UEFA Champions League Fixture Difficulty: Who's Had It Tough so Far, and What Teams Have the Easiest Remaining Games? Analyst

In theUEFA Champions League, no league phase schedule is the same. So, which clubs have got their hardest fixtures out of the way, and who have the toughest games to come?

The adapted format of the Champions League sorts 36 teams into a table after eight games each, but it isn'treallya league in the traditional sense. That's because everyone plays eight different opponents.

No two teams have the same fixture list. And that means some teams naturally have an easier time than others.

We assessedthe difficulty of every side's opponentswhen the draw was made back in the summer, using the Opta Power Rankings to compare fixture lists. This week, the Champions League reached the midway point of the 2026-27 league phase, and the table is taking shape.

But as we know, fixture difficulty will be affecting things. With that in mind, we decided it's a good time to assess how tough the games have been for each team to this point, and what the remaining fixtures look like.

Doing so can help us get a better understanding of the table as it looks now after four matchdays. Who has done well considering their opponents so far, and who has a tricky run still to come?

Probability (%) of sides finishing in top eight Toughest First Four Games Atlético Madrid may be rather down after winning only one of their opening four matches of this year's league phase, a record that leaves them all the way down in 23rd, but they can take some heart from the fact they have played the hardest games so far. Having already faced Liverpool, Manchester United, Stuttgart and Bayern Munich, they had the toughest batch of opening four games of all 36 teams.

Of course, the fact that everyone has different opponents means that just because you have played four tough games doesn't necessarily mean you have four easier ones coming up. However, on this occasion, Atlético can look ahead to a kinder run.

They have the fourth-easiest remaining fixtures in this season's league phase. Bayern Munich have already faced both of their Pot One opponents, in Arsenal and Atlético Madrid, and they still remain unbeaten with eight points.