Benfica’s UEFA Champions League campaign began with a shock on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, as the Portuguese side lost 2–3 to Qarabag at the Stadium of Light. The match, which kicked off at 19:00 UTC under Belgian referee Eric Lambrechts, saw the home side leading 2–1 at half-time, but Qarabag mounted a second-half comeback to claim all three points on League Stage Matchday 1.

For Benfica, this defeat was a damaging start to their Champions League group-phase ambitions. Dropping poi...