The Champions League's new format has kicked off with a flurry of results, and an early picture is beginning to emerge of which sides look best equipped to challenge for the trophy this season. The first round of fixtures produced comfortable victories for holders Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all claimed away wins to open with maximum points. Liverpool edged past Atletico Madrid on home soil, and Manchester United made a statement in their return to Europe's top competition with a 4-0 thrashing of debutants Sabah.
PSG top the early standings after a 6-1 demolition of Slovan Bratislava, in which Ferran Torres struck a hat-trick. Despite a somewhat inconsistent start domestically, Luis Enrique's side remain the team to beat given their pedigree as back-to-back champions and the influence of Vitinha, Joao Neves, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. History suggests PSG could again finish outside the top eight of the league phase and still be considered among the favourites, with their upcoming meetings against Manchester City and Barcelona set to test that theory before the competition truly heats up in the new year.
Arsenal sit second following a hard-fought 1-0 win over Napoli, as Mikel Arteta's men look to go one step further after last season's penalty shootout heartbreak against PSG in the final. Their squad depth is regarded as a major asset, and the early-season brilliance of Martin Odegaard has added extra bite to their attack.
Barcelona round out the top three after a stunning start under Hansi Flick, scoring 22 goals in their opening five games of the campaign, including a 5-1 win over Feyenoord in the Champions League. Raphinha has been in electric form, and the club will hope for a fully fit Lamine Yamal following his hamstring issue last season. The addition of Rodri in midfield has also strengthened a Barcelona side chasing a first European crown since 2015.
Bayern Munich, fresh off a 5-0 win over Bodo/Glimt in which Michael Olise scored twice and Harry Kane also got on the scoresheet, occupy fourth spot. Vincent Kompany's side impressed many last term with their run to the semi-finals, and their firm grip on the Bundesliga title race is expected to give them an edge over Premier League and La Liga rivals later in the season.
Manchester City, despite a 2-0 win at Porto thanks to a Erling Haaland double, sit fifth amid a major squad rebuild under new boss Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola's departure. Real Madrid, who edged Inter Milan 2-1 in an entertaining opener, are sixth as Xabi Alonso's midfield concerns persist, though the club's aura in Europe remains intact.
Liverpool, who beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 courtesy of an Alexis Mac Allister goal, are placed seventh in their first campaign under Andoni Iraola, with question marks over their defensive solidity offset by attacking potential featuring Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Inter Milan follow in eighth after their narrow loss to Real Madrid, still considered Italy's strongest side despite recent European setbacks.
Atletico Madrid, beaten by Liverpool, sit ninth, while Manchester United complete the top ten following their comfortable win over Sabah, though a testing schedule ahead will offer a clearer picture of Michael Carrick's side under European pressure. Behind them, sides such as Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa, Roma and Porto make up the chasing pack in a competition that promises another dramatic campaign.
Based on reporting from The Independent.