All the build up as the 2026/27 Champions League season kicks off | OneFootball

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30 minutes away from the first two games of the new European season! 

The Swiss model has had its critics but it does bring us new and/or interesting clashes most seasons and this year will be no different. 

Emery has won a record five Europa Leagues - can he make a big splash again in the Champions League? He did make a semi-final with Villarreal in 2022...

Here's how Villa line up as they make their return to the Champions League... 

First up though is the early kick offs.

AEK Athens and LASK facing off in the Greek capital but the bigger story is Europa League champions Aston Villa's visit to Club Brugge. 

It's been a summer of serious upheaval for Unai Emery's squad and he will be looking to secure both a first win and first goal of the season in Belgium tonight. 

We will have teams news ahead of that one shortly. 

Borussia Dortmund - beaten finalists in 2024 - host Villarreal in a very yellow encounter while Troy Parrott and Real Betis will be looking to build on a famous win over Real on Friday when they take on Lille. 

Another of Mourinho's former sides, Porto, host Manchester City in what could be a thrilling clash. 

New City boss Enzo Maresca's final game as Pep Guardiola's assistant was the 2023 final win over Inter but he's now at the helm and will be looking to help the club kick on again in Europe. 

In the match of the night, José Mourinho takes charge of his first European game in his second stint with Real Madrid against the side, Inter, he left for the Spanish capital way back in 2010. 

In another neat twist, his final game in charge of Inter came at the Bernabéu - the scene of tonight's game - where he led the Nerazzurri to their third European title with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich. 

One of his starters that day? Current Inter boss Cristian Chivu. 

Neither two-time defending champions PSG or last season's finalists Arsenal are in action until tomorrow night but the four other sides to make the final in the last four seasons all are. 

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the first night of the league phase of this season's Champions League.