We take a look at where the headlines could be made as the league phase of the 2024/25 Uefa Champions League continues.
Catch all the action live on SuperSport.
Uefa.com looks over all the fixtures and picks out the important stats and key storylines from the Thursday matches:
FEYENOORD VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN (6:45)
Brian Priske's interest has been piqued by the new-look league phase. "I thought it was interesting and I'm curious to see what impact this form of competition will have," said the new Feyenoord coach. "A lot can change every round of play, which makes it more difficult to predict the outcome."
Leverkusen became extremely predictable last season – they simply refused to lose. Their sole reverse came in the Uefa Europa League final against Atalanta but that did not detract from a historic campaign in which they won a first league title in Germany and then added the domestic cup.
How Xabi Alonso's charges go in this competition is the subject of great intrigue.
Did you know?
Feyenoord have been beaten in Europe by Roma in the last three seasons –once in the Conference League final and twice in the Europa League knockout rounds.
CRVENA ZVEZDA VS BENFICA (6:45pm)
Uroš Spajić was delighted when Crvena Zvezda edged out Bodø/Glimt in their play-off tie. "This is my most beautiful evening in the Zvezda shirt," said the defender. "A very sweet victory. I dreamed of this moment. We have shown that our place is in the Champions League and that [the Stadion Rajko Mitić] has soul."
Benfica are the first side in the league phase tasked with quelling the atmosphere but they are well placed to do so, having only tasted defeat three times in their last 17 away games in this competition, qualifying included.
Did you know?
Crvena Zvezda and Benfica met for the only time in the 1984/85 European Cup, where Benfica won a first round tie 4-3 on aggregate.
MONACO VS BARCELONA
Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro was glowing when speaking about the new competition format for this season and the thought of facing Barcelona. "That’s why we wanted to qualify for the Champions League!" he said. "It's an opportunity for us to show our level. Our main goal is to reach the play-offs and each point will count for a possible qualification. I think it is a more exciting formula."
The French side have not reached the knockout stages since the Kylian Mbappé-inspired 2016/17 season – the same striker who helped Paris Saint-Germain eliminate Barcelona in last season's quarterfinals.
Did you know?
Monaco have lost just two of their last nine home European games (W4 D3).
ATALANTA VS ARSENAL
There was a sense of inevitability when the Europa League winners drew an English side in the inaugural league phase. Atalanta had played a Premier League team in each of their three previous Champions League group stage campaigns and a record of one win and three defeats from those six matches does not bode well.
That poor run ended in emphatic style last season though, when Gian Piero Gasperini's men recorded a sensational 3-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield in the Europa League quarterfinals. A changing of the guard or an outlier? We will see when Mikel Arteta's highly-polished charges pitch up in Bergamo.
Did you know?
Atalanta were the only team to defeat Leverkusen last season in all competitions when they won 3-0 in the Europa League final.
ATLÉTICO DE MADRID VS LEIPZIG
It has been quite a year for Arthur Vermeeren. On 19 September last year he made his debut at this stage of the competition for Antwerp – exactly one year later he will be hoping to face his former club Atlético. That 2023 game was also against Spanish opposition, Barcelona, and proved to be a baptism of fire for the then 18-year-old midfielder as Antwerp suffered a 5-0 defeat.
Both he and his side learned quickly though, Vermeeren scoring in Antwerp's 3-2 return victory on Matchday 6. The following month Atlético took him to Madrid only for Leipzig to pounce to bring him to Germany this summer. This league phase opener offers the Belgian talent a quick opportunity to show his talents again.
Did you know?
In the only previous meeting between the teams, Leipzig won 2-1 in the one-off 2019/20 Champions League quarterfinal in Lisbon.
Brest's third-placed finish in Ligue 1 was one of the great underdog stories of the 2023/24 season but Éric Roy believe they have the ability, and have recruited successfully enough, to test Europe's elite. "We have quality and quantity," said the Brest coach.
"We upset a lot of predictions last year, we will be the little power in this Champions League. We will enjoy this moment." Sturm turned the tables last term too, ending Salzburg's run of ten consecutive Austrian titles, so expect two fearless sides to aim to continue their fairy-tale stories in this league phase opener.
Did you know?
This will be Brest's first appearance in Uefa competition ever, while Sturm are in the Champions League proper for the first time since 2000/01.