Champions League: Italian Stars Shine as 2026-27 Season Begins

The Champions League roars back into life on Tuesday night, and for Italy, the opening whistle sounds like a roll call of present stars and future Azzurri. Eight Italian hopefuls could step onto Europe’s biggest stage as the 2026-27 campaign begins.

Six games open the league phase on Tuesday, headlined by a heavyweight clash at the Santiago Bernabeu: 15-time champions Real Madrid against the reigning Serie A and Coppa Italia holders Inter. Around that marquee fixture, Italian talent is scattered across the continent, from Bruges to Porto to Dortmund.

Tresoldi kicks off the Italian watch

The evening starts early in Belgium. At 17.45 BST, Club Brugge host Aston Villa, and all eyes from Coverciano will flicker first to Nicolo Tresoldi.

Still eligible to represent either Germany or Italy at senior level, Tresoldi is expected to lead the line for Brugge. It is the kind of stage that can tilt an international future. A sharp performance against Premier League opposition, under the Champions League lights, and the calls from Italy could grow louder.

Inter’s core in Madrid – without Dimarco

Then comes the main event. At 20.00 BST, Inter walk into the Bernabeu with a strong Italian spine and a huge statement to make.

Cristian Chivu is set to rely on two of his most trusted Azzurri: Alessandro Bastoni at the back and Nicolo Barella in midfield. Bastoni will be asked to marshal a Real Madrid attack that has broken so many European nights. Barella, as ever, will be the heartbeat – pressing, snapping into tackles, driving the ball forward when Inter break.

There is also room for youth. Pio Esposito is likely to start on the bench, but this is the kind of match where one late chance can change a career. If the game opens up, if legs tire and spaces appear, the young forward could be thrown in against the most demanding opponent of all.

One notable absentee, though, hangs over Inter’s preparations. Federico Dimarco, usually a guaranteed starter and one of Italy’s most influential wide players, has been left in Milan after struggling with knee pain in the build-up. His absence strips Inter of a major source of width and delivery on the left. It also removes one of the most established Azzurri figures from the opening European night.

Donnarumma guards City’s goal

At the same 20.00 BST slot, Italy’s No.1 will be on duty in Portugal. Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to start for Manchester City away to Porto, a fixture that carries its own weight for the goalkeeper.

The Champions League remains the yardstick by which elite keepers are judged. Donnarumma, installed as City’s man between the posts, will be tested in a hostile stadium, against a side that relishes upsetting giants. Every save, every claim under pressure, feeds back into the narrative of Italy’s last line of defence.

Young Italians chasing minutes in Dortmund

There is another pocket of Italian interest in Germany. Borussia Dortmund face Villarreal on Tuesday evening, and three Italian youngsters are pushing for involvement: Luca Reggiani, Filippo Mane and Samuele Inacio.

Pre-match reports point especially towards Mane, with a real chance he breaks into Niko Kovac’s starting XI. A place in Dortmund’s line-up on a Champions League night is a powerful endorsement for any young defender. For Reggiani and Inacio, even a cameo or a place on the bench keeps them on the radar, part of a growing wave of Italians testing themselves abroad.

The Italian agenda: Tuesday’s fixtures

So, where will Italy’s hopes be scattered when the anthem plays?

• Club Brugge vs Aston Villa (17.45 BST) Nicolo Tresoldi (Club Brugge)
• Porto vs Manchester City (20.00 BST) Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City)
• Real Madrid vs Inter (20.00 BST) Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolo Barella, Pio Esposito (Inter) *Federico Dimarco out of the matchday squad with a knee issue*
• Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal (20.00 BST) Luca Reggiani, Filippo Mane, Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund)

The Champions League has opened its doors again. Now comes the question that will shape Italy’s season in Europe: who among these names will simply take part, and who will seize the stage?