Tips
December 12, 2025
The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase reached its midpoint with a thrilling Matchday 6, wrapping up European action for the calendar year. The new 36-team format delivered drama across 18 fixtures, with upsets, late winners, and crucial points reshaping the standings. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) played out a cagey 0-0 draw at Athletic Club, while Manchester City stunned Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabéu—Pep Guardiola's side's first win there since 2020. Arsenal maintained their perfect record with a 3-0 dismantling of Club Brugge, and Liverpool secured a vital 1-0 victory over Inter Milan without Mohamed Salah, thanks to a late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty. Upsets included Ajax's 4-2 thrashing of Qarabağ and Copenhagen's 3-2 comeback at Villarreal. No red cards marred the action, but controversies brewed over VAR decisions in the Liverpool-Inter clash.
With six of eight matchdays complete, three teams—Arsenal, PSG, and Manchester City—have now qualified for the round of 16. At the bottom, Bodø/Glimt and Pafos are among the first confirmed for elimination (positions 25-36 exit entirely). The top eight advance directly; 9th-24th enter knockout play-offs. Action pauses until January 20-21 for Matchday 7.
Full Matchday 6 Results
Date | Match | Score | Key Scorers/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Dec 9 | Kairat Almaty vs Olympiacos | 0-1 | El Kaabi (58') – Olympiacos edge a tight contest to boost survival hopes. |
Dec 9 | Bayern München vs Sporting CP | 3-1 | Kane (22', pen 45+2'), Musiala (67'); Gyökeres (80') – Bayern cruise despite late Sporting reply. |
Dec 9 | Union Saint-Gilloise vs Marseille | 2-3 | Undav (12'), Greenwood (45+1', 89'); Puertas (33'), Harit (72') – Marseille's late drama seals comeback win. |
Dec 9 | Monaco vs Galatasaray | 1-0 | Embolo (41') – Folarin Balogun sent off late; Monaco grind out a defensive masterclass. |
Dec 9 | PSV Eindhoven vs Atlético Madrid | 2-3 | De Jong (19'), Tillman (55'); Julián Alvarez (28'), Griezmann (62'), Lino (78') – Atlético's clinical edge prevails. |
Dec 9 | Tottenham Hotspur vs Slavia Praha | 3-0 | Son (15'), Maddison (37'), Kulusevski (71') – Spurs dominate to solidify top-eight push. |
Dec 9 | Inter vs Liverpool | 0-1 | Szoboszlai (pen 88') – Controversial spot-kick hands Arne Slot's Reds a morale-boosting away win without Salah. |
Dec 9 | Barcelona vs Eintracht Frankfurt | 2-1 | Lewandowski (29'), Yamal (63'); Marmoush (45') – Barça hold firm in a feisty encounter. |
Dec 9 | Atalanta vs Chelsea | 2-1 | Retegui (34'), Zappacosta (77'); Palmer (52') – Atalanta's home resilience stuns Enzo Maresca's Blues. |
Dec 10 | Qarabağ vs Ajax | 2-4 | Andrade (10'), Juninho (65'); Brobbey (23', 89'), Bergwijn (48'), Taylor (72') – Ajax's attacking flair overwhelms. |
Dec 10 | Villarreal vs Copenhagen | 2-3 | Moreno (18'), Baena (61'); Claesson (29'), Wind (55'), Falk (83') – Copenhagen's comeback keeps them in contention. |
Dec 10 | Real Madrid vs Manchester City | 1-2 | Mbappé (28'); O'Reilly (35'), Haaland (pen 45') – City's young star O'Reilly shines; Haaland hits 55th UCL goal. |
Dec 10 | Athletic Club vs Paris Saint-Germain | 0-0 | Goalless stalemate; PSG's defense holds but attack lacks bite without injured stars. |
Dec 10 | Club Brugge vs Arsenal | 0-3 | Saka (22'), Rice (49'), Nwaneri (74') – Gunners stay unbeaten, extending perfect start to 6/6. |
Dec 10 | Juventus vs Pafos | 2-0 | Vlahović (40'), Kolo Muani (66') – Routine win for Juve; Pafos all but eliminated. |
Dec 10 | Benfica vs Napoli | 2-0 | Bruma (31'), Kokçu (58') – Benfica stun Osimhen's Napoli to leapfrog them. |
Dec 10 | Bayer Leverkusen vs Newcastle United | 2-2 | Wirtz (14'), Boniface (82'); Isak (37'), Gordon (90+3') – Late Gordon equalizer denies Leverkusen victory. |
Dec 10 | Borussia Dortmund vs Bodø/Glimt | 2-2 | Füllkrug (25'), Brandt (59'); Høgh (42'), Evjen (70') – Dortmund drop points at home; Glimt teeter on elimination. |
Player Spotlights & Stats
Top Scorer: Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) with 9 goals – His early strike vs. City was a highlight, but the loss soured it.
Breakout Star: Nico O'Reilly (Man City, 20) – Scored his first UCL goal at the Bernabéu, becoming the second-youngest Englishman to net against Real (behind Alan Smith's 2001 strike).
Milestone Man: Erling Haaland (Man City) – 55th UCL goal from the spot; fewest games (50) to reach that mark in history.
Saves of the Week: Bilbao's Unai Simón (10 vs. PSG) – Heroics in the goalless draw.
What's Next?
The league phase resumes January 20-21 (MD7), with all eyes on bubble teams like Chelsea (dropped after Atalanta loss) and Newcastle (stuttering draw). Knockout play-offs draw in February; final at Budapest's Puskás Aréna on May 30. PSG aim to defend their 2024/25 crown—can Arsenal or City dethrone them? Stay tuned for January fireworks.
