Barcelona already occupies the provisional lead in the group stage of the Champions League after beating Feyenoord 5-1 in their first match, which gave them a goal average of +4. With the next match in Istanbul, HansiFlick's team will increase its differential to +7, placing itself ahead of PSG and Bayern Munich, both with +5. Only Sporting de Portugal and Arsenal share the six points that Barça also has in the league phase table.
Bayern, for its part, was left without points after drawing 3-3 with Viking Stavanger in Norway, accumulating four points. Inter have yet to score, after losing 3‑4 against Club Brugge on their second matchday. Atlético de Madrid and Villarreal, who also reached the group stage, achieved their first wins: the first beat Manchester United 2-0 and the second beat Naples 3-1. Real Madrid and Betis, who play in Rome and La Cartuja respectively, have yet to decide their position with matches scheduled for Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the Etihad Stadium will be the scene of an intense duel between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, both looking for their second victory to tie Barcelona. At the same time, Real Madrid will have the opportunity to level the table if they win in Rome, while Betis and Liverpool will also compete for their respective points in their matches against Porto and LASK Linz. These results will determine if Barça maintains its provisional leadership or if other teams manage to equal its position.
Barcelona has been the only club this season to have won its first two games in the group stage, something that had not happened in the three previous editions with the current format. In the 2024-25 season, the team lost its debut in Monaco (2-1) and lost 1-2 on the second day against PSG. Next Tuesday, Barça will face the Parisians in the French capital, while on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. they will prepare for a match with Betis, with the intention of achieving a “9 out of 9” and opening the league with a historic record.