The real football season hasn't started until the Champions League begins - September is almost here, and with it the best club competition in the world.
The first round of the European elite brings three days of football, and it all starts from one of the most beautiful football venues, the Basque Cathedral in Bilbao - Atlético welcomes Arsenal in the derby of the day at 18.45:XNUMX PM.
The Gunners are one of those clubs that wants to overthrow the empire of Paris Saint-Germain, a super team. Luis Enrique who, after struggling in the league last season, made it through the knockout stages and became European champions for the first time.
The "Saints" will still be among the main favorites, and there are several challengers and those who will want to take their crown away.
LIVERPOOL, ARSENAL, SITE, BARCELONA, REAL...
All of Europe's top clubs are among the top 36 starting the UEFA elite league stage, so it's hard to predict who is closest to the final at the "Puskas Arena" in Budapest and the famous silver cup, but if you ask Optima's supercomputer, then fans of English champions Liverpool will be looking forward to it on May 30th next year.
Opta lists Arsenal as the second favourites, then PSG, and then Barcelona, Chelsea, and then giants like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. In reality, everything could be much different, but as champions, and convincingly so, PSG must always be in first place as favourites.
- Everyone at the club believes that we can win the cup again and repeat the feat from last season. That would write us down in history in a spectacular way and that is our biggest motivation - said Luis Enrique.
THREE DAYS OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AND SEVERAL DERBYS
Like last season, the first round of the Champions League will be played over the next three days and will bring several derbies, starting with today's matches between Atletico and Arsenal and Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.
"Arsenal finally have the depth to fight on all fronts," he pointed out. Mikel Arteta, the coach of the London club before the away game in his Basque Country.
On the other hand, Athletic wants a prestigious scalp in their first Champions League match in Bilbao after 11 years, but they know what kind of rival awaits them.
- When you play against one of the favorites, you have to be very careful, to take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way and not to concede too many goals. A team like that pushes you towards a higher goal, because it's like when Real Madrid or Barcelona are here, you have to have a perfect day against teams like that - he says Ernesto Valverde, Athletics coach.
Wednesday will be even more spectacular with the matches Liverpool - Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich - Chelsea, and Thursday brings the clashes between Manchester City and Napoli and Newcastle and Barcelona.
Three Montenegrins in the elite, two starting tonight
After many years, Montenegro will have three players in the Champions League, and two of them should be running onto the field tonight.
DON'T MISS IT
After scoring a Euro goal to win the Italian Derby, Vasilije Adžić also deserves minutes against Borussia Dortmund (21 p.m.), while Marko Janković will make his debut in the elite in Lisbon - his Qarabag are away to Benfica at the same time.
Nikola Krstović will also play under the stars of the Champions League for the first time - Atalanta's new striker awaits the toughest, but also the most beautiful, challenge at the start on Wednesday, as European champions Paris Saint-Germain arrive in Bergamo.
Bonus video:
