Werder Bremen 0 - Barcelona 2

Bremen: Reinke; Owomoyela, Pasanen, Naldo, Schulz; Frings, Baumann (Jenssen 63'), Micoud, Borowski; Klasnic, Valdez (Hunt 83'). 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Belletti (Edmilson 46'), Oleguer, Puyol, Van Bronckhorst; Xavi (Van Bommel 79'), Márquez, Deco; Giuly (Messi 66'), Eto'o, Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 13. Deco. Took pass back from Eto'o and hit deflected shot past Reinke.
0-2. 76. Ronaldinho (penalty). After Messi pulled back in area by Schulz.

A win at last for Spanish sides on the second day of the opening Champions League ties, Barcelona beating Werder Bremen 0-2 away from home in their opening match. After the defeat of the two Liga teams the day before, there were fears that Barça could go the same way, and Víctor Valdés was in action in the first minute to save from his namesake Valdéz. But a few minutes later Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto'o combined for Deco to shoot from the edge of he area, and the ball took a deflection off Baumann to enter the net. Eto'o tested Reinke with a long shot later in the half, but the German side came close to equalising before the break, firstly when Valdéz somehow missed the target with the goal at his mercy, and then when Micoud's shot came back off the post.

Deco could have increased the lead though when he too hit the post early in the second half, but Valdés was again called on to save from Klasnic and then from a dangerous Pasenen free kick. Rijkaard eventually decided to bring on Messi, who is the subject of much discussion recently in Spain after a vacuum in the rules meant that he currently is unable to play for the team in the league. And the young Argentine midfielder made his mark soon after coming on, falling under a challenge from Schulz and winning a penalty which Ronaldinho converted. It wasn't the most exciting of performances, but Barça had got through the what is probably the most difficult tie in their group, and are already one step on the way to qualifying for the next stage.