5️⃣ things to look out for in Wednesday's Champions League action 💫

The Champions League kicked off with a bang on Tuesday. Check out five things we learned from Tuesday’s action here.

Here are the five biggest things to look out for as the action continues on Wednesday.

⚔️ Match of the Day

Matchday one is really spoiling us, with the UEFA supercomputer having thrown up a mouthwatering rematch of the 2023 final between Manchester City and Inter.

Both are again champions of their country coming into this one, with revenge at the forefront of Nerazzurri minds following that gut-wrenching narrow loss in Istanbul.

City have been perfect so far this season, winning all four league fixtures, while Simone Inzaghi’s men have already surprisingly dropped points on two occasions, including last time out against Monza.

In addition, Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their last 23 games in the competition and would set an all-time European Cup/Champions League record (eclipsing Manchester United from September 2007-May 2009) if they avoid defeat in their opening three games of this year’s league phase.

🔎 Team to Watch

Not only are Girona one of two sides making their tournament debut (even dating back to the European Cup era), they are in fact competing in continental competition for the first time in their history.

Their incredible LaLiga season last year means they’ve been rewarded with an exciting first ever taste of Champions League action and what better way to begin that with a romantic trip to Paris to face PSG.

The last Spanish side to debut in the competition were Málaga 12 years ago and along with Villarreal and Sevilla, ensured that each of the last three LaLiga teams to make their debut reached the knockout stage in their maiden year.

But it will not be an easy trip to the Parc des Princes. Only one of the last 28 first-time Champions League visitors to Paris actually left with a win – Manchester United doing so with their dramatic turnaround in March 2019.

🔥 Player to Watch

Scottish champions Celtic broke their transfer record last month to sign exciting midfielder Arne Engels from Augsburg.

Within a week, the 21-year-old celebrated by receiving his first Belgium cap – no easy side to break into given the quality of their options in that area but it is testament to how highly he is rated.

Engels shrugged off any pressure concerns about his price tag with an exceptional display and first goal last Saturday, but he was bought for these big European nights.

Can he rise to the occasion and prove his potential when the Bhoys play host to Slovan Bratislava?

👀 Potential upset

According to the oddsmakers, Shakhtar Donetsk are considerable underdogs for their trip to Bologna on Wednesday, but should that be the case?

They have been regulars in this competition over the past two decades (only six sides appearing more since 2000), while the Felsinei are competing in it for just the second time ever – last doing so in the European Cup in 1964 where they were sent packing in the preliminary round.

That makes it the longest gap between appearances for any club in the tournament’s history.

Danylo Sikan is a big danger man as he showed with his four goals in six group stage games last season, while Shakhtar have done very well to keep hold of much sought-after key man Heorhiy Sudakov, who topped his side last year for chances created and completed passes.

By contrast, Bologna lost several of the key men who led them to the top four last season, with coach Thiago Motta leaving along with Joshua Zirkzee and Riccardo Calafiori, while captain Lewis Ferguson remains injured and they are yet to win a game this season – making them prime for a potential surprise slip-up on their big night.

📊 Fascinating stat

Borussia Dortmund have faced Club Brugge on four occasions in the Champions League and are yet to concede a goal. No side has ever gone five games against the same opponent in the competition and kept a clean sheet each time.