UEFA Champions League 2025/26: Matchday 5 Preview and Predictions
The UEFA Champions League returns after the final international break of the year. Like always, there are some thrilling encounters for the fans.
And we couldn’t be more excited to have the Champions League back, with some big match-ups in store for the next round of fixtures: Barcelona are visiting Stamford Bridge, Arsenal host German heavyweights Bayern Munich, and Atlético Madrid welcome last season’s runners-up, Inter Milan.
Here, we present our preview and predictions for all matches of Matchday 5 of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.
Ajax vs Benfica
Ajax are currently lying at the bottom of the UCL table, having lost all their four matches. Benfica haven’t fared much better and sit a place above Ajax with the same number of losses but with a better goal difference. However, Benfica have lost only one game in their last five, while Ajax have lost three consecutive games coming into this fixture.
Both teams have a fair few injury issues, with Ajax set to miss Branco van den Boomen and Steven Berghuis, while Benfica have Alexander Bah, Manu Silva, Leandro Santos, and Bruma unavailable for this fixture.
Given Ajax’s poor run of form at home in the lead-up to this game, we don’t see them putting up much of a challenge for Benfica. This should be a comfortable win for José Mourinho & Co to kick-start their UCL campaign.
Score prediction: Ajax 0–2 Benfica
Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Galatasaray have surprised many with their Champions League exploits this season, having won three out of their four encounters and sitting pretty in the top half of the table. Union Saint-Gilloise, on the other hand, have a solitary win from their four games.
Even in the Süper Lig, Sari-Kirmizililar have shown decent form and are currently top of the table. The Belgian champions, meanwhile, are also dominating the Jupiler Pro League despite their humiliating European form, sitting atop with a four-point gap to title rivals Club Brugge.
As for player availability, Galatasaray have a few players out with injuries, though most of their regular starters are fit and available. They will miss Berkan Kutlu, Kaan Ayhan, and Yunus Akgün, while Union have a few injury misses, with Ivan Pavlic and Mohammed Fuseini doubtful for this game.
Galatasaray are tough to beat at home, and in the Champions League they’ve performed brilliantly after that opening-day defeat; they have the edge here. Union are no pushovers, though away from home they’ve struggled in the Champions League. This could be a feisty affair, but the reigning Turkish champions should emerge victorious in this encounter.
Score predictions: Galatasaray 2–1 Union Saint-Gilloise
Bodø/Glimt vs Juventus
The Norwegian champions have had a mixed Champions League campaign so far, with two draws and two defeats, still looking for their first win in their debut UCL season. That said, they’ve turned around their form since that narrow loss to Monaco, having won two on the trot.
On the other hand, despite being Champions League regulars, Juventus’ fortunes are not too different. They’re yet to win, having registered three draws and a defeat. Even though the 1995/96 Champions League winners are unbeaten in their last five games, they’ve shown defensive frailties.
Juve have a host of players out injured in Carlo Pinsoglio, Daniele Rugani, Gleison Bremer, and Arkadiusz Milik, while Bodø have Jostein Gundersen suspended and Ola Brynhildsen out with a knee injury coming into this game.
Though Bodø will have home advantage in this game, Juve are a far superior team on paper in terms of player quality. Even though the hosts may opt for defensive tactics, Juve have enough attacking threat up front to bag their first win of this Champions League campaign.
Score prediction: Bodø/Glimt 1–3 Juventus
Napoli vs Qarabag
The injury-ravaged Partenopei have had a drop in form and have only two wins from their last five games. They also drew with Eintracht Frankfurt in their last Champions League encounter.
On the other hand, the Azerbaijani champions have been a revelation in the Champions League this time out, with only one defeat in four games. Their previous encounter against Chelsea was also a well-fought draw. On paper, they might not have the same quality as Napoli, but they make up for it with intent and passion and cannot be taken lightly.
Napoli are struggling with injury issues, with Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Leonardo Spinazzola, Alex Meret, and Frank Anguissa all unavailable. Qarabag, meanwhile, only have Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev doubtful for this fixture among their regulars.
Napoli haven’t been at their best of late, while Qarabag have shown a lot of fight. This isn’t going to be an easy fixture for the Neapolitans at the Maradona, one that is likely to end in a feisty draw.
Score prediction: Napoli 1–1 Qarabag
Olympique de Marseille vs Newcastle United
Both teams have had contrasting fortunes in the Champions League as well as in their respective leagues.
Marseille have won only once in Europe, while Newcastle have lost only one and sit in the direct qualification spots in the League Phase table. Meanwhile, Roberto De Zerbi’s men have performed well in Ligue 1 and are second in the table, two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain, while Newcastle have been struggling in the Premier League and are fourteenth in the table, though they secured a confidence-boosting win over Manchester City last weekend.
From an injury perspective, Marseille have too many players out; Facundo Medina, Hamed Traorè, Amir Murillo, Nayef Aguerd, and Amine Gouiri are all injured. Newcastle, on the other hand, will be without Anthony Gordon, Yoane Wissa, and William Osula for this fixture.
Marseille have home advantage in this game, but the Magpies have proven that they are more than capable of winning away from home, making this an interesting encounter between two talented teams. The visitors have a slight edge over the hosts here and could nick a close win.
Score prediction: OM 1–2 Newcastle
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund have had a mixed bag of a Champions League campaign so far, with two wins, a draw, and a loss. Last Matchday, they were thrashed 4–1 by Manchester City. Their opponents, Villarreal, have performed poorly outright, with only one win in four, though recent form is better than that of BVB.
Both teams don’t have many major injury issues. Dortmund are set to miss Niklas Süle and Ramy Bensebaini, while the Yellow Submarine will miss the services of Willy Kambwala and Pau Cabanes.
Dortmund like to play attacking football, which has also made them vulnerable at the back. That said, at home they are a formidable force and should prove too hot to handle for Villarreal here.
Score prediction: BVB 3–1 Villarreal
Chelsea vs Barcelona
One of the most-awaited fixtures on this Matchday, this one is very difficult to call, but one thing’s for sure: this is going to be an entertaining game, with both teams going for the jugular.
Both teams here have struggled with injuries this season. Chelsea have been losing defenders, while Barcelona have had issues up front. However, both teams have managed to produce results. While the Blues have won four of their last five games, the Blaugrana have won three of their last five.
Last season’s Conference League winners still have a few key absentees in Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Roméo Lavia, and Dário Essugo, while Barça will be without midfielders Pedri and Gavi alongside long-term absentee Marc-André ter Stegen.
Chelsea do have home advantage on their side, as well as the fact that Barça are missing key midfield operators in Pedri and Gavi. However, LaLiga’s reigning champions have a dangerous forward line and remain capable of troubling a weakened Chelsea back line. Both sides are likely to score in this game, but we believe Barça will edge out Chelsea in the end.
Score Prediction: Chelsea 2-3 Barcelona
Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen
Though Man City lost their recent league game against Newcastle United, they thrashed Borussia Dortmund in their last Champions League encounter. Leverkusen, on the other hand, had an abysmal start to the season but have picked up form recently with four wins in their last five games. City also have the same number of wins in their last five encounters and arguably have a better head coach in the dugout with a higher-quality squad.
In terms of player availability, Leverkusen are at a disadvantage and have as many as four key injury concerns (Axel Tape, Lucas Vázquez, Equi Fernández, and Exequiel Palacios) alongside two suspensions (Robert Andrich and Edmond Tapsoba). City, meanwhile, will miss the services of Mateo Kovacic and Rodri.
City are dangerous in general and have been particularly impressive at the Etihad. With Erling Haaland and Jérémy Doku in top form, the Leverkusen defenders have their task cut out. This should be an easy win for the hosts.
Score prediction: Man City 3–0 Leverkusen
Slavia Prague vs Athletic Club
Slavia Praha have done well in the Czech First League, having won four out of their last five games. Across all competitions, their last two defeats have arrived in the Champions League, against Arsenal and Inter Milan.
Athletic Club, on the other hand, have been abysmal, having lost four of their last five encounters. Their recent loss was a 4–0 thrashing at the hands of Barça in LaLiga, while their away form in the Champions League has also not been much to write home about.
Alongside form, Athletic are also missing some important players in Iñaki Williams, Unai Egiluz, Beñat Prados, and Maroan Sannadi. Slavia, meanwhile, have Dominik Javorcek, Filip Horsky, Oscar Dorley, and Petr Ševcík on the sidelines.
Looking at their form, Slavia Praha are clearly in a better place and have the home advantage here. This is likely to be another disappointing outing for the Basque heavyweights.
Score prediction: Slavia Prague 2–1 Athletic Club
Pafos vs Monaco
Both sides came away with victories on Matchday 4 and are on five points, with Pafos blanking Villarreal 1–0 and Monaco edging past Bodø/Glimt by that same narrow margin.
Despite having been founded just 11 years ago, Pafos have come a long way and been worthy competitors in this tournament, having earned points in three of their four matches. Juan Carlos Carcedo’s men enter this game on a four-match unbeaten run across all competitions, having conceded a goal or fewer in each of those encounters. On Wednesday, they can become the first club from Cyprus to win consecutive matches in the Champions League, having lost just once in this competition this season.
In the Principality meanwhile, things have reached new lows this month. Monaco have lost three of their four Champions League games, scraping by with a solitary win. We have yet to see a new manager bounce since Sébastien Pocognoli took charge, with the Belgian having won just three of his eight matches across all competitions. Defensively, Monaco have been highly erratic and out of sorts of late and conceded four goals in their previous two Ligue 1 encounters, losing both of those games 4–1.
In terms of team news, Pafos will be without Pedrão, who is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery, while João Correia will miss the game through suspension. In the other camp, a hamstring strain could keep Christian Mawissa out, while Eric Dier suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf issue.
Looking ahead to this fixture, on paper Monaco are the better side, but they are poor defensively and may lack aggression going forward, making a defensive stalemate against a well-organised Pafos side the likeliest outcome for us.
Score prediction: Pafos 1–1 Monaco
Copenhagen vs Kairat
These two are level on one point after four matches and occupy the bottom positions in the 36-team table, making this a fixture that is as much about survival as it is about progress.
Copenhagen’s struggles in this season’s Champions League have been clear to see. They’ve recorded three defeats and one draw so far, scoring four goals and conceding 12, with defensive frailties defining their European campaign. A heavy 4–0 loss away to Tottenham Hotspur on Matchday 4 extended their run to three straight Champions League defeats — their longest streak of losses in the competition.
The team from Almaty, meanwhile, arrive in Denmark facing similar difficulties in Europe. The Kazakh champions are 34th in the table and have scored only two goals while conceding 11, having suffered heavy defeats to Sporting and Real Madrid early in the campaign, followed by a resilient goalless draw against Pafos before a narrow defeat away to Inter Milan.
In terms of injuries, Copenhagen have a long list of absentees, with Thomas Delaney, Birger Meling, and Oliver Højer all ruled out. Magnus Mattsson is still sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury, while Rodrigo Huescas remains out with a knee problem. As for Kairat, João Paulo and Elder Santana are both unavailable due to cruciate ligament injuries.
Looking ahead to the fixture, Copenhagen’s home scoring record makes them a constant threat, but Kairat’s defensive setup and Temirlan Anarbekov’s heroics in goal suggest they will not be easy to break down. That said, we do expect Copenhagen to break through eventually; on the counter, Kairat may threaten and keep the scoreline tight, but we cannot see them taking any points from this game.
Score prediction: Copenhagen 2–1 Kairat
Olympiacos vs Real Madrid
It has been a struggle for Olympiacos in the Champions League this season. Two draws and two defeats have them down in 31st spot with two points. That said, Olympiacos have actually won four of their last five games across all competitions and remain unbeaten during this excellent run.
Furthermore, Olympiacos have never lost to Real Madrid on home soil. Three of the four meetings between the two sides in Greece have finished level, including a goalless draw in their last clash in November 2007, while they beat Los Blancos 2–1 at home in December 2005.
The Spanish giants will be looking to create history on Wednesday night, but they will not enter the game in the best of form. Real Madrid have not been victorious since a 4–0 home success over Valencia in LaLiga at the start of November. They have played three times across all competitions since, drawing twice and losing once.
Looking at both benches, Olympiacos will again be without the services of Alexandros Paschalakis and Konstantinos Angelakis, who are injured, though the hosts are otherwise in strong shape. As for Real Madrid, Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, and Franco Mastantuono are definitely out of the contest, while Antonio Rüdiger, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and David Alaba will need to be assessed.
This is a difficult match to call, and not many will be surprised to see a draw here considering Olympiacos’ recent form. However, Real Madrid are due a win, and we expect them to navigate their way to a very important and indeed historic victory here.
Score prediction: Olympiacos 1–2 Real Madrid
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
The two best teams in Europe right now, according to the Champions League table after four Matchdays, Arsenal and Bayern Munich meet in a highly anticipated heavyweight clash at the Emirates. Both Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany have led their sides to 12 points from a possible 12 so far, but at least one perfect record will cease to exist when the final whistle blows.
An astounding domestic and continental double can be considered a realistic goal for Arteta’s men, who have been nothing short of flawless in the Champions League so far this season — four games, four wins, 11 goals scored, zero conceded. Only Bayern’s superior goal difference is keeping the Gunners off the top spot, though results on Tuesday may change both their positions.
Bayern may not boast Arsenal’s impeccable defensive record, but Kompany’s troops have been on a goal-scoring warpath, flexing their attacking muscles. Yet to suffer a single defeat in any tournament this season, the defending German Bundesliga champions’ only aberration came just before the international break in the form of a 2–2 draw with Union Berlin, while just seven clean sheets from 18 matches is hardly anything to shout about.
The Bavarian giants were perpetual nemeses of Arsenal during the Arsène Wenger era and head to the Emirates on a five-game unbeaten streak against the Gunners, having won four of them, though Arsenal were just about edged out 3–2 on aggregate in the 2023/24 Champions League quarter-finals.
In terms of injuries, Viktor Gyökeres and Martin Ødegaard remain serious doubts for the game. Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Jesus are definite absentees this week, while Kai Havertz has suffered a setback in his recovery from knee surgery. As for Bayern, Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies are definitely missing this contest, while Luis Díaz will be serving a three-match suspension.
Arteta’s men can be considered slight favourites here thanks to their impeccable home record in the competition and Bayern’s evident difficulty against dead-ball situations, which Arsenal excel in. That said, with Michael Olise and Harry Kane weaving their magic, we expect an end-to-end contest, with the Gunners ending Bayern’s unbeaten run at the Emirates.
Score prediction: Arsenal 3–2 Bayern Munich
Liverpool vs PSV
Liverpool’s historical edge against PSV may count for little on Wednesday. The defending Premier League champions have won all three previous encounters against the visitors at Anfield, but they have arguably never faced the Boeren in such dismal form, and Peter Bosz’s team are currently six points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table.
Just as few thought things couldn’t get any worse for them after losing at the Etihad, Liverpool’s miserable form plunged to new depths against Nottingham Forest, leaving them 12th in the Premier League table after 12 rounds.
PSV will be aware of Liverpool’s historically strong form against Dutch teams at Anfield — seven wins, two draws in the last nine — as well as their 16-match winning streak in first-stage European games at Anfield. However, Liverpool have rarely been this vulnerable.
In terms of player availability, while Florian Wirtz’s involvement remains uncertain, Liverpool are expected to be without long-term absentee Giovanni Leoni, as well as right-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley. PSV, meanwhile, suffered no apparent injuries during their league victory over NAC on Saturday, meaning the Eindhoven outfit’s only absentees are Ruben van Bommel and Alassane Pléa.
For this game, while the safe bet might be backing Liverpool to respond with a commanding performance, the concerning decline in their confidence levels means a reaction is not guaranteed. Instead, Bosz’s attacking approach could cause even more issues for them, who may have to settle for a draw at Anfield on Wednesday.
Score prediction: Liverpool 2–2 PSV
Paris Saint-Germain vs Tottenham Hotspur
This is a repeat of this year’s UEFA Super Cup, which the Ligue 1 giants won on penalties. That said, the travelling fans may be fearing a more comprehensive defeat this time around.
PSG suffered the first dent in their Champions League title defence just three weeks ago, when the winning machine of Bayern Munich left the French capital with a 2–1 victory despite playing the entire second half with ten men. Despite no longer boasting a perfect record, though, PSG enter Matchday 5 comfortably on course for automatic qualification to the last 16, sitting fifth in the 36-team table and within touching distance of Bayern, Arsenal, and Inter Milan.
PSG’s loss of perennial dominance may not offer much comfort to the Spurs faithful, who filtered out of the Emirates en masse during the final 20 minutes of Sunday’s North London Derby, as a scintillating Arsenal side outwitted and outclassed their bitter rivals. Fingers were immediately pointed at Thomas Frank in the wake of that 4–1 trouncing, as the Dane’s defence-heavy 5-2-3 setup was carved open at will. It will be utterly fascinating to see what system he opts for in the French capital.
In terms of injuries, Les Parisiens will have to manage without Achraf Hakimi and their two attacking heroes in Désiré Doué and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé. On the other hand, Spurs’ attack will also be depleted thanks to the absence of Brennan Johnson, who joined James Maddison, Radu Dragusin, Kota Takai, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma, and Mathys Tel on the sidelines this week, though veteran defender Ben Davies could be back from a thigh problem.
After trying to frustrate Arsenal to no avail at the weekend, Spurs may feel that going for broke is their best chance of success, especially against a PSG side missing three cornerstones of their starting XI. However, Spurs have struggled to build out from the back all season long, and even in the absence of Dembélé, Doué, and Hakimi, PSG should cruise to victory on their own turf.
Score prediction: PSG 3–0 Spurs
Atlético Madrid vs Inter Milan
Atlético Madrid’s Champions League campaign has been unpredictable so far. Diego Simeone’s men have twice tasted defeat in England, losing 3–2 to Liverpool and suffering a 4–0 defeat against Arsenal, but they have also won 5–1 against Eintracht Frankfurt and then 3–1 in their most recent outing against Union Saint-Gilloise.
With automatic qualification on the line, continuing their tremendous home record in the Champions League may hold the key for Atleti, who have lost just one of their last 16 European matches at the Metropolitano, having won ten of the last 11.
On the other hand, though Inter have won just one of their last 15 UCL first-stage games against Spanish opposition, they otherwise have a formidable record. Runners-up for the second time in three seasons, the Nerazzurri have won ten of their last 11 UCL first-stage fixtures, including this month’s 2–1 victory over Kairat.
One of only three teams (along with Bayern Munich and Arsenal) to hold a 100% record after the first four Matchdays, Inter have also scored at least twice in every game so far. However, the three-time continental champions have never before won their opening five fixtures, but that impressive feat will be possible on Wednesday.
In terms of injuries, while Robin Le Normand is still sidelined by a knee injury, Atleti may also be missing Marcos Llorente and long-serving goalkeeper Jan Oblak. As for Inter, Denzel Dumfries is still struggling with an ankle problem and could again join veterans Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Matteo Darmian on the sidelines; the trio missed out on facing AC Milan in the league recently.
Looking ahead to this fixture, Atleti need the points more and will throw everything at an Inter side still reeling from their derby defeat. But the Nerazzurri seem to raise their game in Europe, particularly at the back, and could escape Madrid with a draw.
Score prediction: Atleti 1–1 Inter
Sporting vs Club Brugge
Sporting will look to extend their 100% home record in this season’s Champions League as they welcome Club Brugge to the Estadio José Alvalade on Wednesday.
Having lost to Napoli in their first away outing of the Champions League campaign, Sporting played out a 1–1 draw against Juventus on Matchday 4. Now 13th in the league phase standings with seven points, Rui Borges’ men have another opportunity to improve their position in the table on Wednesday, particularly given their formidable home record.
Meanwhile, Club Brugge ended a two-game winless run with a 1–0 victory over Charleroi at the weekend to get four points off league leaders Union SG. Holding Barcelona to a 3–3 draw was also an impressive result, but sitting 22nd in the league phase standings on four points leaves them at risk of slipping out of the playoff spots, making a positive result on Wednesday crucial. However, away days in the Champions League offer little room for optimism, given Club Brugge have lost both their away games this campaign.
In terms of injuries, Sporting remain without Pedro Gonçalves, while other absentees include centre-back Zeno Debast and midfielder Daniel Bragança. As for Club Brugge, they travel to Lisbon also missing a sizeable number of players, with Ludovit Reis, Bjorn Meijer, Lynnt Audoor, Christos Tzolis, and Kyriani Sabbe all ruled out with injuries. Simon Mignolet is still recovering from an adductor tear, so Nordin Jackers is expected to retain his position between the sticks.
We expect Sporting to grab all three points here given their dominant home record, with the visitors’ poor away form in the Champions League this season further reinforcing that expectation.
Score prediction: Sporting 2–1 Club Brugge
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Atalanta
After taking just one point from the last three matches, Eintracht Frankfurt will try to get their Champions League campaign back on track when they host Atalanta on Wednesday. Both sides are vying for a playoff place, and victory at Waldstadion would bring the German team level with La Dea, who now have a different head coach.
Frankfurt appear to have recovered from suffering consecutive 5–1 defeats in the Champions League to Atleti and Liverpool after beating Galatasaray with the same margin on the opening day, having bravely drawn with Napoli last time out.
On the other hand, a crucial win last time out in Europe, when they conquered Ligue 1 high-flyers Marseille, has resulted in Atalanta reaching the midpoint of this season’s UCL league phase with seven points, very much in contention for a playoff place. Despite a turbulent start domestically, which has resulted in the dismissal of Ivan Juric, the Bergamaschi remain strong continentally, having lost just two of their last 18 European first-stage fixtures. Furthermore, only Inter Milan, Arsenal, and PSG have kept more Champions League clean sheets since the start of last season.
In terms of injuries, Frankfurt will still be missing Can Uzun, who has sat out the last three games with a hamstring injury, while Hugo Larsson and Oscar Højlund are also sidelined. As for Atalanta, with Giorgio Scalvini close to completing his recovery from an adductor issue, Dutch defender Mitchel Bakker should be the visitors’ sole absentee.
While Eintracht have found some stability since suffering two heavy losses, Atalanta’s malaise lingers on. While they have still overperformed in Europe, it’s hard to see them get all three points here.
Score prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt 1–1 Atalanta
