Juventus Women begin their 2026/27 UEFA Women’s Champions League league-phase campaign at home to Benfica on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, at 21:00 CET at the Allianz Stadium. It is a repeat of last season’s Matchday 1 fixture, when Juventus won 2-1 in Turin thanks to two goals from defender Cecilia Salvai, the only previous European meeting between the sides.
Juventus enter having won their opening Champions League match in each of their four previous campaigns. They reached the league phase by beating Torino 2-1 and Hamburg 3-1 in the earlier qualifying rounds, then overcoming SKN St. Pölten 4-1 on aggregate in the third qualifying round (3-0 away, 1-1 at home). Domestically, they come off a Serie A Women’s Cup comeback win over Roma, decided on penalties after extra time.
Manager Isaac Guerrero said he is not concerned about fatigue, stressing that his squad is built for the physical demands of elite European football and that playing at the Allianz Stadium will help lift the team. He described Benfica as a strong, attack-minded side that can cause problems down the flanks, but said the high expectations motivate his players and praised their maturity in crucial moments during qualification.
Tactically, Juventus bring notable set-piece threat. They were the only team in the previous edition of the Women’s Champions League to score from a direct free-kick, with two such goals from Eva Schatzer and Emma Stolen Godø. Among current squad members, Tatiana Pinto and Cecilia Salvai lead Juventus’ active European scoring tallies from last season; Pinto scored against Lyon and SKN St. Pölten, while Salvai’s brace came against Benfica.
The 21:00 CET kickoff is one of several high-profile Matchday 1 fixtures on Tuesday, alongside Arsenal vs HB Køge Women and Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain, with Bayern München vs Manchester City and Inter vs Häcken starting earlier at 18:45. Juventus will look to extend their record of winning their Champions League opener as they aim to establish an early position in the 18-team league phase.
