Champions League returns: Arsenal and Real Madrid headline league phase action in Europe's biggest tournament

Cue the UEFA Champions League anthem because Europe's top club competition is officially back. Tuesday marks the start of a jam-packed, three-day Champions League week as the league phase begins, while David Beckham is back on Monday with a special edition of Beckham and Friends on CBS Sports Golazo Network to preview this season's action. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a look-ahead to Tuesday's action, which will see title contenders Real Madrid and Arsenal hit the pitch.

📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Monday, Sept. 15🇮🇹 Serie A: Hellas Verona vs. Cremonese, 12:30 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UCL: Beckham and Friends preview show, 6 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Golazo Network

Tuesday, Sept. 16🇪🇺 UCL: Athletic Club vs. Arsenal, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇺 UCL: Real Madrid vs. Marseille, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🌎 CWCC: Chorrillo vs. Orlando Pride, 8 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+

⚽ The Forward Line🇪🇸 Are Real Madrid back?

Rare are the campaigns where Real Madrid are not realistic contenders for the Champions League title, but the 15-time winners were clearly a step behind the best teams last season, leaving new manager Xabi Alonso with a batch of questions on how to restore the balance in a lopsided squad. It may still be early days for Alonso in the Spanish capital but four games in, he may already have his answers.

Los Blancos are off to a perfect start in LaLiga, demonstrating more restraint than they once did. They have outscored their opponents eight to two so far this season while practicing a more pragmatic approach in front of net, Alonso rotating through his many attacking options over the opening weeks of the campaign. One person has stayed put as Alonso rolls with a 4-2-3-1, though -- Kylian Mbappe, who sits at the top of Real Madrid's attack.

The World Cup winner may have been Los Blancos' leading goal scorer last season with 44 goals across all competitions, but he essentially exemplified the team's imbalance during his first campaign in the Spanish capital. It appeared at times that there was no room for him, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo on the pitch and posed an existential question to a star-studded Real Madrid team. Alonso has not tried to jam all of his options on the field, either, but he has prioritized Mbappe, and in the process, James Benge writes that the France international just might be poised to be the player of the season.

• Benge: "We're still in the realms of very small sample sizes but this really has been a bright start to the new season for Kylian Mbappe, three goals in his first three La Liga games and an average of over six shots per 90 minutes in that period. It seems that Xabi Alonso has swiftly established which of his ultra-talented forwards is going to be the focal point of his attack, ready yourself for Mbappe to go supernova at some stage this season."

Alonso will have another chance to test his tactical strategy on Tuesday against Marseille, which offers a favorable opportunity to start the campaign on a high. Marseille are off to a middling start in Ligue 1 with two wins and two losses and are unlikely to pose the challenges that Manchester City and Liverpool could pose later in the league phase. Everything just might be coming up Real Madrid, though, who might have just what it takes to top the league phase table and even thrust themselves back into the title conversation.

Every Goal. All In One Show

🔗 Midfield Link Play🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Arsenal's make-or-break season begins

In a sense, everything is trending in the right direction for Arsenal – they are just a few months removed from their first trip to the Champions League semifinals in roughly two decades, they bolstered their squad over the summer and seem to be settling into a rhythm just in time for the season to get going. The next week, though, will offer a chance for them to prove that their decades-long wait for major silverware will actually come to an end this season, with pressure mounting on manager Mikel Arteta to get the job done as he approaches six years in the job.

Before a crucial test against Manchester City during the weekend, the Gunners travel to Athletic Club to kick off their Champions League campaign. Their league phase schedule includes high-profile matches against Bayern Munich and Inter but Arsenal are expected to showcase their strengths during the first stage of European play, especially with a refreshed squad. While Martin Zubiimendi proved his worth with a brace on Saturday against Nottingham Forest, all eyes just might be on Arsenal's new No. 9 Viktor Gyokeres, who Francesco Porzio argues is in position to be the best new signing of the Champions League season.

• Porzio: "If the goal for Arsenal was to take another step forward and become a serious challenge at European level as well for the Premier League, they may have found the right player at exactly the right moment. The Gunners secured the signing of Viktor Gyokeres this summer from Sporting CP in a deal worth an initial $74 million, with an additional $11.5 million in potential add-ons. For Mikel Arteta's side, it feels like the missing player they've been waiting for a long time. They have have failed to sign a true number nine for years, someone capable of consistently delivering goals and leading the line and Gyokeres fits that profile perfectly. For Arsenal, the timing couldn't be better."

Athletic Club are no slouch, even if the Gunners are the favorites in Bilbao on Tuesday. Last season's UEFA Europa League semifinalists are third place in LaLiga with three wins out of four, though recent history does not necessarily favor them. The two sides faced off in a preseason friendly last month in which Arsenal won 3-0, with Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz on the scoresheet.

🔗 Top Stories

🧙‍♂️ Champions League game picks: Our James Benge picked every UCL match in this season's league phase, and here's how he has it playing out.

👹 Red Devils' defense remains a problem: Have you heard this one before? Manchester United's sloppy defense cost them again, this time against Man City.

🏆 Champions League Matchday 1: These are the storylines to watch at UCL action gets underway.

🚨 DeMelo's medical emergency: Scary scenes on Sunday night as Racing Louisville's Savannah DeMelo collapsed on the field and was rushed to the hospital.

⁉ Who will win the Champions League? Our experts make their picks.

↗ Time for a vibe check: Our Francesco Porzio takes a look at some of the biggest teams in UCL and how they are looking ahead of the first games.

💰 The Back Line💵 Best bets

• UEFA Champions League: 2025-26 champion💰 THE PICK: Barcelona to win the Champions League (+600) – They may not play until Thursday but the oddsmakers have made their pick for the next winner of the UEFA Champions League – last season's semifinalists Barcelona. It is hard to bet against a team with Lamine Yamal, even if the teenager might miss their Matchday 1 clash at Newcastle United with a groin issue, and if they can replicate last season's attack-minded form, they are as strong a contender as any.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.

Live Matches TOMORROW 👀

UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 schedule

Tuesday, Sept. 16

• UEFA Champions League Matchday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• PSV vs. Union Saint-Gilloise, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Athletic Club vs. Arsenal, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
• UEFA Champions League Today pre-match, 1:30 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• The Golazo Show, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Benfica vs. Qarabag, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Villarreal, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Real Madrid vs. Marseille, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• UEFA Champions League Today post-match, 5 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• The Champions Club, 6 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube)
• Scoreline, 7 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)

Wednesday, Sept. 17

• UEFA Champions League Matchday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Olympiacos vs. Pafos, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Slavia Praha vs. Bodo/Glimt, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
• UEFA Champions League Today pre-match, 2 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• The Golazo Show, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• Ajax vs. Inter, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atalanta, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• UEFA Champions League Today post-match, 5 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• The Champions Club, 6 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube)
• Scoreline, 7 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)

Thursday, Sept. 18

• UEFA Champions League Matchday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Copenhagen vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Club Brugge vs. Monaco, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
• UEFA Champions League Today pre-match, 2 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• The Golazo Show, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Galatasaray, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
• Sporting Lisbon vs. Kairat, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Newcastle United vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Manchester City vs. Napoli, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
• UEFA Champions League Today post-match, 5 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)
• The Champions Club, 6 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube)
• Scoreline, 7 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)