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The long-awaited return of the Champions League was marked by a packed three-day opening round extravaganza.
Of the 18 matches played, only two ended in draws, with 16 victors celebrating early wins while an equal number of defeated sides were left to reflect on disappointing starts.
Although the opening round fell short of delivering the major shocks that Europe's top club competition is known for, there were still plenty of compelling clashes that highlighted the continent's finest talents.
With that in mind, here is Sports Illustrated's ranking of all 36 Champions League clubs—focusing on performance and standing in the competition rather than the official league phase table—following the conclusion of Matchday 1.
36. Slovan Bratislava
Slovan Bratislava suffered defeats in all eight of their league phase games during their previous Champions League campaign, and they appear set to replicate that record after a heavy 6–1 thrashing away to Paris Saint-Germain. A forgettable managerial debut in the league phase for Yaya Touré.
35. Bodø/Glimt
The Norwegian outsiders were one of last season's feel-good stories after pulling off several notable victories, but they were thoroughly put in their place by Bayern Munich. A 5–0 hammering leaves them rooted to the foot of the standings.
34. RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig would have fancied their chances heading into a clash with competition newcomers Como, but the German side departed Italy in embarrassment after being thoroughly dominated in a 4–1 defeat.
33. Sabah FK
Sabah's very participation in the Champions League is a remarkable achievement, and their 4–0 loss still represents a landmark moment in the club's brief history. Nevertheless, significant improvements will clearly be needed as the competition progresses.
32. Feyenoord
Feyenoord are not the first team to ship five goals to Barcelona this season—they are, in fact, the fourth—and on occasion one must simply acknowledge being outclassed by a generation-defining attack in devastating form. Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst had a miserable homecoming to Camp Nou.
31. Napoli
A 1–0 loss to Arsenal is far from catastrophic on paper, but the scoreline barely scratches the surface of Napoli's woeful performance. They conceded 4.05 expected goals against their opponents and managed just five shots at the opposite end in what was a third consecutive defeat.
30. Viking FK
Viking FK can at least take comfort in not being the worst-performing Norwegian club in the Champions League this week, but the debutants were far from impressive themselves in a well-deserved 3–1 defeat at Stuttgart.