magpies person since been beaten successful Marseille and held by Bayer Leverkusen.

They’re backmost astatine location connected Machday 7, welcoming Peter Bosz’s PSV Eindhoven to St. James’ Park.

PSV produced 1 of nan standout performances of nan convention shape truthful far, beating Napoli 7–2, and a triumph astatine Anfield successful November intends they’re improbable to fearfulness nan travel to Tyneside. Their inability to put together a drawstring of affirmative results, though, intends Bosz’s broadside are astatine consequence of slipping extracurricular nan apical 24.

Prediction: Newcastle 2–1 PSV

Slavia Prague vs. Barcelona

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

Sunday’s 2–1 conclusion astatine Real Sociedad ended Barcelona’s 11-game winning tally successful each competitions; a streak that returned nan Spanish Super Cup and helped Hansi Flick’s La Liga champions into a four-point lead astatine nan apical of nan table.

Barça were ascendant successful nan convention shape past season, but they’ve encountered a fewer much issues this clip around. As a result, they beryllium 15th and look destined to play 2 other games successful bid conscionable to scope nan past 16.

Nevertheless, Flick’s broadside should beryllium okay successful nan Czech capital, arsenic they look a Slavia Prague outfit that are 1 of only 3 teams yet to notch a triumph successful nan competition.

Prediction: Slavia Prague 0–3 Barcelona

Matchday 21/1 Predictions

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