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Bernabeu match zone: Ramos suffers consequences for questioning the boss
By IAN LADYMAN PUBLISHED: 22:19 GMT, 18 September 2012 | UPDATED: 22:19 GMT, 18 September 2012
Sergio Ramos may have been a fixture at Real Madrid for the past five years and a stalwart of the all-conquering Spanish national team but he might think twice before questioning Jose Mourinho again. The defender wondered publicly on Monday why Mourinho had been so critical of his players after Saturday's defeat at Sevilla.
His coach responded by dumping him on the bench on Wednesday.
Questionable? Sergio Ramos was dumped on the bench by Jose Mourinho
The team that cried wolf
Jose Mourinho's players were a little upset that the referee, Damir Skomina, didn't award them a couple of early free-kicks for what looked like clear fouls near the penalty area. But when you spend as much time on the floor as the Real Madrid forwards do then it's little wonder that officials struggle to tell the difference between what is real and what is fake.
Madrid's football may not have been as flowing as usual this season but it's still hard to fathom the reasoning of the three blokes who act as singing conductors for their team's hardcore fans behind one of the goals. Why spend all that money on a season ticket if you are then going to spend 90 minutes each week standing with your back to the action?
The team who cried wolf: Real Madrid felt hard done by at times when they were not awarded free-kicks
Picking the right way to go
The mauling Micah Richards and David Silva were given down the right flank by Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm and Franck Ribery a year ago had prompted theories that Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini might go safety-first last night and play Pablo Zabaleta and James Milner down that side.Instead, the Italian put Maicon (right) and Samir Nasri up against Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo. Fighting fire with fire.
Just Roll With It! Real fans bemused as Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher goes wild in home end during Man City thriller
By DAVE WOOD PUBLISHED: 07:56 GMT, 19 September 2012 | UPDATED: 07:59 GMT, 19 September 2012
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini accused his players of lacking courage in a thrilling climax to their Champions League encounter in Madrid... and it seems their celebrity fans couldn't stomach the tension either.Former Oasis frontman and City mad Liam Gallagher had been sat with pals among the Real Madrid fans and celebrated wildly when sub Edin Dzeko gave them a shock 69th minute lead, reportedly running up and down the aisle and kissing a security guard.
'Ave it: Manchester City fan Liam Gallagher in the stands in Madrid...
... but the former Oasis frontman left before the end
But the Beady Eye singer, who also owns the menswear label Pretty Green, threw one of his famous tantrums when Madrid equalised through Marcelo's fierce strike in the 76th minute.Gallagher stormed out of the Bernabeu Stadium and missed three goals in the last five minutes as City let slip a 2-1 lead and went down 3-2 to the Spanish giants.
Celebrity fans: Gallagher and legendary DJ Mike Pickering (second left) at the game
Mad for it: Real Madrid celebrate Ronaldo's late winner
Spanish newspaper AS reported that Gallagher had been thrown out for his rowdy behaviour but a source told The Sun: 'Liam got ticked off. He was so hacked off when Madrid got back in the game he left with pals before the end.'His spokesman added: 'They left without escort.'
Bould adjusts to life in hot seat after Arsenal come from behind to snatch win
PUBLISHED: 23:14 GMT, 18 September 2012 | UPDATED: 23:14 GMT, 18 September 2012
Assistant boss Steve Bould admitted he had 'a bit of a headache' after stepping into the Arsenal dugout for Tuesday's Champions League opener in Montpellier which saw the Gunners battle back to win 2-1.Manager Arsene Wenger was serving the first of his three-game touchline UEFA ban on Tuesday - and would have been fuming from the stands when captain Thomas Vermaelen gave away an early penalty, although replays suggested the foul was probably just outside the box. However, the Barclays Premier League club, unbeaten in the domestic campaign, responded magnificently and were soon level through a fine finish by German Lukas Podolski.
New pressure: Steve Bould (centre) is sitting in for Arsene Wenger as the Frenchman serves a three-match ban
Before the French side, making their Champions League debut following last season's brilliant Ligue 1 campaign, could recover, Arsenal swept ahead in the 18th minute through Gervinho.Although the hosts rallied after the break, with lively winger Remi Cabella hitting the crossbar and goalscorer Younes Belhanda missing a great chance late on when he fired straight at stand-in goalkeeper Vito Mannone, the Gunners closed out a battling victory.Bould said afterwards: 'I am not sure I enjoyed it. I have got a headache and a half. 'It is tough, a different pressure than I have been used to taking the Under 18s - but we won and we had a great result.'
Bould felt it was another encouraging display from the squad.'It was difficult. I thought we were excellent in the first half - we kept the ball and kept the crowd quiet,' he said.'We looked a little bit tired in the second half, because it was very humid and the crowd got behind them.'It is quite an intimidating place to come and play so we are glad to get the result.'We have had a decent start to the season and we have kept the run going so it's important all round, for the whole season. 'We have got great team spirit and I think that was evident tonight. Everybody is digging in and things are looking okay.' Podolski netted his third goal in as many games tonight, with a neat finish after quick passing on the edge of the penalty area.
Returning hero: Olivier Giroud started against the club he left in summer for Arsenal
Returning hero: Olivier Giroud started against the club he left in summer for Arsenal
Bould said: 'Podolski has made a real impact. I have to say I've not seen many finishers as good as him - ever, right foot, left foot, they always go in at 100 miles per hour in training.'He is a good trainer, a good boy and has really added something this year. 'It was, though, another barren evening for Olivier Giroud, the £12million summer signing from Montpellier.However, Bould insisted there was no cause for concern.'Olivier did a really good team job for us tonight. He works really, really hard for the team - at set-pieces he is fabulous,' said the Arsenal assistant manager.'He had one chance at the near post that was difficult. Olivier is a really hard-working boy and I am sure the goals will come.'Much has been made of Bould's arrival to the first-team coaching staff, with the Gunners having only conceded one Premier League goal, and that in the 6-1 trashing of Southampton last weekend.
Star man: Lukas Podolski scored one and set up another
However, the former Arsenal defender insisted it was not all just about him.'Any coach will tell you it is about having good players and we've got some good players who want to work, so far, so good,' he said.'Everybody's spoken about myself, but Neil Banfield gets missed and he does a good job, too. 'Everybody's working hard, the players and the coaches, and I think that's why we are doing okay at the minute.' Arsenal now head to Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday. Bould said: 'We will go there with a bit of confidence.'It is better being this way, but it is a proper test.'It is where we want to be and hopefully we can come away saying we did okay again.'
And another one: Gervinho bagged his second goal in as many games for the Gunners
Montpellier coach Rene Girard felt his team could take some positives out of their Champions League debut.'I have some regrets but also some satisfaction,' he said.'Maybe we were a bit too shy in the first half, then looked more determined.'We had a few chances to equalise, but at this level when you make some mistakes, you will pay for it. 'We can be proud, because apart from these two minutes we managed to play well against this top European team like Arsenal, so there can also be some positives from this performance.'
Champions League Group A wrap: PSG score emphatic win
19 September 2012
Paris Saint-Germain returned to the Champions League for the first time in eight years with a 4-1 win over Dynamo Kiev.
All the damage was done in the first half by the home side, who threw down a warning to Europe's biggest sides with the emphatic win.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a penalty to break the deadlock before debutant defender Thiago Silva made his mark by shooting home from a corner.
Alex made it 3-0 shortly afterwards from a similar scenario, allowing the hosts to play the second period at walking pace. Miguel Veloso belatedly pulled one back for the guests, but Javier Pastore grabbed a fourth for the hosts in stoppage time.
From the outset Carlo Ancelotti's side looked enterprising and dangerous, threatening as early as the second minute when Jeremy Menez released Javier Pastore to flick a shot against visiting goalkeeper Maksym Koval.
Although PSG’s early storm seemed to have been weathered, Menez's trickery in the box induced a rash challenge from Taras Mykhalyk, who caught the attacker's foot, sending him to the turf. Ibrahimovic was able to step up and create history, slotting his penalty down the middle to become the first player to score for six teams in the Champions League.
Thereafter, the home side simply swept their opponents away, and only heroics from Koval prevented Ibrahimovic completing a hat-trick before the interval. The Swede got in behind the visiting rearguard simply from a terrific pass from the outstanding Marco Verratti, but the goalkeeper positioned himself well to block, and then repelled the follow up from Pastore.
The teenager could not stop his side slumping to a three-goal half-time deficit, let down by a defence that failed to police PSG adequately from corner kicks.
Silva was the first to benefit, showing admirable composure on his debut to control a loose ball in the box and then slide a shot in off the post.
Alex struck the third shortly afterwards, hammering the ball into the net with a fine volley, although the ball should never have reached him on the penalty spot.
The second half was simply a procession for the hosts, who slowed the tempo of their play noticeably.
With a handful of minutes remaining, Veloso's tremendous cross deceived everyone and flew into Salvatore Sirigu's net, but the shine by Pastore in stoppage time as he squeezed home a low shot.
Meanwhile, a goal in each half saw Porto notch a 2-0 win at Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb.
In front of a paltry crowd of less than 5,000 fans, Porto captain Lucho Gonzalez opened the scoring after 41 minutes.
And although they had to wait until stoppage time of the second half to seal their victory, Belgian midfielder Steven Defour's late effort ensured Vitor Pereira's men would head back to Portugal with all three points.
Champions League Group B wrap: Gunners strike early
19 September 2012
Two goals in as many first-half minutes saw Arsenal triumph 2-1 over Montpellier in their Champions League opener.
The Ligue 1 champions went ahead through penalty from Younes Belhanda after just eight minutes, before two goals in as many minutes saw the game switch in the Gunners' favour as first Lukas Podolski and then Gervinho showed good composure to give their side the lead at the break.
The Champions League debutants were handed a foothold in the game when Thomas Vermaelen's clumsy challenge upended Belhanda inside the area.
The Moroccan international picked himself up and dinked a cheeky penalty past the helpless Mannone for his club's first goal in the competition.
The lead did not last long - just seven minutes in fact - as slack defending allowed Santi Cazorla and Giroud to combine and play in Podolski for a neat finish from 16 yards.
And Arsenal took the lead just two minutes later when another fantastically well-worked goal, started and finished by Gervinho - who has been excelling in a more advance role this season - as the Ivorian set Carl Jenkinson free down the left before ghosting past more half-hearted defending from the hosts to collect the left-back’s low cross and tuck the ball past Geoffrey Jourdren.
Responding impressively after going behind, Arsenal looked dangerous on every building attack whereas, at the other end of the pitch, their French opponents where having to make do with pot-shots from distance, their best effort of the half falling to Marco Estrada’s low drilled effort from 25 yards out that Mannone did well to see around his near post.
Aside from the clever through-ball for Podolski's equaliser, Giroud was not having the most successful of returns to his old club – much industry but little end product, which was summed up by a twisting run into the area before flashing the shot from 12 yards past the near post in the final action of the first half.
Montpellier came out stronger after the break and were almost gifted another goal when Diaby tried to trick his way out of trouble in his own penalty area and allow Remy Cabella to pinch the ball off him but fire high and wide.
The hosts upped the ante further and again went close when Cabella spotted Mannone off his line and attempted a glorious chip from over 25 yards that thwacked off the deputising goalkeeper's bar and into touch.
In an attempt to make up for his earlier mishap, Diaby embarked on a surging run just after the hour mark that took him past three Montpellier players before feeding Cazorla for a stinging drive that Jourdren could only push away.
Meanwhile, Schalke capped off a confident display to crown their return to the Champions League by dispatching Olympiakos 2-1.
Goals from Benedikt Howedes after 41 minutes and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the 59th minute sealed the tie, with Olympiakos netting scant consolation with an equaliser from Djamel Abdoun in the 58th minute.
But Huntelaar quickly went from hero to villain, missing a penalty after Tranquillo Barnetta was brought down in the box following his sublime piece of skill.
Huntelaar stepped up to take the spot-kick, but beat keeper Balasz Megyeri, only to see the ball come off the post.
Champions League Group C wrap: Milan held by Anderlecht
19 September 2012
AC Milan's stuttering season continued as they were held to a goalless draw by Anderlecht on Tuesday.
Milan have struggled to replace stars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva – who both made big-money moves to French giants Paris Saint-Germain – and lost their first two home fixtures of the Serie A season.
And their poor form at home did not stop in continental competition, with Anderlecht of Belgium coming away from the San Siro with a deserved point.
The visitors started well with Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati called into action regularly, with Guillaume Gillet going the closest to opening the scoring.
Milan also had chances, with Mathieu Flamini firing a low drive at the feet of Anderlecht goalkeeper Silvio Proto while Urby Emanuelson's half-volley was also saved.
The best chance of the match fell to Anderlecht though, with a sublime through-ball from Dieudonne Mbokani putting Lucas Biglia through on goal early in the second half.
Biglia wasted the chance though, firing his effort over the bar to the relief of the increasingly frustrated home fans.
Milan coach Massimilano Allegri introduced Stephan El Shaarawy on the hour-mark for the below-par Kevin-Prince Boateng and the substitute was lively.
He had a near-post header saved by Proto shortly after coming on before he hit a clever pass for Emanuelson, who failed to make the most of the chance, shooting high and wide.
Allegri would have been disappointed with his side's failure to create clear-cut chances in the latter stages though as they continued their sloppy start to the 2012-13 campaign.
In the other Group C fixture, Malaga eased to a 3-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg in their Champions League debut.
Early goals from Isco and Javier Saviola in the first 13 minutes set up Malaga's win, although the Russian side had a series of chances to at least pull a goal back.
They were made to pay for their missed opportunities when Isco sealed the win 14 minutes from time with his second strike.
Despite selling Santi Cazorla and Jose Rondon in the off-season, Malaga sit second in La Liga and are unbeaten in all competitions this season.
Champions League Group D wrap: Ronaldo hits Real winner
19 September 2012
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner in the 90th minute as Real Madrid defeated Manchester City 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
All five goals came in an incredible final 20 minutes of the second half in which City twice were in front.
Edin Dzeko came off the bench to give the visitors the lead after 69 minutes following a surging run from midfield from Yaya Toure, but Marcelo quickly replied with a curling shot.
The home supporters were left stunned when Aleksandar Kolarov's free-kick drifted untouched into the bottom corner of Iker Casillas' goal but Karim Benzema again pulled Madrid back with a sublime turn and finish.
And Ronaldo ensured that Jose Mourinho's team put their early season woes behind them with a dipping shot that flew past both Vincent Kompany and Joe Hart.
Ronaldo tested City early and Hart was called into action again when Gonzalo Higuain deflected a powerful shot with his head from close range.
Two adventurous midfield runs by Toure began with promise but ended without troubling Casillas and Higuain went close again when he latched on to Di Maria's cross to the back post before the half was out.
Mancini had already introduced Kolarov from the bench when Samir Nasri suffered a hamstring injury in the first half and with both benches littered with attacking talent, more changes seemed inevitable.
Dzeko was next to take the field, replacing David Silva, and the Bosnian would provide the cutting edge that had been missing.
Toure, who had looked City's biggest threat all night long, broke out of the midfield again to create a two-on-one attack and this time successfully found his target with a simple through ball. Dzeko took the pass in his stride and beat Casillas with a composed, low left-footed finish.
The Spanish champions immediately looked more dangerous in the final third following the changes, though, and Marcelo curled a right-footed shot into the top corner after shaking off Kompany just outside the penalty area.
Set-pieces have troubled Madrid all season and after Pablo Zabaleta had failed to get contact on Carlos Tevez's low cross, Kolarov delivered a free-kick that found its way into the back of the net.
Incredibly, though, there was more to come, and Roberto Mancini's celebrations on the sideline were short-lived. Benzema was next to strike after a mazy run from Di Maria, turning on the edge of the box and firing a powerful, low shot into the bottom corner.
And City's hearts were broken when Ronaldo stepped inside Zabaleta – who had relieved Maicon of his duties of marking the Portugal star – and released a dipping shot that beat the partially obscured Hart after Kompany had put himself in the way of the ball but failed to head clear.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski's goal three minutes from time earned Borussia Dortmund the points in a 1-0 home win over Ajax.
Lewandowski collected a high ball from the right, evaded Toby Alderweireld's tackle, and fired home from close range.
UEFA Champions League Group E preview: Holders visit returning Juve
18 September 2012
Chelsea begin the defence of their UEFA Champions League title with a tough Group E fixture against Italian outfit Juventus on Wednesday.
Chelsea - who were not at their best in the English Premier League throughout last season - surprised the football world with a series of terrific aggregate wins in the competition before defeating Bayern Munich on penalties in the final.
It was the first time the West London club had been crowned champions of Europe, something which will make their task of defending their title almost 'impossible' according to manager Roberto Di Matteo.
"Every opposition is going to play with extra motivation against the holders," Di Matteo said.
"So it makes our lives more difficult. Even in the Premier League, I'm sure (QPR manager) Mark Hughes would have tried to motivate his team on Saturday by telling them they're playing the European champions.
"I'm aware no team has defended the trophy and I'm not surprised because it's such a difficult competition to win. To win it twice in a row has proven impossible so far, because it's so competitive."
Chelsea have been in good domestic form and top the Premier League table with three wins and one draw from their four matches so far.
Particularly crucial in the club's success has been the form of Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard, who has already contributed a string of assists for Spanish striker Fernando Torres.
Hazard - who moved from Lille for a reported fee of 32 million pounds - was not the only piece of big business Chelsea did in the off-season.
Brazilian midfielder Oscar (25 million pounds), Nigerian attacker Victor Moses (nine million), German midfielder Marko Marin and Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta (both seven million) also joined the club, with Di Matteo's signings looking astute to date.
Juventus won Serie A last term and are also top of their league, with the Turin-based club having won all three of their matches so far.
Goals from Emanuele Giaccherini, Mirko Vucinic and Kwadwo Asamoah in the second half saw them come from behind to beat Genoa 3-1 on Sunday.
Juve have also made a host of off-season signings, with the likes of Sebastian Giovinco, Mauricio Isla, Asamoah, Martin Caceres, Lucio and Nicklas Bendtner arriving at the club.
Qualification into the knockout stages is not assured for either side though, with the presence of Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine sure to cause problems during the group stages.
Shakhtar proved their worth in the 2010/11 season when they embarked on a run to the quarter-finals, only to be knocked out by eventual champions Barcelona while they won the last ever UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) in 2009.
The presence of Brazilians Willian, Douglas Costa and Luiz Adriano in addition to Darijo Srna, Dmytro Chygrynskiy, Razvan Rat and Eduardo mean the Shakhtar squad cannot be taken lightly.
They open their campaign with a home clash against FC Nordsjaelland of Denmark.
Nordsjaelland sit third in the Superliga with forward Joshua John having scored six goals in five league appearances for the club this season.
They will be up against it though, particularly at the Donbass Arena, a stadium where Shakhtar have rarely lost in recent years.
UEFA Champions League Group F preview: Bayern, Valencia set for battle
18 September 2012
Last season's runners-up Bayern Munich host Valencia on Wednesday in a relatively favourable Champions League Group F.
The Bundesliga giants fell agonisingly short at the last hurdle to Chelsea in their own stadium last term but have the chance to atone for their penalty shootout heartbreak against Mauricio Pellegrino's side.
Bayern were dealt a group including French side Lille and Belarusian outfit BATE Borisov, who also face off on Wednesday, and are raging favourites to top the pile.
Bundesliga record signing Javi Martinez produced a fine cameo on debut in a 3-1 win over Mainz on Saturday while fellow recruit Mario Mandzukic continued in the absence of the injured Mario Gomez, slotting in the opener.
Valencia have had to reshuffle their pack following the off-season departure of Barcelona new boy Jordi Alba, but managed to bolster with the money brought in.
The likes of Fernando Gago, Andres Guardado, Joao Pareira, Sergio Canales, Aly Cissokho and Nelson Valdez on loan have offset Alba's departure and Valencia will be looking to go one better after troubling group opponents Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen last season.
The Spanish outfit are strong favourites to finish second, with Lille another likely contender for the knockout stages.
The Ligue 1 side have gone through a similar transition, losing key playmaker Eden Hazard to Chelsea in the off-season.
The Belgium's move followed a long line of key departures with Yohann Cabaye, Moussa Sow and Gervinho securing big-money moves abroad.
Lille struggled last season with only one win in six group games and have started their domestic campaign poorly.
An inability to juggle European and domestic commitments would appear to lie at the heart of Lille's difficulties and given they only qualified through knocking out Copenhagen in extra-time of the qualifying round, it is hard to see them getting out of the group here.
Wednesday's opponents BATE Borisov are easily the least storied of the four clubs and will be hoping to finish third to qualify for the Europa League.
After a lengthy qualifying process just to make it to the group stages for the second consecutive season, BATE have been dealt another tough group of opponents having faced both Barcelona and AC Milan last year.
BATE did not make it out of the group stage last year and were on the receiving end of nine goals over two matches against Barcelona.
They held AC Milan at home but eventually succumbed to the sheer strength of opposition and finished with only two draws from six matches.
UEFA Champions League Group G preview: Barca await Spartak visit
18 September 2012
Heavyweights Barcelona start their bid for a fifth title in Europe's premier club competition against Spartak Moscow on Wednesday.
The Spanish perennial favourites should top Group G with ease but it is the scrap for second and third that will pose the greatest intrigue.
Spartak are notoriously difficult to beat at home, and will pose a threat to even Barcelona, while Benfica and Celtic will both expect to make a big impression on the group.
Spartak have the unenviable task of being the first club to trek to Camp Nou on Wednesday after missing out on the Champions League altogether in 2011/12.
Meanwhile, Barcelona, under Tito Vilanova's new regime, will hope to rebound from last year's shock semi-final exit to eventual champions Chelsea.
Lionel Messi bagged an incredible 14 goals in last season's edition and is well on his way to better Raul's record of 76 goals in the competition, with the Argentine 25 goals away from breaking the mark.
Benfica start their journey two men down after the departure of stars Axel Witsel and Javi Garcia for a combined 48 million pounds.
Neither were replaced leaving Jorge Jesus with the monumental task of ensuring safe passage to the knockout stage for the second consecutive season without them.
Jesus has proven himself a shrewd and adaptable tactician and helped knock out Manchester United last season in the group stage.
A win over Zenit St Petersburg in the round of 16 was followed by narrow defeat over two legs to Chelsea in the last eight.
Once a fortress under Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan, Celtic Park will again play host to the elite of European football after a four-year hiatus.
Considered by many as the group's underdog, Celtic no longer have arch rival Rangers to worry about domestically and can put more resources into a successful Champions League run.
The visit of Barcelona on November 7 will be the highlight for Celtic fans.
Striker Gary Hooper will lead the line having bagged an impressive nine goals in Celtic's 2011/12 title-winning season, putting him on the radar of a number of English clubs.
UEFA Champions League Group H preview: United feel the heat
18 September 2012
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to avoid another embarrassing early Champions League exit starting on Wednesday.
The Red Devils take on Turkish champions Galatasaray at Old Trafford first up in Group H but will be on notice after failing to make it out of a relatively 'soft' group last year that included Benfica, Basel and Otelul Galati.
Ferguson has been handed a similarly weak group in comparison to others with Braga, CFR Cluj-Napoca and Galatasaray their opponents.
United were dealt a considerably better hand than their Manchester City rivals, who are paired with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, and Ferguson knows there will be little margin for error this time round.
"If we don't go through, we quite rightly will be criticised and pilloried for it," Ferguson said.
"We went out early last year and I don't anticipate it happening this time."
Ferguson rested a number of key players for Saturday's 4-0 demolition of Wigan in the Premier League and will not be toying with his best line-up in the Champions League this season.
"We will play our strongest team on Wednesday, no doubt.
"It was not good to go out at the group stage. Particularly when we were in control.
"I think we will do better this year. We have a strong squad to do so."
United have strengthened with Japan international Shinji Kagawa and Dutch goal machine Robin van Persie, while Galatasaray have former Premier League players Emmanuel Eboue, Milan Baros and Johan Elmander on their books.
It will be the Turkish side's first Champions League appearance since the 2006-07 season.
Romanian champions CFR Cluj-Napoca return to Europe's elite club competition after last appearing in 2010-11.
The Transylvanian club clinched their third domestic title in five seasons but remain rank outsiders in the group.
They will travel to Braga in their opening fixture, with the Portuguese club back in the Champions League after knocking Udinese out in the play-off round on penalties.
Braga finished third domestically last season and have fine recent European pedigree having bundled Liverpool and Dynamo Kyiv out of the 2010-11 Europa League where they reached the semi-finals.
Chelsea goalkeeper Cech wary of tough Juventus test
The Czech Republic international insists the Blues will have to be at their very best to ensure they make a winning start to the defence of the trophy they won in May
Fifa extends Luisao's two-month ban to all competitions
The Brazilian centre-back has seen his suspension furthered by world football's governing body, following his assault on a referee in a pre-season friendly against Dusseldorf
Ramos still a key player for Real Madrid, insists Arbeloa
The full-back has little doubt that his fellow Spain international still has a big role to play at the Liga giants, despite being relegated to the substitutes' bench against City
Van Persie & Kagawa can give Manchester United edge in Champions League, claims Giggs
The veteran midfielder has backed the two new signings to deliver but acknowledged that the Red Devils' home form must improve having been eliminated at the group stage last season
Why this year's Champions League has never been more pertinent to Celtic & Scottish football
It has been a difficult few months for the game in Scotland at both club and international level but the Hoops can lift the spirits of a nation with a prolonged run in Europe
Schalke still have a long way to go, says Barnetta after victory over Olympiakos
The Switzerland international was quite pleased with the outcome of Tuesday's match in Piraeus, but added that they still have work to do if they are to progress
Keeping defenders fit key to Champions League success, says Sir Alex Ferguson
The Manchester United boss is desperate to avoid another embarrassing exit from Europe this season and highlights good fortune with injuries to his back four as being vital
Van den Brom delighted to banish 'laughing stock' tag against AC Milan
The former Vitesse boss could not hide his delight with the Belgian outfit's display against the Rossoneri on Tuesday, claiming that they were good value for their point
Pellegrino: Valencia must not pay Bayern too much respect
The Argentine has every faith in his players' ability ahead of Wednesday's trip to Bavaria, as he believes they can spring a surprise if they play to the top of their game
Carrera relishing 'big test' against Chelsea
The caretaker is eagerly anticipating Wednesday's trip to Stamford Bridge, as he believes his players have been presented with a great chance to announce their return to Europe
Bayern brimming with confidence ahead of Valencia game, says Heynckes
The veteran trainer is relishing Wednesday's visit of the Spanish outfit, and insists his side are only focused on surviving the group stage of the Champions League
Arsenal bank on German efficiency of Podolski & Mertesacker
Arsene Wenger watches from the stands as the duo's consistency and reliability, rather than the much-heralded Spanish wizardry of Santi Cazorla, sees Gunners through Euro test
Celtic chief executive plays down significance of €9m losses Peter Lawwell has insisted Tuesday's figures fail to take in to account the Parkhead outfit's progression to the group stages of the Champions League and player sales
Sep 18, 2012 7:10:00 PM
By Alex Kohnert
Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has attempted to play down the significance of the €9 million loss shown by the club's accounts released on Tuesday.
The figures also reveal that the Bhoys' debt level has risen by €2.5m in the last financial year, despite achieving a pre-tax profit of €225,000 for the second half of 2011.
However, Lawwell has reassured supporters that the accounts do not include money generated by the club's qualification for the Champions League group stages, or the sale of midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng to Swansea.
"The club's in a decent place and we have built up over the past few years," he told the SPL club's official website.
“There will be challenging times ahead, but we are prepared for that.We are in the Champions League and we have a great foundation, a great basis to take the club forward.
"There will be challenging times ahead, but we are prepared for that.
"Although making that loss, our debt level is still under €3.7m, which is very comfortable for a club of Celtic's size and revenue streams.
"In terms of our planning, and our scale, we would be comfortable with that level of debt and, of course, going forward, with a successful transfer window in terms of player trading, the fact that we're now in the Champions League, that becomes even more manageable."
Fergie: RVP should have taken penalty Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitted to being surprised that Nani, instead of Robin van Persie, took the spot-kick against Galatasaray on Wednesday night.
Nani said afterwards that he would be willing to take another penalty despite Wednesday night's spot-kick failure for Manchester United - but it does not look like he will get the chance.
The Portugal winger accepted the responsibility in the Champions League clash with Galatasaray at Old Trafford, and promptly became the third United player to fail, following Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez.
"I took a bad penalty, Van Persie took a bad one," admitted Nani. "I am sure next time, no matter who takes it, we will score. "I would take one again. If the manager agrees I would do it - and score."
The manager will not agree though. Indeed, Sir Alex Ferguson had no idea why Nani was taking the kick in the first place.
"I think he just ran and grabbed the ball," said the United boss. "I thought Robin should have taken it, to be honest with you. "I think we will have to decide before the game. That was my fault, I should have done that."
In the end, it did not matter as Michael Carrick's seventh-minute effort proved sufficient to secure a 1-0 win. It was not convincing though. Galatasaray had penalty appeals at the start and end of the game turned down, hit the woodwork twice and also forced a magnificent double save out of David de Gea.
"The first 15 minutes we played very well and got the goal," said Ferguson. "At that moment we thought it was going to be a good night. "But we became very careless and every time we lost the ball, they counter attacked and were a threat. "Missing the penalty kick kept them in the game."
The result was welcome given United's unexpected group stage exit last term. It was also Ferguson's 100th victory in the competition, with the Scot becoming the first manager to do so. He dismissed that though, saying it was merely because he has been a boss for the longest period. Of more interest was the late substitute appearance of fellow Scot Darren Fletcher, playing for the first time since November as he battles to overcome a chronic bowel complaint.
"The supporters recognise what a tough time he has had for the last year," said Ferguson. "They gave him a marvellous reception. "He has been out of the game for a year it took him one or two minutes to get going but he can only be better after tonight [Wednesday]."
Now United can prepare for what is bound to be a tense visit to Liverpool on Sunday. It will be the Merseysiders first game at Anfield since the damning judgement on Hillsborough was delivered last week and Ferguson has already appealed for calm. United will again be without Wayne Rooney for that game, as the striker remains troubled by his gashed thigh despite claims he had returned to full training and might even have been involved this evening.
"I don't where that story came from," said Ferguson. "He was never close." Asked whether the weekend fixture would also be too soon for the England striker, United's long-serving manager simply replied: "Yes."
And Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim was certain his side should have had a penalty before Carrick struck when Umut Bulut was tripped by Nemanja Vidic. However, his side's overall performance gave plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
"My players were excited," said Terim. "We had more possession and were in control. It makes me optimistic for the rest of the campaign."
Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic has confessed he was lucky not give away a penalty in the win over Galatasaray.
The defender looked to have put United in a difficult situation less than a minute into the contest when he bundled over Umut Bulut inside the area.
However, despite vociferous appeals from the Turkish outfit, referee Wolfgang Stark refused to point to the spot and United went on to win the Champions League clash 1-0.
Still, despite being cleared of any wrongdoing during the match, Vidic was quick to admit that he believed he had indeed fouled the Galatasaray striker.
He told reporters: "I think maybe I made a penalty. It was a difficult situation for the referee, it was difficult for him to see it. I think we should have had maybe one penalty, but overall we deserved to win.
"We scored a goal at the right moment, but then I believe we were nervous for 10-15 minutes. In the second half, we were stronger.
"The first game in the Champions League is always hard. We started well, but after that we made a few mistakes and caused ourselves some problems. It was tense in the end, we defended a bit more than we wanted but the main thing is we won the three points."
Michael Carrick's seventh-minute strike gave United the lead, and they missed a golden chance to seal the points when Nani's spot-kick was easily saved by Fernando Muslera after Rafael had been brought down inside the area.
That miss was United's third of the season after Javier Hernandez had also been denied from the spot in Saturday's 4-0 over Wigan and Robin van Persie fluffed his effort against Southampton.
"I missed one as well for the national team. I think we've had many players who've missed penalties over the last six months, obviously it's something we should work on," Vidic said.
Benfica controlled the game, says Jorge Jesus after Celtic draw
The Portuguese coach was pleased with his side's performance and said he was happy to leave Celtic Park with a point, despite squandering several golden opportunities
Sep 19, 2012 11:50:00 PM
By Max Bentley
Benfica manager Jorge Jesus expressed his happiness at his side's performance in the 0-0 draw away at Celtic, despite missing a host of chances to win the match. Os Aguias are hoping to secure progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League for a second successive season and Jesus was thrilled with his side's defensive display at Celtic Park.
Speaking to reporters after the match, the 58-year-old coach said: "We had the best opportunity of the first-half with Rodrigo, and the same happened in the second-half."
"We faced very strong opponents, they were very difficult and played strong, direct football, making us drop very deep.
"But defensively we did not let Celtic create a single goal opportunity. Our two full-backs were very strong.
"We controlled the game as we wanted."
Former Bolton loanee, Rodrigo, rued his side's lack of cutting edge, but felt that a draw was the correct outcome and one that benefits Benfica's European ambitions.
"In the end it was a fair result. We created enough opportunities to win but the ball always hit someone and we could not score. It was a positive result for us," he stated.
Benfica face a stern test in their next Champions League Group G match, when they entertain Spanish giants Barcelona at Estadio da Luz on Tuesday October 2.
Lucescu praises Shakhtar defence after victory over Nordsjaelland
The Romanian coach is thrilled that his side have passed their opening Champions League test and singled out the rearguard for special praise
Sep 19, 2012 11:25:00 PM
By Max Bentley
Shakhtar Donestsk coach Mircea Lucescu spoke of his pride at watching his side record a 2-0 victory over FC Nordsjaelland in their Champions League group stage opener.
Two goals from Henrik Mkhitaryan - one in each half - were enough to see off the Danish outfit and leave the 67-year-old coach satisfied with the efforts of his charges.
"Nordsjælland had a good first-half and they tried to control the ball," he told reporters after the game.
"Their players' fitness began to tell after the break and I asked my lads to step it up. I am happy with our defence as we hardly gave anything away, and when your defence play with such assurance that confidence is transmitted to the attack.
"I am happy with the result, we collected an important three points."
Match-winner Mkhitaryan was understandably thrilled with his individual display, but remained level-headed with tough fixtures laying ahead for the Ukrainian outfit.
"I am feeling great at the moment, having scored two goals in my first Champions League game of the season," he enthused.
"But I don't tend to read too much into scoring and try to remain level-headed. It's football and you may only have one chance, so you always have to take it or you may lose."
Brazilian striker Luiz Adriano was equally pleased with the display and felt that their pre-match preparations laid the foundations for the victory.
"[Nordsjælland] were a very good side who knew how to play and they were very well prepared. However, we had done our homework and knew what we needed to do in order to win.
"We had a number of chances to score more goals, but unfortunately we weren't able to take them," he said.
The 40-year-old felt that his side paid their German opponents too much respect but still remains optimistic over qualification
Sep 19, 2012 11:00:00 PM
By Max Bentley
Valencia coach Mauricio Pellegrino expressed his disappointment after his side fell to a 2-1 defeat at last season's Champions League finalists Bayern Munich.
The Spanish side were second best for large periods of the game and Pellegrino voiced his concerns with the way Los Che approached the game.
"It has not been a good game. We had too much fear at the beginning," the 40-year-old Argentine told reporters.
"Perhaps we showed them too much respect," he added. "That is one of the reasons for our defeat, but overall we were solid."
Pellegrino watched his side fail to create goalscoring opportunities in a toothless first-half performance, but was pleased with how they responded in the second period.
"We gave the ball away a lot, especially in the first-half. We had no support when we brought the ball out, and we were not in the right positions," he continued.
"In the second-half we improved, but against a team like Bayern mistakes like these make things very difficult."
"We pressed them better after the break and we know we can improve.
"We have some important players injured, but that is no excuse. We had chances to draw level when it was 1-0, but the second goal was crucial."
"The players have shown good character in a difficult game, against a great team. Anything can happen in the group stage and the other result tonight [Lille 1-3 Bate] leaves things very open."
We were frivolous in possession - Ferguson reflects on Manchester United's victory over Galatasaray The Red Devils boss criticised his side's performance after they edged to a slender win over the Turkish champions at Old Trafford, thanks to Michael Carrick's goal
Sep 19, 2012 10:40:00 PM
By Nicholas McGee
Sir Alex Ferguson bemoaned Manchester United's lack of composure after they scraped past Galatasaray in the opening game of their Champions League campaign.
A seventh-minute strike from Michael Carrick was enough to take all three points, but the Turkish champions had a number of chances to get back into the contest and Ferguson believes that the Red Devils were slightly fortunate to have come away from the game with the victory.
He told Sky Sports: "I think we expected a tough game, Galatasaray have got a lot of experience in their team and the first-half we kept giving the ball away and they counterattacked very well from that.
"It was a lack of concentration at times. It's unusual for us, it's unusual for us to be as frivolous on the ball as that. In the second-half we did much better in that respect.
"I was happy with the second-half, we were more solid, had better concentration and sorted out things really well."
Despite the slightly disappointing performance, the Scot was pleased to have witnessed his side take maximum points following a dismal campaign in the competition last term.
He added: "In the second-half they never made any chances and all the chances fell to us, we could have scored four or five in the second-half.
"We missed the chances we did in the second-half, we kept ourselves on the edge really. I think to get the three points in the first game is a bonus really. If you go back to last season, we got a point at Benfica, so three points are really important."
