UEFA Champios League Day 1 Analysis and Preview

This is going to be a great UCL campaign. Almost like "Euro Two Thousand and Great" only this time Argentines and Brazilians are invloved too. What a delight for Taonga, Henry and Uncle Bobs.

To avoid being labeled EPL fan, I will start with the other teams.

The first shock ironically involved an Italian team. CFR Cluj-Napoca, making their bow in the tournament, won away at Italian giants Roma. Cluj won their first Romanian title last year, the first to be won by a team from outside Bucharest for 17 years and now they have just won their first UCL and what a win. First, ex-Chelsea defender Christian Panucci put the Italians in front in the Olympic Stadium and 90 minutes later, the unknown team from Romania had bagged the points. They have never won before in Europe. It was just the performance of the night, it would be one of the UCL performances of all time.

Brazilians did the job for Mourinho's Inter. Firstly, Alessandro Mancini, the guy who does more step-overs than Ronaldo and Robinho combined and formerly of Roma, scored. Then the forgotten Brazilian, Adriano, sealed the win. It was an away win.

Like i said, this is Euro 2008 plus the Brazilians and Argentines included. Need I say the English too? So the Argentines were not to be outdone.

First Argentine up, Aguero. The future best striker in the World I guess. Athletico Madrid won their match 3-0, with the brilliant young Argentine Sergio 'Kun' Aguero shining. He grabbed a brace and ex-Chelsea midfielder Maniche got the other goal. PSV were outclassed at home.

The second Argentine was in the Roma game. Roma lost because of the two goals by the 24-year-old Argentine Juan Emanuel Culio. Watch this space, I see that boy in England next year. So that is two braces by a couple of Argentines though Lampard which have joined Gerrard to equal that.

Like I said, Barca were impressive and look like the team to beat this year. 3-1 was only surpassed by two other games last night. Marquez, Eto'o, who almost left the team (scoring via a penalty) and Uefa's Player of Euro 2008 Xavi all scored. But the game showed their weakness. They cannot defend and the manner in which they conceded their goal shows that with better teams, they shall struggle.

No comments on the Basle and Werder Bremen games. Nothing of note there, except maybe that for Shakhtar, the scorer for the first goal was the Brazilian Luis Fernandinho. So thats three different Brazilian scorers there.

Liverpool didn't have their sponsor's name on their jerseys due to French law forbiding alcohol adverts but they still won their game which was the best game of the night. Couple that with the goal of the season so far from Gerrad; his sidefoot/shot/curler/rocket was a marvel to watch. Chamakh, Bakari Kone, Mamadou Niang and others failed to capitalise on Liverpool defending at the end of the match when Reina did a good job but the goal but the twice-taken penalty by Gerrard was good enough for the come-back to win them 3 points. So far they look like they may have a good season after all.

Chelsea is just too strong right now. I do not see any team beating them. Though that is the time when Man Utd usually pounces and so the weeked game should be interesting. 4-0 with English players and French scoring did the job. Joe Cole (that excellent player), malouda, Anelka (deserved his goal after 92 mins and working hard all game) and Lampard (who should have scored 2 goals) made sure of the points.

Isn't Champions League just great? Lets wait and see with the UEFA Cup, we can't forget our friends at Milano and Bolton. Or sorry West ham. Or sorry Spurs. As of UCL, that was a thrilling night of Champions League action once again. Performance of the night, if we ignore the Roma upset for a while, must go to Atletico. Or Chelsea? With the best game being the Liverpool game.

So tonight, the fun continues. Zenit shone last season but the Champions League is a big leap up from the UEFA Cup. Their first test against Juve will be very interesting. Sheva will either smile or frown tomorrow. It is a chance to see whether Juve can really challenge this season. Apart from Arshavin, the person to watch in this game will be a kid called Giovinco. He's a bit like the new Roberto Baggio, without the pony tail.

Then there is the return of Cristiano Ronaldo for Man Utd tonight. Yours truly will cover all games for you from the confines of Alpha Bar once again.

Ine naalanda kwena empompelele.