2023/24 UEFA Champions League kicks off on Tuesday as group stage commences
Arsenal, Man Utd and Newcastle all returning to Europe’s premier club competition
Holders Man City and La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona also in action
This is a thread for the first Matchday of the 2023/23 UEFA Champions League season, feel free to share your thoughts on the various matches.
𝟯𝟮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀
𝟴 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀
𝟭𝟮𝟱 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀
𝟭 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿
The modern day Champions League is 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 for the final season! 
This will be the first Champions League campaign without Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Karim Benzema since 2002/03.
And Neymar has gone, too. 
AC Milan XI: Maignan, Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Theo, Loftus-Cheek, Krunić, Pobega, Chukwueze, Leão, Giroud.
Newcastle United XI: Pope, Trippier, Schär, Botman, Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Longstaff, Tonali, Murphy, Gordon, Isak.
Sandro Tonali gets a standing ovation and his name sung by the Milan fans as he’s substituted. So nice to see. 
Newcastle’s last two away games in the Champions League:
◎ 2-2 vs Inter (March 2003)
◉ 0-0 vs Milan (September 2023)
Sharing the spoils at the San Siro. 
Nick Pope made sure Newcastle United avoid a defeat in their first #UCL appearance since 2003 by producing this excellent display in a 0–0 draw with Milan:
8 saves
4 saved shots from inside the box
1.35 Goals prevented
9.1 Sofascore rating
Rafael Leao really took on the entire Newcastle defense, got right in front of goal and tried a backheel flick 
The match finished scoreless despite AC Milan having 25 shots to Newcastle’s six!
Benjamin Sesko’s last four games for club and country:
He’s only played 154 minutes in those games, an average of 38.5 minutes per match. 
Nick Pope’s game by numbers vs Milan:
44 touches
17/22 passes completed
8 saves
3x possession won
3 clearances
The Magpies’ saviour in Milan.
Joao Felix has started 2 matches for Barcelona following his summer switch
Real Betis
Royal Antwerp
Settling into his new surroundings well
Barça’s youngest-ever player in the UCL
Second youngest player ever in the UCL
More records for Lamine Yamal 
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 TODAY! 
𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗙 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘:
Young Boys 1-1 RB Leipzig 
𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛! 
