09/17/25 03:37:00
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09/17 03:33 CDT PSG starts Champions League defense against Atalanta.
Bayern-Chelsea, Ajax-Inter renew past finals
PSG starts Champions League defense against Atalanta. Bayern-Chelsea,
Ajax-Inter renew past finals
PARIS (AP) --- Paris Saint-Germain starts the defense of its Champions League
title on Wednesday when the six-game program includes two rematches of past
finals.
Liverpool also opens its campaign, against Atletico Madrid at Anfield, while
two of the four newcomers in this season's edition make their debuts on the
road.
PSG resumes against more Italian opposition, hosting Atalanta at Parc des
Princes for its first game in the competition since demolishing Inter Milan 5-0
in Munich.
That was three-time European champion Inter's fourth loss in a final. The
second defeat, in 1972, was against Ajax which now hosts Inter in Amsterdam.
Both Ajax's John Heitinga and Inter's Cristian Chivu will be coaching their
first career games in the Champions League with teams they once played for in
the competition.
Bayern Munich hosts Chelsea in the stadium where the English club won the first
of its two Champions League titles in 2012 against the German side.
Both early games Wednesday feature debut-making teams who earned a rare entry
on the biggest stage for their nations.
Bodo/Glimt will be the first Norwegian team in the Champions League main phase
for 18 years when it plays at Slavia Prague.
Pafos is the first from Cyprus since 2017 and the Russian-owned club makes the
short trip to Greece to face Olympiakos.
The Champions League stretches into a third day for the opening round which is
completed Thursday with six more games, including 2023 winner Manchester City
welcoming back Kevin De Bruyne with Napoli.
A stoppage-time comeback by Juventus to draw 4-4 with Borussia Dortmund was the
standout game of the first six played Tuesday while Kylian Mbapp converted two
penalties and 10-man Real Madrid came back to beat visiting Marseille 2-1.
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