Real Madrid vs Union Berlin

Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is the venue as record-time Champions League winners Real Madrid and competition debutants Union Berlin lock horns in their opening Group C fixture.

Days after pulling off an impressive come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Real Sociedad to maintain their flawless five-game start to the new La Liga campaign (W5), Real Madrid embark on their quest to land a record-extending 15th Champions League title. Carlo Ancelotti’s men couldn’t make it past eventual victors Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals, yet they’ll be confident about kicking things off in this term’s Group C with a bang. ‘Los Merengues’ have reigned supreme against German opponents in the Champions League lately, going down just once in their last 13 such fixtures (W8, D4). On top of that, they’ve not lost a home game in Europe’s elite competition since April 2022 (W6, D1), while it’s been well over eight years since a German club last won at the Bernabeu.

That’s yet another ominous sign for Champions League debutants Union Berlin, who come into proceedings keen on bouncing back from a dismal two-game losing run in the Bundesliga. The visitors’ three-game start to the new campaign already looks distant, and heading to the Bernabeu will unlikely inspire their resurgence. Indeed, ‘Die Eiserne’ could only manage two goals on their five continental travels in last season’s Europa League (W2, D1, L2). Against this backdrop, high scoring has been a common theme in Union Berlin’s away games this season, with all three featuring over 2.5 goals and the last two seeing both sides on the scoresheet. A quick-fire start is on the cards, with both those matches producing the opening goal within the first 12 minutes.