Attention turns on Tuesday to the second-round matches in the league phase of the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League, with Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich seeking to maintain their strong starts to the competition, while Manchester United face a difficult test against Atlético Madrid as they look to regain their balance after a recent decline in results across competitions.
Arsenal host French side Lille, while Spanish club Barcelona travel to Turkish side Galatasaray and German champions Bayern Munich play away to Norway's Viking. The round also includes Lens against Sporting CP, Sabah against Slavia Prague, Villarreal against Napoli, Inter Milan against Club Brugge and Leipzig against PSV Eindhoven.
United face Atlético in search of balance
The meeting between Manchester United and Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano stands out among the round's fixtures, with the English side needing a victory to restore calm and provide fresh impetus at the start of their European campaign. United have not won any of their last four matches in all competitions, despite opening their Champions League campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over Sabah.
Michael Carrick's side suffered consecutive defeats by Manchester City and Brighton, then drew two matches in a row 1-1. One of those draws came against Tottenham, who equalised in the second minute of added time despite completing the match with 10 players.
The run has frustrated United supporters, who are expecting a different performance against opponents adept at exploiting their rivals' setbacks. Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, enter the match after four consecutive victories, the latest a 2-1 win over Alavés last Saturday.
Those results have given the Spanish side a morale boost, alongside the good performances they have produced under Argentine manager Diego Simeone, before hosting Manchester United in the second round of the European competition. Despite Atlético's psychological advantage, their recent record against English clubs calls for caution: they have won only two of their last 15 matches against them, drawing three and losing 10.
The Spanish side's record improves at home, where they have suffered only two defeats in 19 matches hosting English teams. Manchester United, for their part, have a good recent record against Spanish clubs, losing only once in their last 11 matches against them.
However, the English side have failed to win any of their previous four matches against Atlético Madrid, who eliminated them in the last 16 of the Champions League in the 2021-2022 season. Carrick faces defensive problems, with Matthijs de Ligt still absent with a back injury, while Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu have also suffered fitness issues during the international break. The fitness of striker Benjamin Šeško is also in doubt.
Barcelona chase ninth win against Galatasaray
The manager is expected to rely on Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to lead the attack, while Atlético will look to Julián Álvarez and Lee Kang-in to threaten their visitors' goal. In Istanbul, Barcelona hope to extend their winning run against Galatasaray, who will seek to use home advantage and crowd support to make up for their 1-3 defeat by Portugal's Sporting CP in the opening round.
The Catalan side arrive after a strong European start, opening with a 5-1 victory over Dutch side Feyenoord. Barcelona continued their good domestic form by beating Getafe 3-0 last Saturday, recording their ninth consecutive win in all competitions.
The run reflects the team's strength under German manager Hansi Flick, who is looking to maintain their momentum in their second league-phase Champions League match. Barcelona can draw on their historical superiority over Galatasaray in the competition, having won five of their previous eight meetings, drawing two and losing one.
The Spanish side have also lost only once in their last six away Champions League matches, a record that gives them confidence before playing in front of their Turkish opponents' supporters. Galatasaray hope to repeat the notable results they achieved against strong opponents in the previous edition, and have received a morale boost from their latest domestic victory, a 3-1 win over Kasimpasa.
The team are monitoring the fitness of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, who recently returned from a muscle injury and came on as a substitute in the previous match. Brazilian Raphinha will miss Barcelona's match with a thigh injury, while Frenkie de Jong's fitness remains in doubt.
Bayern put defence to the test against Norway's Viking
In Norway, Bayern Munich travel to face Viking as they seek a return to winning ways after drawing 2-2 domestically with Augsburg, a result that raised questions about their defensive stability. The German side began their European campaign with a 5-0 win over Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt, underlining their desire to challenge for the title.
Bayern will be without Jamal Musiala because of a thigh injury, and his absence could give Ismaïl Saibari the chance to start. The German side will rely in attack on English top scorer Harry Kane, along with Michael Olise and Luis Díaz, to settle the match and continue collecting points after their emphatic victory in the opening round.
Viking began their campaign with a 1-3 defeat by German side Stuttgart, but go into the Bayern match on the strength of their strong domestic home record. The Norwegian team have won 11 consecutive home matches, scoring at least two goals in every game during that run. Viking lead the Norwegian league, but face an opponent with considerable European experience and attacking quality.
Arsenal host Lille to strengthen European start
In London, Arsenal will play their first match at the Emirates Stadium in this season's Champions League when they host French side Lille. The London club opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Italian side Napoli, with both goals scored by Norway's Martin Ødegaard, and enter the second round seeking to establish their place among the teams that have made successful starts.
Arsenal have won 13 consecutive league-phase matches in the competition and have lost only twice in their last 31 matches in the league phase or group stage of UEFA competitions. That record gives their players considerable confidence, despite some recent defensive problems, with the team conceding six goals in their last three matches in all competitions.
Arsenal came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 last Saturday, boosting their players' morale before their return to European competition. Lille, meanwhile, arrive in London after a disappointing European start, having lost 3-2 to Spanish side Real Betis despite taking the lead twice, then conceding two goals and finishing with 10 players after Ethan Mbappé was sent off.
Lille have recovered some domestic balance after their European setback, collecting six points from their last three Ligue 1 matches to move into second place, one point behind leaders Monaco.
But the team face a difficult task at the Emirates after losing their last eight away matches against English clubs, in addition to the absences they are dealing with, chief among them Ethan Mbappé, who is suspended after being sent off against Betis and is also suffering from an ankle injury.
