Exclusive, unrivalled, unmissable coverage - Goal.com is here to provide you with the best of the Champions League from start to finish...

Europe's premier club competition kicks off in style this week, and you can follow every bit of it with the Goal.com team.

You will find all the latest news, previews, prompt reports and reactions, from every single game. Then, we have our exclusive player ratings and post match analysis that we know you love to get your teeth into.

In addition, we will also cover every single game, be it Juventus versus Real Madrid or Fenerbahce versus Dynamo Kiev, through exclusive live commentaries. This is for the benefit of all those who cannot watch their favourite team in action because they are stuck in office or school, or simply because it is not broadcast in their country.

Between our team of experts, we will have every angle of the tournament covered, so you can just sit back and enjoy it all with us.

Check out our schedule of previews, live text commentaries and reports below, and remember to stay tuned to our Champions League section for all the reactions, editorials and news pieces as they come in.

Tuesday 16 September 2008

Group A
Chelsea 4-0 Bordeaux	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Roma 1-2 CFR Cluj	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Group B
Panathinaikos 0-2 Inter	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Werder Bremen 0-0 Anorthosis	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Group C
Basel 1-2 Shakhtar	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Barcelona 3-1 Sporting CP	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Group D
PSV 0-3 Atletico Madrid	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Marseille 1-2 Liverpool	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings

Wednesday 17 September 2008

Group E
Manchester Utd. 0-0 Villarreal	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Celtic 0-0 AaB Aalborg	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Group F
Steaua 0-1 Bayern Munich	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Lyon 2-2 Fiorentina	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Group G
Porto 3-1 Fenerbahce	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Dynamo Kiev 1-1 Arsenal	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Group H
Juventus 1-0 Zenit	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings
Real Madrid 2-0 BATE	Preview	LIVE!	Report	Ratings

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Dynamo Kiev 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal earned a battling point in Ukraine after going behind to a controversial penalty shortly after the hour, William Gallas getting his third goal in as many Champions Leagues games this season to ensure there was no major shock in Kiev.

After largely controlling the match for an hour but failing to convert some good chances, Bacary Sagna was somewhat harshly adjudged to have fouled Ognjen Vukojevic in the area, and Ismael Bangoura expertly slotted home the penalty to put Dynamo Kiev ahead in the 64^th minute.

The goal infused Kiev with energy and purpose, and for the next 15 minutes the Gunners were rocking. But they held on, regrouped and battled back into the game, getting their reward in the last five minutes when captain William Gallas slammed the ball into the roof of the net from almost under the bar to cap a period of sustained Arsenal pressure.

Alexandre Song replaced Emmanuel Eboue in the only change made by Arsene Wenger to the side that beat Blackburn Rovers 4-0 in the Premier League on Saturday. With Samir Nasri amd Mikael Silvestre both injured, Wenger named Mexico starlet Carlos Vela, Wales teenager Aaron Ramsey and 16-year-old Londoner Jack Wilshere on his bench.

Robin Van Persie won an early corner, and soon Theo Walcott's pace threatened as he chased a hopeful ball over the top and, with keeper Bogush making no move, Mykhalyk had to turn the ball behind for another corner. But Dynamo were showing an attacking threat of their own through Bangoura and Eremenko.

On 20 minutes, Emmanuel Adebayor had an excellent chance for Arsenal when Kiev gave the ball away cheaply, but the Togo striker put his shot wide. The two defences then began to enjoy the balance of power, before Bacary Sagna set up Van Persie, whose shot rippled the side-netting.

Then just before the break, Van Persie laid a neat back to Cesc Fabregas, but the Catalan didn’t quite catch it right, and it went straight down Stanislav Bogush’s throat for a key save.

The second-half began with an early scare for the Gunners, Roman Eremanko surging into the area and taking the ball past Gallas and firing in a low drive that crashed off the base of the near post as a grateful Manuel Almunia, hitherto largely unused, pounced on the loose ball.

Arsenal, though, were unhappy about the attack because Walcott was down injured at the time.

Walcott recovered, though, and burst through the middle, spreading the ball wide to van Persie - but with Adebayor yelling for it in the middle, the Dutchman blazed wide from a tight angle.

Fabregas tried a shot from 30 yards which Bogush gathered cleanly after the ball took a deflection and bounced just in front of the keeper.

But when Bangoura broke down the right for Kiev and crossed towards Vukojevic, both he and Sagna tumbled. It was a case of six of one and half-a-dozen of the other but the referee decided Sagna had committed a foul, and Bangoura coolly took full advantage.

Bangoura especially was energised by the goal, and he had the Arsenal defence stretched repeatedly as the London side withstood a tense few minutes. However, he ludicrously dived, and was promptly booked, to ruin a swift incisive passing move by Dynamo. Had he stayed on his feet he could have burst through and had a shot from the middle of the goal.

With Aliev orchestrating the midfield for Dynamo, the Gunners - who were certainly the better team in the first-half, were suddenly hanging on. Bangoura blasted another effort wide, and Clichy made a well-timed tackle on Vukoyevic as the Kiev man was about to shoot. Then Bangoura shot into the side-netting, before Arsenal recovered some poise and were getting back into it in the final ten minutes.

Adebayor went past Nesmachnyi on the right and produced a teasing cross, but Diakhate was calmness personified as he chested the ball back to his goalkeeper. Then an Arsenal corner was cleared two minutes from time, and Bangoura and Aliev had a chance to punish their visitors in a two-on-one break but made a hash of it.

It proved costly because Arsenal immediately equalised. Walcott broke away again down the right and his low dangerous cross to the far post found Gallas gratefully smashing it over the line from almost point-blank range.

So the game ended all-square, both sides having produced some incisive attacking football at pace. Had they both shown greater composure when chances presented themselves, the outcome could have been different. But Arsenal will feel justice was eventually done after the contentious penalty decision.

Dynamo Kiev: Bogush, Betao, Diakhate, Mykhalyk, Nesmachniy, Vukojevic, Yussuf, Yeremenko, Aliev, Ninkovic, Bangoura. Subs: Shovkovskiy, Ghioane, Morozyuk, Shatskikh, Kravets, Olexander Romanchuk, Asatiani

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Song Billong, Denilson, Van Persie, Adebayor. Subs: Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou, Bendtner, Eboue

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Juventus 1-0 Zenit

A 75th minute wonder goal from Alessandro Del Piero was enough to give Juventus a 1-0 victory over Zenit St Petersburg in a tight and at times drab Champions League Group H opener in Turin.

Team News

Juventus made their return to Europe’s premier club competition after two years in the Calciopoli-imposed wildnerness, and they were virtually at full strength, with only Jonathan Zebina and Cristiano Zanetti, who are by no-means first team players, out injured.

Claudio Ranieri made four changes from the team who beat Udinese 1-0 on Sunday, selecting Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet up-front, with Nicola Legrottaglie and Cristian Molinaro replacing Olof Mellberg and Paolo De Ceglie respectively in defence.

UEFA Cup and European Supercup champions Zenit were minus the services of midfielder Roman Shirokov, Turkish striker Fatih Tekke, as well as long-term absentee Nicolas Lombaerts.

There were no surprises in Dick Advocaat’s line-up as much admired offensive trio Andrei Arshavin, Danny and Pavel Pogrebnyak all started, with Anatoliy Tymoschuk anchoring the midfield.

First Half

Zenit made by far the better start and controlled the possession in the early stages. On 10 minutes they should have been ahead following a simply dreadful miss from Danny. Pogrebnyak got behind Zdenek Grygera down the right, and chipped a ball up to the far post for Alexander Anyukov, who nodded the ball down to Danny, but from just six yards out he somehow scuffed the ball wide when it was easier to score.

It took until the 14th minute for Juve to launch their first attack of note as Del Piero lost his man delightfully, and crossed for Trezeguet who glanced a header wide.

Del Piero was now finding his feet, and he left Tymoschuk for dead in the centre circle with some great quick feet before lifting the ball over for Trezeguet, who just couldn't take the ball down or else he would have been through.

Sissoko then had a shot from the edge of the area charged down, before Del Piero went on a mesmerising run inside the area, beating three men before being stopped by last man Sebastien Puygrenier.

On 25 minutes Juve were desperately close to taking the lead as Del Piero whipped in a free kick from the right, and Mauro Camoranesi nipped in to flick on a header, only to see it crash off the post and out of play.

Juve were improving but they then received a big blow just past the half-hour mark as Camoranesi was forced off injured, and had to be replaced by Hasan Salihamidzic.

Zenit tried to take immediate advantage of this as Danny volleyed over from 25 yards. There was an more dangerous moment soon after as Pogrebnyak got in behind Chiellini but his cross was headed away by Grygera.

Juve were disjointed again following the Camoranesi injury, and Zenit took control in midfield again, but in truth it had been a first half to forget about for the neutral, and indeed neither goalkeeper had been forced into a single save.

Second Half

Into the second half and Juve had the first attempt as Trezeguet rattled in a left-footed effort from 30 yards that sailed high over the bar. Chiellini then couldn't get his foot over the ball following a right-wing corner.

Yet it was Zenit who were looking the more dangerous, and Juve were forced into a spell of desperate defending before Denisov sliced the ball wide from the edge of the area.

Zenit were knocking on the door and on 55 minutes they missed their second glorious chance of the night as Arshavin put left back Radek Sirl clean through on goal, but Gianluigi Buffon made a superb stop to rescue his side.

Ranieri knew something had to be done and he made a second change, replacing the disappointing Molinaro with Paolo De Ceglie.

Juventus were disjointed, as they had been almost all night. There was also a distinct lack of pace or imagination in the team, and as the game entered the final quarter, if anyone looked like winning it certainly was Zenit.

However, on 73 minutes Juve could have gone ahead as Nedved fizzed in a free kick way out on the left, and Poulsen nodded the ball on, but Malafeev made a fine low save down to his left to push the ball away.

A few minutes later Juve finally broke the deadlock courtesy of an absolute wonder goal from Alessandro Del Piero. The legendary captain let fly with a dipping, swerving free kick from fully 30 yards that moved both left and right as it flew past Malafeev. It was a quite incredible strike!

Zenit tried to hit back, and with 10 minutes to go they were centimetres away from doing so as Denisov sidefooted the ball agonizingly wide of the far post from 20 yards out.

Substitute Alejandro Dominguez then tried to repeat Del Piero's trick but Buffon comfortably saved his long range shot.

Zenit pushed everyone forward for the equaliser, and Arshavin went on a winding run, beating two men before the colossal Chiellini saved the day with an expert tackle.

Amauri came on for Trezeguet in the closing minutes, and almost helped create a second goal for Del Piero but Juve managed to hold out as they earned a narrow win on their return to the Champions League.

Teams

Juventus: Buffon, Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro (De Ceglie 56), Camoranesi (Salihamidzic 31), Poulsen, Sissoko, Nedved, Del Piero, Trezeguet (Amauri 87)

Zenit: Malafeev, Anyukov, Krizanac, Puygrenier, Sirl, Denisov, Tymoschuk, Zyrianov (Dominguez 78), Arshavin, Danny, Pogrebnyak.

Goals

Del Piero 75 (J)


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Real Madrid 2-0 BATE Borisov

A goal in each half by Sergio Ramos and Ruud van Nistelrooy was enough to ensure Real Madrid open the 2008/09 Champions League campaign on a winning note.

Despite dominating the game from start to finish, playing some lovely passing football at times and creating countless chances infront of goal, Real Madrid spurned numerous opportunities to inflict a heavier defeat on their resilient opponents who had to play out the final half hour with only ten men.

Sergio Ramos and van Nistelrooy struck either side of the break to hand three points to the hosts but BATE goalie Sergei Veremko was undoubtedly the hero for the visitors as he single-handedly limited the damage.

First Half

As expected, it was Madrid who took the game to their visiting rookies, carving up three openings within the first two minutes.

Van Nistelrooy had the ball in the back of the next as early as the first when Raúl slipped in a lovely through pass but the Dutchman had just inched into an offside position to receive the pass.

Just a minute later, a fluent passing move finished with Gago releasing Robben down the left flank but his cutback into the box just evaded Guti. And seconds later, Van Nistelrooy was again put through on goal but, onside this time, he smacked his shot against the side netting.

On eight minutes, Robben did superbly to pick out Guti but the vice-captain clipped his shot wide with only the on-rushing BATE goalkeeper, Veremko to beat.

But in the tenth minute, a brilliantly worked short corner produced the opener for Los Blancos. Van der Vaart’s low delivery found Guti on the edge of box, who drilled in what seemed like a miscued shot but he cleverly picked out Sergio Ramos at the far post and the right back only needed to prod the ball home.

Casillas was forced into his first save after 14 minutes when he denied Kryvets’ close range header, while straight to the other end, van Nistelrooy unleashed a 30-yard piledriver which narrowly missed the mark by mere inches.

Chances continue to fall generously to Los Merengues and Robben was next to get a crack when Guti discharged him into the box but the flying Dutchman dragged the ball wide with a heavy touch when he tried to round Veremko as he eventually ran out of pitch at the byline.

BATE gradually crept into the contest and the game balanced out midway through the half. A 25^th minute set-piece for the Belarusians on the left flank almost caused the hosts a moment of déjà vu panic, but Kryvets wasted the opportunity when he overhit his delivery completely.

Madrid had to wait until the 40^th minute before they could see the BATE goal again when Guti teed himself up with a shot just outside the box but he smashed his effort just wide.

Robben had the last chance of the half deep into injury time when his glancing header from a van der Vaart freekick marginally shaved the bar.

Second Half

Bernd Schuster’s side again came out firing at the start of the second period, immediately going on the offensive down the left flank.

Sergio Ramos almost got his second of the night five minutes into the restart when he brought down Guti’s high ball inside the area and pummelled in a volley but Veremko managed to beat it away.

A minute after, Robben dazzled his way down the left wing, into the box and his cutback found van der Vaart but the Oranje playmaker’s tame sidefooted shot was blocked by a crowd of defenders, and even possibly teammate, Raúl.

But on 56 minutes, the captain helped make it two-nil when he latched onto Diarrà’s pass and let fly with a stinging left foot shot but Veremko was alert to fist it away, only for the ball to bounce off Rzhevski into goal and poacher extra-ordinaire van Nistelrooy was there, right on the goal line, to tap it in and ensure he is credited with the strike.

Any chance of a BATE comeback was effectively wiped-out for good when leftback Khagush was sent off on the hour mark for a second bookable offence, and van Nistelrooy narrowly made it three from the ensuing freekick but he blazed his volley over from three yards out.

Higuaín was next to miss a gilt-edged chance to put the icing on the cake 15 minutes from time when he ran onto Marcelo’s long ball but with only Veremko infront of him, he pulled his shot centimetres wide of the right post.

Four minutes from time, van der Vaart picked up Marcelo’s pass and swivelled elegantly to face the goal before unleashing a snapshot but his effort was parried away by the very busy Veremko.

Sergio Ramos and van der Vaart gave the BATE goalie one last test in injury time when the duo forced him into sharp saves with blistering shots on target.

Madrid failed to add on to their tally but will happily settle for the 2-0 scoreline, the three points and more importantly, a clean sheet.

LINE-UPS

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas – Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze, Marcelo – Gago (Diarrà 35’), Guti (Higuaín 67’), van der Vaart, Raúl, Robben (Drenthe 60’) – van Nistelrooy

Unused subs: Dudek, Torres, Saviola, Javi García,

BATE Borisov (4-2-3-1): Veremko – Khagush, Rzhevski, Sosnovski, Yurevich – Likhtarovich (Volodko 58’), Sivakov – Nekhaychik, Kryvets, Stasevich (Zhavnerchik 46’) – Mirchev (Kazantsev 64’)

Unused subs: Gutor, Skavysh, Pecha, Viskushenko,

REAL MADRID 2-0 BATE BORISOV

1-0: Real Madrid (Sergio Ramos 10’)

2-0: Real Madrid (van Nistelrooy 56’)

BOOKINGS

Real Madrid: Nil

BATE Borisov: Khagush (47’, 62’), Sivakov (78’)

RED CARDS

BATE Borisov: Khagush (62’)

MATCH STATS

Possession: Real Madrid 65% – BATE Borisov 35%

Shots (On Target): Real Madrid 27 (10) – BATE Borisov 7 (2)

Fouls Committed: Real Madrid 16 – BATE Borisov 20

KS Leong

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Man Utd 0 Villarreal 0

The holders began the defence of their trophy with a goalless draw at Old Trafford against Villarreal. Cristiano Ronaldo made a second half comeback but even his presence was not enough to secure victory for the home side.

Much of the pre-match talk had surrounded the return of Ronaldo and sure enough the winger was to be found on the substitutes’ bench at the start of the evening.

On the field, however, the United side had an unfamiliar look. Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick were both missing through injury, and with Paul Scholes suspended, Fletcher, Nani, Park and Hargreaves made up an unfamiliar looking midfield.

Certainly the holders were missing the creativity of Ronaldo, Scholes and Giggs and chances were at a premium in an uneventful first half at Old Trafford.

A cautious start from both sides ensured the game failed to really spark initially with long range shots from first Evra and then Tevez the closest the home side came to breaking the deadlock in the early stages.

The visitors, on the other hand, seemed content to sit back and absorb the United pressure and offered little as an attacking threat.

Pires, on his return to Old Trafford, forced Van der Sar into a save just before the half hour mark but it was to be as close as Villarreal came in a quiet opening period.

The second half yielded little more joy for United and indeed it was Villarreal who should have opened the scoring on the hour mark.

Some excellent interplay from the visitors saw them patiently keep possession in the United area. The move ended with a low cross from Pires being converted by Franco, but agonisingly for the striker, his flick rebounded off the inside of the post and into the grateful arms of Van der Sar.

Ferguson’s patience with his side quickly evaporated and on came Anderson and Ronaldo, to a huge ovation, as the holders stepped up their search for the goal.

It took the Portuguese only five minutes to test Diego Lopez in the Villarreal goal. A quick break from Anderson and Tevez found the winger in the box but his shot was hit into the ground and allowed the goalkeeper the opportunity to save.

The arrival of the United number seven, however, certainly seemed to inspire the home side who upped the tempo. A fast flowing break saw Ronaldo feed Rooney and his cross reached Tevez but Diego Lopez just got a hand on his shot which allowed the covering Rodriguez to hook the ball off the line.

With ten minutes to go it was Ronaldo again. A Nani cross was whipped into the far post but the United talisman could only watch as his header flew just wide.

He then turned creator, a ferocious cross reached the far post where Evans was on hand but his header cannoned back off the post.

With Villarreal clearly tiring, United were dominant but even with the presence of Ronaldo they couldn’t quite find the opening and the visitors hung on for a point.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Nani, Hargreaves (Anderson, 62), Fletcher, Park (Ronaldo, 62), Rooney, Tevez (Giggs, 80).

Villarreal: Diego Lopez, Angel, Rodriguez, Godin, Capdevila, Cani (Cazorla, 46), Eguren, Edmilson, Pires (Ibagaza, 68), Fernandez, Franco (Llorente, 77).

Gill Clark

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Lyon 2-2 Fiorentina

Despite a first-half brace by Alberto Gilardino, Fiorentina were unable to claim three points on their return to the Champions League away to Olympique Lyon, as second-half goals by Frederic Piquionne and Karim Benzema made it all square in this Group F tie.

Fiorentina travelled to Lyon to face the seven-time French champions in their first Champions League match for eight years. New Lyon coach Claude Puel, who knows the Champions League is the club’s primary aim this season, played with a 4-3-3 formation with Sidney Govou, Fred, and Karim Benzema up front.

His Fiorentina colleague Cesare Prandelli, who led the Viola to fourth place in Serie A last season, responded with a 4-3-1-2 line up with Zdravko Kuzmanovic behind Adrian Mutu and Alberto Gilardino up front.

First Half

After a scrappy first few minutes, the match started coming alive around the 8th minute, when the home side hit the woodwork as Benzema hit the post with a right-footed shot on a cross from midfield wizard Juninho Pernambucano.

When it seemed Lyon were taking control of the match, Fiorentina opened the score with their first chance. Just 11 minutes in, the visitors played a great counterattack and full back Luciano Zauri played a perfect cross for Gilardino, who headed the ball in from close range to make it 1-0 to the Viola.

The hosts reacted immediately by winning a series of corners, and in the 12th minute Fiorentina came close to "scoring" an own goal as midfield playmaker Riccardo Montolivo made a rare defensive intervention that put goalkeeper Sebastien Frey in serious trouble.

After managing to keep Lyon at bay as they tried to find an immediate equaliser, Fiorentina came close to scoring a second in the 21st minute, when Sergio Almiron struck a great free kick which forced a fine save from Hugo Lloris.

On the half hour mark, Frey was called into action again, as Benzema played a fine ball to Jeremy Toulalan inside the area, and the French midfielder fired a great shot that was tipped over the bar by the Viola’s goalkeeper (29’).

It was end to end stuff as Lyon saw most of the ball, but Fiorentina frequently made themselves dangerous on the counterattack. In the 34th minute, Jean-Alain Boumsong lost the ball in midfield to Mutu, who started a great run towards the goal, only to see his final shot saved by Lloris.

At the other end, full back Anthony Reveillere came surging forward for the first time in the match, and sent in a great cross for Fred, who could not quite take advantage as he sent his header wide (37’).

Once again Fiorentina proved to be more clinical up front in the 42nd minute, when Gilardino made it 2-0 with a goal very similar to his first. This time it was Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo who provided the cross from the right, and the Italian international headed it brilliantly past Lloris.

Before the half time break, Lyon still tried to create some danger, but their ball possession did not produce any significant chances. The teams went back into the dressing room with Fiorentina unexpectedly leading 2-0 thanks to a couple of fine counterattacks converted by Gilardino.

Second Half

During half time, neither coach opted to make any changes, but curiously Frey came out with a new orange jersey because the one he wore before the break was deemed to similar to Lyon’s.

The French champions began the second half in determined mood, as they knew they had to start taking some risks. In the 51st minute, Benzema forced Frey into a great diving save with a stinging shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Despite their best efforts, though, Lyon just could not find a way through a very stubborn Fiorentina defence, who were not ashamed to make a series of tactical fouls to keep the home side at bay.

For a long time, Fiorentina kept holding on and Puel’s team failed to make themselves dangerous. However, out of nothing they found a way back into the game, as substitute Frederic Piquionne slotted the ball into an empty net from a pass by Benzema after he had been found by a nice through ball inside the area (73’).

After that Lyon started playing with more conviction and put Fiorentina under more serious pressure. In the 78th minute, Ederson was in an excellent position to head the ball in on a long pass, but his header was easily grabbed by Frey.

Three minutes later, Juninho had an opportunity to shoot from outside the area, but sent his effort just over the crossbar, and Toulalan did the same a minute later. It turned out that this was a prelude to Lyon’s equaliser, which came in the 85th minute, when Benzema was found by a smart free kick by Juninho, and the young French international had no hesitation as he struck the ball first time past Frey.

In the remainder of the game, Fiorentina obviously tried to hold on for dear life to claim a draw. There was one final chance for the home side in the 93rd minute, when a free kick by Juninho just cleared the crossbar.

All in all, the draw was a just result and perhaps slightly less than Lyon deserved against a highly defensive Fiorentina side (consider that the French had no less than 26 shots!). In Group F, Bayern Munich are the leaders for now as they beat Steaua Bucharest 1-0 away from home tonight, while Fiorentina and Lyon obviously follow with a point apiece.

Danilo Pochini

OLYMPIQUE LYON-FIORENTINA 2-2

GOALS: Gilardino 11’, 42’, Piquionne 73’, Benzema 85’

Lyon (4-3-3): Lloris; Reveillere, Boumsong, Bodmer, Kallstrom; Makoun (59’ Ederson), Toulalan, Juninho; Govou (88’ Mounier), Fred (65’ Piquionne), Benzema.

Fiorentina (4-3-1-2): Frey; Zauri (75’ Jorgensen), Dainelli, Kroldrup, Vargas; Almiron, Melo, Montolivo; Kuzmanovic (64’ Santana); Mutu, Gilardino (81’ Pazzini).

BOOKED: Dainelli, Melo, Gilardino, Jorgensen (F); Benzema (L)

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Steaua Bucureşti 0-1 Bayern München

Jurgen Klinsmann's Bayern Munich travelled to Romania looking to kick-start their season and return to Champions League action with a bang.

However, they ventured into the Stadionul Ghencea to take on Steaua Bucureşti without Franck Ribery, Hamit Altintopor or Willy Sagnol.

First Half

After a cagey start, the hosts tested Michael Rensing on ten minutes when Dayro Moreno's long-range effort had to be smothered.

That attempt aside, though, the Militarii were content to sit back and soak up the inevitable German pressure. However, they didn't hold out for long, for the Bavarian giants would take the lead on 15 minutes.

Bastian Schweinsteiger spun a perfect free-kick into the area and stopper Daniel Van Buyten was able to find enough space to glance a header past despairing 'keeper Robinson Zapata.

With Lyon and Fiorentina lying in wait in a tricky group, Klinsmann would be hoping that the floodgates would start to creak open.

It was Marius Lăcătuş, though, who instructed his troops to push on in search of an equaliser. He must have been Lovin it when the midfielder stung the hands of Rensing with another long-bomb. The rebound fell to Antonio Semedo, who could only ripple the side netting.

And Rensing was in the firing line again on the half-hour mark. The overworked goalie sensationally booted Moreno's effort off his own post in a most un-Kahn-like moment.

After that near-howler, Die Roten decided that clear daylight before the interval would be useful and went ridiculously Klose when Miroslav's cross was diverted towards goal by Luca Toni.

The inspired Zapata made a great save and made another one from Schweinsteiger's subsequent long-range piledriver.

Thus the half ended, with Bayern just about value for their narrow lead. By now the rain was lashing down and a tough shift awaited the losing Roş-Albaştrii after the break.

Second Half

Magica Steaua, though, flew out of the traps from the restart and set about their more illustrious visitors with renewed verve.

First, Szekely's long-range effort was turned wide by Rensing.

Then, after an incisive breakaway, an offside-looking Arturo Bernhardt finally did beat Rensing, only to see his effort strike the post.

Currently less-than-prolific Italian forward Toni could have finally put plucky Steaua to bed, but he couldn't beat the impressive Zapata after racing into a one-on-one situation. He should have done better, but fired straight at the goalie.

Lukas Podolski was brought on as a half-time sub, but couldn't make the kind of impact a nervous-looking Klinsmann would have been looking for.

With 15 minutes remaining, Steaua had yet another golden opportunity. They had little problem fashioning great chances in the second half, a fact which will encourage the boss.

This time, they actually had the ball in the back of the net. Rensing, having a mare in the rain by this point, spilled Moreno's effort, but Stancu's point-blank finish was flagged offside and the Bundesliga side were let off the hook once more.

Moreno was always keen to shoot, but his tired late effort was eagerly scooped up by a beleaguered Rensing.

Although four minutes of stoppage tie were indicated, the second half effort in tough conditions had taken it out of the hosts and so it finished.

Der FCB, then, held out for three crucial away points.

Greg Ptolomey, Goal.com

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FC Porto 3-1 Fenerbahçe

Two goals in the opening quarter and a late one during stoppage time was more than enough for Porto to defeat Fenerbahçe and secure leadership of Group G.

Porto started out very well and it wouldn't take much time for them to stamp their authority on the game. Raul Meireles received the ball and span before crossing the ball to Lisandro, who made no mistake with a low yet well-placed finish.

The home side would double their lead just two minutes later. Cristian Rodríguez finds Lucho alone at the edge of the area, who fired a powerful shot with his right foot to make it 2-0.

The Dragons were in complete control of the game and many were certainly foreseeing a third goal. On 25 minutes, Porto wasted a great chance. Sahin could not clear danger and Lucho would play countryman Lisandro through, who had just the keeper to beat but his chip shot went over the bar.

Fenerbahçe would score four minutes later to get themselves back on the game. Boral moved past Sapunaru before drilling a cross down the left flank to Alex, who headed strong at Helton. The ball ended on Guiza's feet, who scored from a very tight angle.

The second-half did not begin nearly as intensive as the first one, so the first sign of danger only came in the 59th minute, when Lucho tried his luck from long range, only to see his effort going wide of the right post.

Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira was not happy with what he was seeing as his team began playing having difficulties to reach Volkan's goal. Hulk and Tomás Costa were brought in to replace Mariano and Raul Meireles respectively.

On 71 minutes, Bruno Alves hit a powerful free-kick but Volkan was there to deny the third with a good-looking flying save.

With 84 minutes gone, Fenerbahçe had a great chance to equalise, when Roberto Carlos crossed to Guiza. The former Mallorca man, completely alone, could not direct his header goalwards.

Three minutes later, Volkan was caught out of his area, Lucho tried to score from long distance but his effort went wide.

Porto would score their night on 91 minutes. Lino, who had just come in for Cristian Rodríguez, received the ball in the area after a great individual move by Sapunaru before finding the net.

It was a well-deserved win for the home side, more for what they did on the first 25 minutes than what they showed in the rest of the game. Fenerbahçe tried well to leave Estádio do Dragão with at least one point but their lack of solutions proved to be fatal.

FC Porto: Helton, Cristian Sapunaru, Rolando, Bruno Alves, Nelson Benítez, Fernando, Raul Meireles (Tomás Costa 67'), Lucho González, Mariano González (Hulk 60'), Cristian Rodríguez (Lino 90+1'), Lisandro López.

Fenerbahçe: Volkan Demirel, Göhkan Gönul, Diego Lugano, Yasin Çakmak, Roberto Carlos, Emre Belözoğlu, Selçuk Şahin (Josico 46' [Burak Yılmaz 53']), Claudio Maldonado, Uğur Boral (Kazim Kazim 77'), Alex, Daniel Güiza.

FC Porto 3-1 Fenerbahçe

1-0 Lisandro López 11'
2-0 Lucho González 13'
2-1 Daniel Güiza 29'
3-1 Lino 90+1'

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Former Juventus and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane has written off the Bianconeri’s chances of success in Europe and he believes Los Merengues will win the Champions League this season.

The Bianconeri will clash with the Spanish champions during their group stage in what promises to be one of the games of the tournament.

Zidane has spoken of both teams chances of success and he is leaning towards the Bernabeu side as he snubs the Old Lady which is not likely to go down too well with Juve fans who still have affection for their hero.

“The game between those two is going to be very strong. I played in Turin and at Madrid, need I say more?” Zidane told La Stampa.

“I will watch the game with great attention but I will be supporting Real Madrid, even though I had a great time in Turin.

“Juventus are a great club with great history and they are one of the most prestigious. I am happy the club returned, it can only be a good thing for European football.

“I think the Bianconeri can have a good run, they have champion players and they are used to success but my favourite for the competition is Real, they will triumph in Rome.”

Zidane arrived in Turin in 1996 from Bordeaux. He spent five seasons at the Delle Alpi before making a world record £52m move to Real Madrid in 2001.

The French man fired Los Blancos to Champions League glory the following season. He was never able to win Europe’s most wanted trophy in Turin and he lost the final of the competition twice in a row against Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Real in 1998.
Salvatore Landolina

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