Sports Illustrated Predicts Thursday’s Champions League Matchday 1 Scores

The final set of Matchday 1 league phase fixtures arrive on Thursday, as Bayern Munich and Manchester United take center stage.

While Bayern are gunning to improve on last season‘s semifinal finish, United are celebrating their return to Europe’s premier club competition after two years away. The Red Devils have struggled for relevance on this stage since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement and will be led out by one of the stalwarts of Fergie’s later days at Old Trafford, Michael Carrick.

There’s plenty of intrigue elsewhere on what’s typically a Europa night, as two debutants are in action and peripheral figures of the continent’s aristocracy aim to leave an early marker.

Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts Thursday’s games to play out.

Fenerbahçe vs. Roma Prediction

Prediction: Fenerbahçe 2–2 Roma

Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
Stadium: Şükrü Saracoğlu Spor Kompleksi
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Kick-off Time: 5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PT
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (ESP)

A novel occasion greets both of these teams on Thursday evening, as Fenerbahçe and Roma face off for the first time.

A dramatic playoff victory over Lyon saw the hosts claim their first Champions League berth since 2009, while Roma are back in the competition after a seven-year absence.

Fenerbahçe may well boast the most Turkish Süper Lig team you’re ever likely to see. An array of familiar names, from Ederson to Romelu Lukaku and Nathan Aké to N’Golo Kanté, are aiming to inspire the Turkish club on the big stage over the autumn and winter.

An Italian team hasn’t won a Champions League away match in Türkiye in over 20 years.

PSV Eindhoven vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction

Prediction: PSV 3–1 Shakhtar Donetsk

Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Stadium: Philips Stadium
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Kick-off Time: 5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PT
Referee: Halil Umut Meler (TUR)

PSV Eindhoven are tipped as a potential outsider to enjoy a deep run in this year’s competition, having emerged as the Eredivisie’s dominant force with Peter Bosz at the helm.

They’ve won three consecutive Dutch league titles and have teased their scalability on the European stage. Last season, PSV thrashed Napoli 6–2 and Liverpool 4–1 at Anfield, yet still conspired to exit at the league phase.

While they’re celebrating a fourth-successive Champions League appearance, Shakhtar Donetsk, who’ll be playing their home games at Stamford Bridge due to the ongoing war back home, are competing for the 20th time since making their bow in 2000–01.

The Ukrainian champions are led by former Atlético Madrid and Barcelona playmaker Arda Turan.

Bayern Munich vs. Bodø/Glimt Prediction

Prediction: Bayern Munich 4–1 Bodø/Glimt

Location: Munich, Germany
Stadium: Allianz Arena
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Referee: Rade Obrenovič (SVN)

The Norwegian visitors were the neutral’s darlings last season, as they reached the last-16 on their Champions League bow. Bodø/Glimt‘s journey was magical, and the sort of fairytale that’s becoming increasingly rare in this day and age.

Kjetil Knutsen’s side defeated Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan (twice) on their way to the round of 16, where they surrendered a big home advantage in the return leg at Sporting CP.

As you might expect, there hasn’t been much roster turnaround since their crushing defeat in Lisbon, and this team perhaps endures its toughest continental test yet on Thursday night.

Bayern Munich are Champions League behemoths and are well in the mix to claim a seventh European crown this term. They’ll need Harry Kane and Michael Olise purring in tandem once more, with the former enjoying a campaign that’s thrust him to the center of the Ballon d’Or conversation.

Bayern triumphed domestically without breaking a sweat, and now they’re looking to go a couple better in Europe after losing to Paris Saint-Germain in a stunning semifinal last time out.

Como vs. RB Leipzig Prediction

Prediction: Como 2–1 RB Leipzig

Location: Como, Italy
Stadium: Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük (NED)

Como are the 16th different Italian team to take part in this competition, and their meteoric rise cannot be understated. They were competing in the third tier just five years ago.

Como were promoted to Serie A in 2024, and are readying themselves for their first experience of European soccer. They beat out the likes of AC Milan and Juventus to a Champions League spot last season.

Led by Cèsc Fabregas, the Italian side first faces RB Leipzig on home soil. More lucrative ties lie ahead for the debutants, but Leipzig have developed some Champions League pedigree themselves since their maiden appearance in 2017.

Die Roten Bullen were semifinalists under Julian Nagelsmann in 2020, and are returning the competition after a year without European soccer in 2025–26. Former Argentinian defender Martín Demichelis is the new man at the helm in Saxony.

Manchester United vs. Sabah Prediction

Prediction: Man Utd 3–0 Sabah

Location: Manchester, England
Stadium: Old Trafford
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Referee: Willy Delajod (FRA)

The Red Devils are back in the big time after a brief layoff, with Michael Carrick benefitting from Manchester United’s free midweeks during the second half of last season.

And they’re being eased back into this competition, facing off against unknown debutants Sabah on Matchday 1. The Azerbaijani side are led by Valdas Dambrauskas, who appeared on Lithuania’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” in 2002. Dambrauskas walked away with $980 (£725).

This is some occasion for the visitors, with the Theatre of Dreams the home of their Champions League bow. A home walkover is expected, even if Manchester United have endured a rather concerning start to their 2026–27 Premier League season.

Slavia Prague vs. Lens Prediction

Prediction: Slavia Prague 0–0 Lens

Location: Prague, Czechia
Stadium: Eden Arena
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Referee: Vassilis Fotias (GRE)

Lens ran PSG relatively close in Ligue 1 last season, but they were gutted by London clubs over the summer. Manager Pierre Sage was appointed Oliver Glasner’s successor at Crystal Palace, while star midfielder Mamadou Sangaré joined Brentford in a club-record deal.

They’ve also lost Facundo Medina to Bayer Leverkusen, but at least West Ham United were kind enough to hand them Jean-Clair Todibo on loan for the season.

Maintaining, let alone building upon, last season‘s performance will be a tough ask for the French outfit, and a tricky European away day greets them on Matchday 1. Eastern European visits may not be as imposing as they once were, but a French team hasn’t won away at Slavia Prague since 2009. Three have succumbed since.

The hosts were the joint-lowest-scorers in last season’s competition

Champions League Predictions: Sept. 10

Kickoff Time	Fixture	Prediction
5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET	Fenerbahçe vs. Roma	2–2
5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET	PSV vs. Shakhtar Donetsk	3–1
8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET	Bayern Munich vs. Bodø/Glimt	4–1
8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET	Como vs. RB Leipzig	2–1
8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET	Man Utd vs. Sabah	3–0
8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET	Slavia Prague vs. Lens	0–0

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