Late Drama and Big Statements as Europa League Kicks Off
The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League group stage opened on Wednesday with a night full of goals, comebacks and decisive moments across Europe. From Belgrade to Zagreb, teams wasted no time in setting the tone for the new campaign.
Arnautović Rescues Zvezda Against Celtic
In Belgrade, Celtic looked set for a dream start when Kelechi Iheanacho calmly finished after 55 minutes. The Scottish club had already threatened through Benjamin Nygren and Colby Donovan, only for Matheus to produce several fine saves.
But Crvena Zvezda refused to fold. Marko Arnautović was in the right place to tap in midway through the second half, ensuring the Serbian champions earned a share of the points. Celtic were left frustrated after seeing Bruno Duarte denied earlier by a spectacular Kasper Schmeichel fingertip save onto the bar.
Dinamo Dominate Fenerbahçe
Zagreb witnessed one of the evening’s most emphatic results as Dinamo dispatched Turkish giants Fenerbahçe 3-1. Dion Beljo scored twice and substitute Mounsef Bakrar struck in added time to underline the hosts’ superiority. Sebastian Szymański briefly levelled for Fenerbahçe, but Dinamo’s energy and ruthlessness proved too much.
Roma’s Defenders Step Up
Roma began their campaign with a valuable away victory in France, beating Nice 2-1. Remarkably, both goals came from centre-backs: Evan N’Dicka and Gianluca Mancini. Terem Moffi pulled one back from the penalty spot for Nice, but José Mourinho’s side stood firm to secure three important points.
Mixed Fortunes Elsewhere
- Midtjylland 2–0 Sturm Graz: The Danish side took advantage of an early own goal by goalkeeper Oliver Christensen before sealing the win with a well-worked second.
- PAOK 0–0 Maccabi Tel Aviv: The only goalless draw of the night, with both teams struggling to break each other down.
- Malmö 1–2 Ludogorets: The Bulgarian champions started strong with an away win, showing efficiency in front of goal despite Malmö pressure.
- Braga 1–0 Feyenoord: A tight affair in Portugal was decided by a single strike, giving Braga a perfect start.
- Freiburg 2–1 Basel: The Bundesliga side proved resilient, bouncing back from Basel’s equaliser to claim the points at home.
A Promising Start
Matchday 1 showcased the competition’s trademark unpredictability. Crvena Zvezda’s comeback and Dinamo’s statement win grabbed headlines, while Roma, Ludogorets, Midtjylland, Braga and Freiburg all opened with crucial victories. With eight months of football ahead, the Europa League has once again proven it will be full of twists, tension and surprises.
