Champions League Returns With Inter V Liverpool, Real Madrid V Man City Headlining Final Group Games In 2025

European football takes centre stage again this week as the last round of Champions League fixtures for the year gets underway.

With so much on offer across three nights, attention will naturally fall on two heavyweight clashes that could shape the story of the season.

On Tuesday night, the spotlight is firmly on the San Siro where Inter host a Liverpool side in disarray. Both teams are still in the race for a top-eight finish, but Arne Slot’s men arrive three points behind the Italian side and outside the qualifying spots.

Inter are fourth on 12 points, though the table is tight enough that a shock Liverpool victory would put the Premier League champions level with the Nerazzurri.

That task has been made even tougher by the latest drama at Anfield. A thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds at the weekend was overshadowed by Mohamed Salah accusing the club of having “thrown him under the bus”. Liverpool have since confirmed that the Egyptian will not travel to Milan.

The fallout adds to a growing crisis for Slot whose side now meet an Inter team full of confidence. Simone Inzaghi’s players are second in Serie A and come off a commanding 4-0 win over Como. Victory in Italy would offer Liverpool a much-needed reset, but another poor result could see their season spiral further.

Wednesday brings a clash that has quietly become one of modern football’s fiercest rivalries as Real Madrid welcome Manchester City. For years, it was Real’s battles against Manchester United that defined European nights. Today, it is City who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Spanish giants.

The meeting comes at a tense moment in Madrid. Whispers of unrest around Xabi Alonso’s handling of the dressing room have grown louder, with reports claiming the club has already sounded out a possible replacement.

Real have taken just four points from their last three league matches and now trail Barcelona by the same margin. In Europe, they sit three points from top spot, which is seen simply as a minimum expectation.

City arrive in a very different mood. Pep Guardiola’s side are building momentum again and closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to two points with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland. Those goals took their tally to 11 in three league games as Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland have found rhythm together. What once looked like a one-man forward line has become a fluid and dangerous quartet.

Real, meanwhile, face questions in defence after a 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo. If they fail to tighten up, City’s attack could take full advantage in a match that may carry greater significance for the domestic title race than the Champions League table.

With so much at stake across Europe, supporters will have no shortage of options. But for drama, tension and narrative, Tuesday in Milan and Wednesday in Madrid offer the best of what continental football brings.