Champions League Matchday 1: Benfica vs Qarabağ facts

Qarabağ return to the UEFA Champions League proper with a trip to competition regulars Benfica, both sides having reached the 2025/26 league phase via the qualifying rounds.

Last match

This is the teams' first meeting and Benfica's first game against a club from Azerbaijan.

Qarabağ have twice faced Portuguese teams. They lost 0-2 away and 1-6 at home against Sporting CP in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League group stage but defeated Braga 6-5 on aggregate in the 2023/24 Europa League knockout phase play-offs courtesy of a Nariman Akhundzade goal in the final seconds of extra time (4-2 a, 2-3 h aet).

Benfica

This is Benfica’s 45th European Cup campaign, behind only Real Madrid's 56. This is their 20th appearance in the Champions League proper and a 15th in the last 16 seasons.

In 2024/25 the Eagles were 16th in the league phase (W4 D1 L3), beating Monaco 4-3 in the knockout phase play-offs before a 1-4 aggregate last-16 loss to Barcelona.

Benfica won 2-0 both away and at home against Nice in this season's third qualifying round; Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the only goal of their play-off against Fenerbahçe in the Lisbon second leg.

The Portuguese side have won their Matchday 1 fixture in two of the last three campaigns (L1).

Qarabağ

This is Qarabağ’s second participation in the Champions League proper, following their group stage appearance in 2017/18, when they were fourth in a section including Chelsea, Atlético de Madrid and Roma, both their points coming from draws against the Spanish side. They are the only team from Azerbaijan to feature in the Champions League group stage/league phase.

This is Qarabağ’s 12th successive season in a UEFA group stage/league phase. They lost seven of their eight games (W1) in last season's league phase of the Europa League to finish in 36th place.

The Horsemen beat Shelbourne 4-0 on aggregate in this season's second qualifying round (3-0 a, 1-0 h) and Shkëndija 6-1 in the third (1-0 a, 5-1 h) before overcoming Ferencváros in the play-offs (3-1 a, 2-3 h).

Key stats

Benfica have lost only two of their last nine European matches (W5 D2) and are unbeaten in four in 2025/26 (W3 D1).

The Eagles kept a clean sheet in all four qualifiers this season.

Qarabağ won five of their six qualifiers to reach the league phase (L1).

The Baku club were victorious in all three away Champions League qualifiers this season, scoring seven goals and conceding only one.