It’s back to Champions League action where all of the elite clubs will battle it out for Europe’s top prize. This match day has already featured some key fixtures, events and has already brought out the best of some of the participating youngsters. Here are the most exciting events of CL Match Day 1.
4) PSG opens CL with a bang!
Paris Saint-Germain dominated its opening match of the 2012-2013 Champions League with a stylish 4-1 thrashing of Ukraine’s Dynamo Kiev. Zlatan Ibrahimovic inspired the home side with a stellar performance and a goal from the penalty spot. Brazilian Internationals Thiago Silva and Alex added to the tally. Miguel Veloso pulled one back for the visitors before ex-Palermo Javier Pastore restored the three-goal cushion. It was another astonishing display at the Stade Parc des Princes leaving the faithful and coach Carlo Ancelotti very satisfied with the fantastic achievement. Earlier in the week, Ibra stated that the club’s primary goal is to focus on Ligue 1 but with continued performances like these, the Parisian club can continue to dream about a possible Champions League title. It’s a long shot, but anything can happen!
3) Real Madrid come-from-behind victory sends Mourinho over the top!
What a game! This was a match that even non-soccer fans would have enjoyed and appreciated. Five goals scored, three of which occurred in the last ten minutes. As a soccer fanatic, it is very difficult to comprehend how a team, that is winning 2-1, can lose in the last five minutes of the game! Well, I guess when Roberto Mancini is your head coach it can certainly happen. Sorry City fans but if you want to win the Champions League, you will have to sack this man. He is too soft and loyal to his players. If you recall last year, he vowed that Carlos Tevez will never play for City again, but now he is in the starting eleven? In addition, I believe there is some tension in the City locker room as goalkeeper Joe Hart was heard saying no team up 2-1 in a game with five minutes left should lose. Mancini replied that Hart should only be worried about stopping the ball. The Merengues also have their issues with Big Baby Ronaldo who’s apparently unhappy. Why would he be unhappy? He plays for the most famous team of all time, he is coached by fellow countryman Jose Mourinho aka the Special One (or is it the Only One?), and he scored the game winner – he’s a hero! Snap out of it buddy!
2) AC Milan embarrassed by Anderlecht stalemate
Wow, what an embarrassment Milan has become! They struggled against Belgian side ANDERLECHT, and I mean struggled badly. At one point I thought, as a Milan supporter, that Anderlect was going to win and had they, I would probably start cheering for Inter. Well not really, but it has been this bad. This will be a very short Champions League for Milan supporters and a very loooooong Serie A season indeed. The San Siro is looking more and more empty while the supporters who do attend games continue to vacate the stands early and while there, jeer the Rossoneri players on the field. Silvio Berlusconi wanted to exonerate Massimiliano Allegri but Adriano Galliani continues to save the Tuscan man from a sacking. What is going here really, because Berlusconi would have fired any other coach by now. Maybe the Milan transfer chief is waiting for another tactician to agree first. Perhaps he is waiting for someone like Pep Guardiola, Marco Van Basten or Frank Rijkaard? Perhaps Galliani is waiting for the January transfer window to acquire a few more players and give Allegri the season to prove himself? Whatever trick Berlusconi and Galliani have up their sleeve should be pulled out and used soon because if this continues, the Diavoli can kiss 2013-2014 Champions League action good bye and that would be a complete disaster for Milan and Italian soccer.
1) Juventus come-from-behind to draw reigning champions Chelsea in London
This was yet another spectacular game for soccer fans as the CL welcomes back Juventus to the grandest stage in European football for the first time since 2009-2010. Both teams played particularly well with Chelsea hitting more shots on net while Juve enjoyed most of the possession. Chelsea’s newest edition, Brazilian Oscar started his Champions League career with a pair of goals against the Old Lady – albeit the first coming off a very lucky deflection off Leonardo Bonucci but did bag a dipper into the top corner soon after that. Oscar also man-marked Andrea Pirlo, who was not able to dictate the tempo of the game. Unfortunately for Chelsea that they could not hold on to defend the 2-0 lead as the Old Lady shortened the deficit before halftime with Arturo Vidal side-stepping John Terry and sliding it into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box. Fabio Quagliarella was introduced in the closing stages of the match and quickly impacted the fixture as he restored the match to parity. After receiving a precise Claudio Marchisio through ball while beating the offside trap, the second half sub got it past Petr Cech with a splendid nutmeg! Unbelievable! Juventus drew level and were unlucky to not take the three points when Quags hit the top of the crossbar before the final whistle blew. Pretty even match between these two juggernauts nonetheless. It’s very nice to see another of Europe’s and Italy’s giants back in the Champions League.
