Champions League 26/27 Opener: PSG and Barcelona Run Riot as Liverpool and Arsenal Make Winning Starts

The wait is finally over, European football is back, and the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League has kicked off with an absolute explosion of goals and drama.

If opening night is anything to go by, we are in for a breathtaking season. Holders Paris Saint-Germain are out to make history, Barcelona are looking unstoppable under Hansi Flick, and both Liverpool and Arsenal had to dig deep to grind out massive away and home results.

Let’s dive into how all the action unfolded across a thrilling night of continental football.

PSG Send a Statement with a Six-Goal Thrashing

Paris Saint-Germain are hunting for a third consecutive Champions League title—a feat only achieved by a tiny, elite group in football history. Judging by their 6-1 demolition of Slovan Bratislava at the Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique’s side is in no mood to slow down.

Even though Slovan (managed by Yaya Toure) tried to weather the early storm, they simply couldn't handle PSG's relentless press. Ousmane Dembélé set the tone early, hammering home a rebound before nodding in a deflected cross to put the holders 2-0 up within 22 minutes.

Then came the Ferran Torres show. Fresh off his heroics for Spain, Torres tapped in a cross right before halftime, grabbed his second just two minutes after the restart, and completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute with a scrappy knee-shot that looped into the bottom corner. Suleiman Camara grabbed a consolation for the visitors, but Fabián Ruiz had the final say, pouncing on a sloppy clearance to cap off a 6-1 masterclass.

Liverpool Fight Back to Edge Atlético Madrid at Anfield

Over at Anfield, fans were treated to another classic European thriller as Liverpool came from behind to beat Atlético Madrid 2-1.

Atlético always know how to make life difficult for the Reds. Julian Alvarez—making his first start of the season—unlocked the defense in the 17th minute, setting up Marcos Llorente to cleverly dink the ball over Alisson. If that goal felt familiar, it's because Llorente seems to have an uncanny habit of scoring at Anfield, netting his fifth goal in three visits to the stadium following his famous heroics back in 2020 and last season.

To their credit, Liverpool didn't panic. Just before the break, Dominik Szoboszlai leveled the score thanks to a sensational, cheeky backheeled assist. Five minutes into the second half, Alexis Mac Allister blew the roof off the stadium with a trademark thunderbolt from outside the box. That left-footed strike proved to be the winner, securing a fantastic start to the league phase for the Reds.

Ødegaard’s Late Magic Sinks Napoli in Italy

Arsenal had to show a different kind of resilience during their trip to the Stadio Armando Diego Maradona. Facing a hostile atmosphere against Napoli, the English champions dominated the first half but missed a flurry of chances, including Mikel Merino getting denied by a stunning Alex Meret save and Piero Hincapíe somehow firing over from three yards out.

Just when it looked like the match was heading for a frustrating stalemate, captain Martin Ødegaard stepped up. With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Norwegian playmaker played a slick one-two with Christos Tzolis on the edge of the box and unleashed a curling effort that kissed the far post on its way in. It was a captain's goal that secured a massive 1-0 victory and three crucial away points for Mikel Arteta's men.

Barça’s Five-Star Display Under Hansi Flick

Barcelona are playing with frightening confidence right now. Hansi Flick’s side kicked off their campaign with a 5-1 thrashing of Feyenoord, extending their perfect start to the season across all competitions.

Raphinha is in the form of his life. Playing centrally following some squad reshaping, the Brazilian opened the scoring in the 3rd minute before summer signing Karim Adeyemi added a stunning long-range screamer. Raphinha added his second later in the match—bringing his tally to an incredible eight goals already this season.

Lamine Yamal joined the party with a clever free-kick that crept through the wall. Even though Feyenoord's Sem Steijn pulled one back, substitute Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to head home his very first goal for the Catalan giants, sealing a comprehensive 5-1 win.

Elsewhere on a busy opening night, Ermedin Demirović netted a blistering first-half hat-trick to lead VfB Stuttgart to a 3-1 win over Norwegian champions Viking, while Sporting CP showed great character in Lisbon to fight back and defeat Galatasaray 3-1.

What a night to kick off the new format. If the rest of the 26/27 Champions League matches match this level of intensity, we are in for an unforgettable few months!