Champions League Matchday 2: What to look out for on Wednesday

The new-look Uefa Champions League league phase continues on Wednesday with 18 teams in action to conclude Matchday 2. Catch all the action live on SuperSport.

Uefa.com looks over all the fixtures and picks out the important stats and key storylines for the matches on 2 October.

All kick-off times 21:00 CAT unless stated

Wednesday 2 October

Shakhtar Donetsk v Atalanta (18:45)

Mykola Matviyenko was philosophical after Shakhtar began their campaign with a goalless draw against Bologna. "I cannot say that we are fully satisfied, but if we assess the game in general, the result is probably natural," said the defender. "A 0-0 draw is a good start in the Champions League. We want, at least, to get to the zone of teams fighting for the playoffs."

The Pitmen face another Italian team next, and another outfit who were involved in a Matchday 1 stalemate in which they spurned a penalty to take the points. Neither side has truly hit their stride yet, but both have proven domestically that, when everything clicks, they are difficult to keep at bay.

DID YOU KNOW? Shakhtar are without a win in their last nine Uefa competition matches against Italian teams (D4 L5). Their last victory was a 2-1 defeat of Atalanta in Milan during the 2019/20 Champions League group stage.

Girona v Feyenoord (18:45)

Girona came agonisingly close to a draw at Paris on their competition debut and coach Míchel was full of praise for his charges. "I think we gave a good account of ourselves," he said. "We're a humble club, it's our first appearance in the Champions League and we were up to the task. This game will serve as a learning curve. We'll pick up points little by little. I'm convinced that we'll be competitive in each match."

Feyenoord need to learn quickly too and clear their heads following a 4-0 reverse against Leverkusen on Matchday 1. Goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther was keen to find positives after that game, saying: "We had chances but didn't score. We didn't actually play badly with the ball."

DID YOU KNOW? Feyenoord have lost their last four Champions League matches.

Aston Villa v Bayern Munich

There was certainly an element of fate when Villa were drawn to play Bayern in their first home game in this competition since 1983, the English club having famously lifted the trophy a year earlier by beating the Munich outfit 1-0 in the Rotterdam showpiece. Unai Emery's side showed they are eager to make up for lost time as they beat Young Boys 3-0 on Matchday 1, a result which left Youri Tielemans already looking forward to their next challenge.

"Every game's going to be really tough," said the midfielder. "This new format means everything's going to be really important; it's going to go down to the details at the end of the eight games. It's going to be up to us to impose our game." Bayern certainly imposed themselves last time out, becoming the first team to score nine goals in a Champions League match (excluding qualifying).

DID YOU KNOW? Bayern are unbeaten in a competition-record 41 league phase/group stage matches in the Champions League (W37 D4), since a 3-0 defeat against Paris in September 2017.

GNK Dinamo v Monaco

Monaco coach Adi Hütter was delighted with his young side after they earned one of the standout results of Matchday 1, a 2-1 success at home to Barcelona. "I'm really proud," he said. "Especially with the likes of Eliesse Ben Seghir, who is 19, Maghnes Akliouche, who was playing his first game [in the competition] and Lamine Camara, who is 20. This is the way we want to go here at Monaco."

While the French outfit have set out their stall, GNK Dinamo have gone back to the drawing board, having parted company with coach Sergej Jakirović after their 9-2 defeat at Bayern. His replacement, Nenad Bjelica, started his second spell in charge of the club with a 5-1 victory over NK Lokomotiva but knows there is little margin for error on Matchday 2. "The boys played well, I am satisfied with how we met all requirements," he said. "Now we can turn our full attention to Monaco."

DID YOU KNOW? Monaco were without a win in 14 matches in the Champions League proper before that triumph against Barcelona.

Liverpool v Bologna

Liverpool made a successful return to the competition with their win at Milan on Matchday 1, and captain Virgil van Dijk was quick to outline how Arne Slot's men intend to build on that victory. "It sounds very easy, but [the key is] the consistency," he said. "You have to stay fit, you have to do everything in your power to be ready for the next game, whether you start or not, and you have to feel part of winning games."

The Reds scored twice with headers in that match – one from a free-kick, the other from a corner – and Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano has pinpointed that as an area for improvement for his side. "We've got to grow and improve in the final third," he said. "We've also got to make more of set-play situations."

DID YOU KNOW? Liverpool have won 12 of their last 13 league phase/group stage matches in the Champions League (L1).

Lille v Real Madrid

With 10 men on the pitch, Lille lost 2-0 at Sporting CP on Matchday 1, though defender Alexsandro refused to despair, telling Uefa.com: "We took a lot of positives from this game, despite the defeat. We had a defensive error that complicated the game."

Further mistakes would be ill advised as the reigning European champions visit France, though Madrid were perhaps flattered by their 3-1 scoreline against Stuttgart last time out. "We are still seeking our best version [of ourselves]," said coach Carlo Ancelotti. Will they find it at Stade Pierre Mauroy?

DID YOU KNOW? Lille have lost just once in eight home meetings with Spanish clubs in Uefa club competition, winning twice and drawing the other five games.

Leipzig v Juventus

Leipzig conceded late in losing at Atlético de Madrid, leaving midfielder Arthur Vermeeren keen to make amends back in Germany. "We are a young group with young players and these are the moments we need to learn from, and in the next game make sure we win," he told Uefa.com.

Kenan Yıldız's finish was the highlight of Juve's 3-1 success against PSV, meanwhile, but coach Thiago Motta expects an even better performance in their first meeting with Leipzig. "[The PSV] result is a good way to start the competition," he explained. "Now we just have to keep it up and improve on a lot of things."

DID YOU KNOW? Juve have won three of their last five games in Germany (D1 L1), including 2-0 wins in their two most recent visits.

Sturm Graz v Club Brugge

"We were unlucky with some chances, but in the end we conceded two easy goals," Sturm captain Jon Gorenc Stanković told Uefa.com as he reflected on his team's 2-1 opening-night loss at Brest. The Austrian champions will need to be sharper if they are to get the better of their Belgian counterparts in Klagenfurt.

Nicky Hayen's Club Brugge buckled late against Dortmund, conceding all three goals in a 3-0 loss after the 75th minute, and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was left feeling frustrated. "We have to persevere for the next match," he said.

DID YOU KNOW? Sturm's last Belgian visitors were Anderlecht in the 2011/12 Europa League group stage; the Brussels side won 2-0.

Benfica v Atlético de Madrid

These teams have met twice before, both winning 2-1 in their away fixtures in the 2015/16 Champions League group stage. Bruno Lage's Benfica braved a typically full-blooded home crowd to earn a 2-1 win at Crvena Zvezda in their opening fixture, and can expect intimidating opponents again, with Atleti fighting fit after coming back from 1-0 down to beat Leipzig 2-1 on Matchday 1.

"We started with a defensive slip-up," said José María Giménez, the Spanish side's match winner in that game. "But the team didn't stop fighting and believing."

DID YOU KNOW? Diego Simeone's Atleti lost 4-1 to Real Madrid after extra time at the Estadio do SL Benfica in the 2014 Champions League final.

FURTHER AHEAD

Last season's Champions League finalists go head to head again when Real Madrid host Dortmund on the Tuesday of Matchday 3.

Two heavyweights face off the following day when Bayern and Barcelona meet again – the German side have won all five meetings in the current decade.

Matchday 4 will bring an emotional return to Anfield for Xabi Alonso when his Leverkusen side head to Liverpool.