Champions League Matchday 4 Preview: Fixtures, Key Stats, And Players To Watch

‎The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League season reaches its halfway mark this week as Matchday 4 gets underway, featuring 18 fixtures across Europe.

‎From clubs chasing early qualification to others clinging to knockout-stage hopes, every game carries weight as the competition intensifies.

‎Slavia Praha vs Arsenal (18:45)

‎Arsenal return to Prague for the first time since their emphatic 4–0 win in the 2020/21 Europa League quarter-finals. Historically dominant against Czech opposition, the Gunners are unbeaten in ten such encounters (W8 D2).

‎Slavia, meanwhile, has scored in 26 of their last 27 home European games, a testament to their attacking resilience, but they’ve won only two of their previous 15 meetings with English clubs (D4 L9).

‎Arsenal, who have won seven consecutive league-phase matches, will once again look to Gabriel Martinelli, who has scored in all three of their Champions League games this season.

‎Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt (18:45)

‎Napoli and Frankfurt renew hostilities after their 2022/23 round of 16 clash, which Napoli dominated across both legs (5–0 aggregate).

‎The Italian side is formidable at home in Europe, losing just once in their last 18 Champions League fixtures at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (W11 D6).

‎Frankfurt has endured a turbulent campaign, with each of its three matches so far ending 5–1 (W1 L2). The German side’s record against Italian opposition is bleak, three straight defeats without scoring, but they remain an unpredictable side capable of chaos.

‎Atlético de Madrid vs Union Saint-Gilloise

‎This marks the first-ever meeting between Atlético and the Belgian team Union SG. For Union, it’s also their first clash against Spanish opposition.

‎Atlético’s home record in Europe is typically fierce just one loss in their last 16 home games (W11 D4). Antoine Griezmann could make history with his 109th appearance, moving to third among French players in the Champions League all-time list, behind only Thierry Henry and Karim Benzema.

‎Union SG have won three of their last four away European matches and rarely play out goalless affairs only two of their last 39 UEFA matches have ended 0–0.

‎Bodø/Glimt vs AS Monaco

‎The Arctic club continues to make its mark in Europe, with Bodø/Glimt having lost just twice in their last 13 home UEFA matches (W10 D1).

‎However, their recent overall form is less convincing (one win in eight).

‎Monaco, meanwhile, is winless in six Champions League games (D3 L3). Nineteen-year-old George Ilenikhena could make history as the youngest African player to reach 15 appearances in the competition, surpassing Nigerian legend Nwankwo Kanu.

‎Norwegian youngster Magnus Riisnæs could also feature on his 21st birthday, becoming the youngest Norwegian ever to play in the Champions League on that date.

‎Juventus vs Sporting CP

‎Juventus and Sporting renew their European rivalry, with the Italians unbeaten in four previous meetings (W2 D2).

‎Despite their pedigree, Juve have won just twice in their last 11 European outings and sit on the cusp of a historic milestone three goals away from becoming the first Serie A club to score 500 in the European Cup.

‎Sporting haven’t beaten an Italian side in 14 years and are winless in 11 such matches since a 2–1 victory over Lazio in 2011. They’ve lost their last three Champions League away fixtures by identical 2–1 scorelines but have scored in 19 consecutive group-stage matches, showing consistent attacking threat.

‎Liverpool vs Real Madrid

‎A fixture steeped in European history. Liverpool’s 2–0 win over Real Madrid last season snapped an eight-game winless run (D1 L7) against the Spanish giants.

‎Anfield remains an impregnable fortress the Reds have won 15 straight European home games.

‎Mohamed Salah is on the verge of a milestone: two goals will make him the first African player to reach 50 in the Champions League.

‎For Madrid, Jude Bellingham could become the youngest player ever to reach 50 appearances (22 years 128 days), surpassing Iker Casillas’s long-standing record.

‎Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid in the summer, faces his boyhood club for the first time in a reunion sure to add emotional intensity to this blockbuster tie.

‎Olympiacos vs PSV Eindhoven

‎The sides last met in the 2020/21 Europa League, with Olympiacos edging a thrilling 5–4 aggregate win.

‎The Greek champions boast an impressive home record against Dutch clubs (W5 D2), but their Champions League form is dire just two wins in their last 23 group-stage matches (D3 L18)

‎PSV have dominated Greek opposition historically (W10 D1 L4) and are two goals shy of reaching 150 in the Champions League proper.

‎Ismael Saibari enters the match in fine form, scoring in his last two appearances in the competition.

‎Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern München

‎The night’s marquee showdown sees Paris Saint-Germain host Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes. PSG have lost only two of their last 41 home group-stage matches (W31 D8), and Luis Enrique’s side will look to Ousmane Dembélé, who has recently fit again, to make the difference.

‎Dembélé has history with Bayern, famously scoring and assisting for Dortmund in a 3–2 German Cup semifinal win back in 2017.

‎Bayern, though, have been ruthless against French clubs (W13 L2) and arrive with Harry Kane in devastating form 11 goals in his last ten Champions League appearances.

‎Joshua Kimmich could mark his 100th Champions League appearance, becoming only the fifth Bayern player to reach that milestone.

‎Tottenham Hotspur vs FC Copenhagen

‎Tottenham are in imperious form at home, unbeaten in 21 UEFA matches on English soil (W17 D4). Their only previous clash with Danish opposition, a 3–2 win over AaB in 2007, ended in victory.

‎Copenhagen’s record against English sides is bleak: just two wins in 19 attempts (D5 L12) and none away from home (D2 L7).

‎Spurs have kept four clean sheets in their last six European fixtures, while Copenhagen have managed only two wins in their last 15 Champions League group games.