Data from the opening round of the 2026-27 Champions League league phase points to continued Premier League dominance and a concerning lack of genuine upsets, according to Opta statistics reviewed after the first 18 matches. English clubs won every fixture they played, collectively outshooting opponents 102-44, while Serie A endured a poor week, with only Como winning among the Italian sides. Inter Milan, despite losing to Real Madrid, produced an eye-catching attacking display that Real's manager José Mourinho himself described as "mad".

Premier League teams had 24 "big chances" while conceding just five, and topped the expected-goals difference table by country, with Italy bottom. Inter registered 57 touches in the Real Madrid box and had the most shots by a visiting team in a single European match in eight years, though they still lost. There were no draws at all in the tournament's first two nights, and only four of 18 matches had an expected-goals margin below one goal, suggesting little competitive tightness; just two results, including Aston Villa's win over Club Brugge, counted as bookmakers' upsets, while Real Betis's win at Lille stood out as the week's biggest surprise.