The Parc des Princes prepares to host a night of celebration, anticipation, and renewed ambition as Paris Saint-Germain kick off the defence of their long-awaited UEFA Champions League crown against Atalanta BC. For a club that has spent over a decade chasing European validation, last season’s triumph marked the culmination of years of investment, heartbreak, and reinvention. Now, under the stewardship of Luis Enrique, PSG return to the competition not as hopeful contenders but as reigning champions—a status that brings both prestige and pressure. Their opening fixture against the ever-ambitious Bergamaschi is more than a formality; it is a litmus test for how the champions intend to carry themselves in a new era of expectation.
The 2024–25 campaign was historic for PSG in every sense. After years of near misses and painful exits, the club finally scaled the summit of European football, dismantling Inter Milan in the final with a performance that was as ruthless as it was poetic. That victory, the largest margin ever recorded in a Champions League final, was the crowning achievement of Luis Enrique’s transformative reign. The Spanish tactician, known for his tactical clarity and developmental ethos, had already delivered a domestic double in his first season. But the treble—Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Champions League—elevated his legacy to legendary status in Paris. Only the revamped Club World Cup eluded them, with a shock defeat in the final denying PSG a historic quadruple.
After a brief summer respite, PSG returned to action with the same hunger and precision that defined their previous campaign. They edged Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup, a match that showcased their ability to grind out results against elite opposition. Domestically, they began the 2025–26 season with two narrow 1–0 wins before unleashing their attacking might in a 6–0 demolition of Toulouse. Most recently, a brace from Bradley Barcola saw off Lens at the Parc des Princes, a result that allowed Luis Enrique to rotate his squad and rest key players ahead of their European opener. The champions appear well-oiled, focused, and ready to defend their crown.
Their opponents, Atalanta BC, arrive in Paris with a reputation for defying expectations. The Bergamo-based club has carved out a niche as one of Europe’s most entertaining and tactically adventurous sides over the past decade. Their run to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2020, where they were narrowly beaten by PSG in a one-off match in Lisbon due to COVID-19 restrictions, remains their best performance in the competition. Yet their trajectory has been anything but linear. In 2024, they lifted the Europa League, a testament to their resilience and attacking philosophy. Last season, they topped Serie A at Christmas after a record-breaking 11-match winning streak and posted their biggest-ever European wins—5–0 at home to Sturm Graz and 6–1 away to Young Boys. But their campaign unraveled after a shock Champions League exit to Club Brugge, and they eventually finished third in Italy, albeit with a club-best points tally.
That downturn marked the end of an era. Gian Piero Gasperini, the architect of Atalanta’s rise, stepped down after nine years of unprecedented success. His replacement, Ivan Juric, inherits both a legacy and a challenge. Juric, a former Gasperini disciple at Genoa, has had a turbulent managerial journey. His brief stint at Roma in last season’s Europa League yielded just one win from four games, and a subsequent move to Southampton ended in disappointment. Now back in Italy, Juric is tasked with maintaining Atalanta’s competitive edge while instilling his own tactical identity. It took him three matches to register his first league win—following draws with Parma and Pisa, La Dea finally triumphed 4–1 over Lecce on Sunday. But facing the reigning European champions on matchday one presents a different kind of trial.
Juric’s side will look to draw confidence from their impressive away record in Europe. Atalanta have scored in each of their last 15 European group or league away games and are unbeaten in eight. Their ability to perform on foreign soil is rooted in their tactical flexibility and fearless approach. However, injuries and absences threaten to undermine their preparations. Star forward Ademola Lookman remains unavailable due to personal reasons, while Gianluca Scamacca, who recently withdrew from Italy duty with knee inflammation, is a major doubt. In his absence, Nikola Krstovic is expected to partner Charles De Ketelaere in attack. Krstovic has yet to score since replacing last season’s Capocannoniere Mateo Retegui, but De Ketelaere’s form offers hope—he netted twice at the weekend and recorded nine goal involvements in ten Champions League appearances last term.
Atalanta’s midfield is also depleted. Ederson, a key figure in their engine room, is sidelined with a knee injury, and veteran defender Sead Kolasinac continues his recovery from an ACL tear. These absences place added responsibility on the likes of Teun Koopmeiners and Marten de Roon to anchor the midfield and shield a backline that will be tested by PSG’s relentless movement and technical superiority. Juric may opt for a compact 3-4-2-1 formation, designed to congest central areas and force PSG wide, but the success of such a strategy will depend on discipline and transitional efficiency.
PSG, too, have injury concerns. Ousmane Dembélé and Desire Doue returned from international duty nursing knocks, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—one of the stars of last season’s European run—is struggling with a calf issue. Lee Kang-in and Lucas Beraldo both sustained ankle injuries against Lens, and their availability remains uncertain. However, Luis Enrique is expected to welcome back captain Marquinhos and left-back Nuno Mendes, both of whom were rested at the weekend. Fabian Ruiz, who missed recent fixtures due to a minor strain, is fit to start and will likely partner Manuel Ugarte in midfield.
The tactical blueprint for PSG remains consistent: high possession, positional rotations, and vertical penetration. Luis Enrique has built a side that is not only technically gifted but also tactically intelligent. The front three—likely to include Barcola, Gonçalo Ramos, and Kvaratskhelia if fit—offer a blend of pace, creativity, and finishing. Behind them, the midfield trio orchestrates play with precision, while the backline, marshaled by Marquinhos and Milan Škriniar, provides stability and composure. PSG’s ability to control tempo and exploit half-spaces makes them formidable, especially at home.
The psychological dimension of this fixture cannot be ignored. PSG enter as champions, with the weight of expectation and the desire to prove that last season was not a one-off. Atalanta, by contrast, arrive as underdogs, but with a history of upsetting the established order. The memory of their narrow defeat in 2020 will linger, and Juric will be keen to channel that into motivation. For PSG, the challenge is to maintain focus, avoid complacency, and begin their title defence with authority.
The Parc des Princes will be electric, filled with fans eager to witness the next chapter in their club’s European journey. The banners, the chants, the anticipation—it all speaks to a city that has embraced its footballing identity with renewed pride. For Luis Enrique, this match is an opportunity to reaffirm his philosophy and showcase the depth of his squad. For Juric, it is a chance to announce his arrival on the continental stage and test his mettle against one of the world’s elite.
As the teams line up on Wednesday night, the narratives will converge: champions versus challengers, stability versus transition, legacy versus ambition. The Champions League, in its essence, is a theatre of dreams and drama. And in Paris, under the lights of the Parc des Princes, those dreams will either be reignited or reshaped. Whether it ends in dominance or defiance, PSG vs. Atalanta promises to be a compelling spectacle—one that sets the tone for a season where every match matters, and every moment counts.
