Azerbaijan's Sabah, with Kazakhstan's Stas Pokatilov in goal, lost 0-4 away to Manchester United. The first round of the main stage of the 2026/27 Champions League has concluded in Europe. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Despite the absence of Kairat, which failed to reach the group stage, Kazakhstan was not left without representation in the Champions League. Stas Pokatilov, the first-choice goalkeeper of tournament debutants Sabah from Baku, led his teammates onto the pitch at the "Theatre of Dreams" wearing the captain's armband.

There was no miracle. Manchester United, without exerting much effort, scored four goals against the newcomers. The last one was especially painful for Pokatilov. The Kazakhstani, getting tangled in his feet, lost the ball. And 2022 World Cup champion Lisandro Martinez of Argentina pounced on the rebound. Before that, Brazilian Mateus Cunha, Portuguese Bruno Fernandes and Slovenian Benjamin Sesko had each scored past our goalkeeper in turn (see video).

In the second round on October 13, Sabah will host Czech side Slavia. The Praguers played an incredible match against French club Lens today. Playing the entire second half with a man down, the Czechs managed to take the lead twice. After Slovenian Daniel Sturm completed a brace in the 88th minute – 2:1, it seemed the hosts would not let their advantage slip. However, another storm (the French finishing one) proved fatal for them. In stoppage time, Florian Thauvin and Ruben Aguilar brought Lens a come-from-behind victory – 3:2.

⚽ MANCHESTER UNITED (England) – SABAH (Baku, Azerbaijan) 4:0 (3:0). Goals: Cunha 27 (1:0), Fernandes 42 (2:0), Sesko 45 (3:0), Martinez 68 (4:0)

⚽ FENERBAHCE (Istanbul, Turkey) – ROMA (Rome, Italy) 1:1 (0:1). Goals: Cristante 39 (0:1), Brown 48 (1:1)

⚽ PSV (Eindhoven, Netherlands) – SHAKHTAR (Donetsk, Ukraine) 1:1 (0:1). Goals: Mendoza 45+1 (0:1), Dest 48 (1:1)

⚽ BAYERN (Munich, Germany) – BODO/GLIMT (Norway) 5:0 (0:0). Goals: Musiala 47 (1:0), Kane 61 (2:0), Davies 77 (3:0), Olise 83 (4:0), Olise 90+2 (5:0). Sent off: Bjortuft (BG, 87)

⚽ COMO (Italy) – LEIPZIG (Germany) 4:1 (2:0). Goals: Baturina 15 (1:0), Douvikas 38 (2:0), Daio 54 (3:0), Maksimovic 58 (3:1), Perrone 90 (4:1)

⚽ SLAVIA (Prague, Czech Republic) – LENS (France) 2:3 (0:0). Goals: Sturm 51 (1:0), Sima 73 (1:1), Sturm 88 (2:1), Thauvin 90+1 (2:2), Aguilar 90+3 (2:3). Sent off: Konecny (S, 49)

Like Manchester United against Sabah, Bayern won by a huge margin against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. The disruptor of the Champions League for two seasons in a row held out for the first half. However, the German machine then ground down the Scandinavians – 5:0. French Munich player Michael Olise scored a brace.

Italian club Como, which was playing in Serie C just five years ago, defeated the third team of the 2025/26 Bundesliga, Leipzig, by a large margin – 4:1. Fenerbahce and Roma, as well as PSV and Shakhtar, drew 1:1.

The opening round of the 2026/27 Champions League took place over three matchdays. It began on September 8 and continued the next day. The second round will be played a month later – on October 13 and 14.

Each of the 36 teams will play 8 matches against different opponents in the main round of the Champions League. The top 8 clubs from the overall table will advance directly to the round of 16.

Teams finishing from 9th to 24th place will take part in playoff matches for the right to play in the round of 16. Clubs from 9th to 16th will be seeded in the playoff draw. Teams finishing in 25th-36th places are eliminated from the tournament.

Kazakhstan's Kairat, which played in the Champions League last season, did not make it to the main stage of the main European club competition this time. Rafael Urazbakhtin's charges will start in the Conference League with an away match against Riga on October 15.