If you are not a member yet, you can sign up here

News Archive

Champions League, day 1

A great start for Real Madrid in the new Champions League campaign, a 1-6 victory at Galatasaray on Tuesday evening taking them clear at the top of the table. Isco started things off, and a Ronaldo hat-trick and two more from Benzema in the second half completed the "set". Not such good news though for Real Sociedad against Shakhtar Donetsk despite dominating the first half, two goals from Teixeira after the break leaving them at the bottom of their mini-league. Wins for Barcelona and Atlético on Wednesday, Messi emulating Ronaldo with a hat-trick and Piqué heading one in between as Barcelona beat Ajax 4-0, and Miranda, Turan and Baptistao on target as Atlético won 3-1 against Zenit. (18.09.13)

Barcelona 4 - Ajax 0

A comfortable win for Barcelona in their opening game of their Champions League group on Wednesday, Messi helping himself to a hat-trick as they went on to beat Ajax 4-0. Curiously the two teams had never faced each other in official competitions despite many close ties, the latest of which being current Ajax coach Frank De Boer, who played for a long time at the Nou Camp, and on-loan striker Bojan. It was Messi who made the difference though, the Argentinian forward beating Vermeer with a well struck free kick midway through the first half. Van Rhijn and Duarte tested Valdés before the break, but Vermeer had to keep out Messi and Neymar, and soon after the restart Messi got his second of the night following a good run by Busquets. A few minutes later Piqué headed the third from Neymar's long cross, and with a quarter of an hour to go Messi completed his hat-trick, sending his marker the wrong way with the faintest of dummies before stabbing a low shot past Vermeer once again. Ajax did have their chances after that, in particular a late penalty after Mascherano bundled over Serero, but Valdés kept out Sigthorsson's spot kick, and then made further saves from Bojan and Boilesen to make sure of his clean sheet. (18.09.13)

Atlético Madrid 3 - Zenit 1

Atlético Madrid are also off to a winning start in their return to the competition, a 3-1 victory over Zenit taking them to the top of their group. Lodygin was kept busy early by efforts from Turan, Koke and Filipe Luis, but he could do nothing to stop Miranda's near post header from entering the net from Koke's corner with five minutes to go to the break. However with just under an hour on the clock Hulk ran through to blast a long shot past Courtois, and Kerzakhov came close to beating the Belgian keeper a second time with a free kick which came back off the bar. That was just a brief scare though, and a couple of minutes later Turan battled through to restore the lead after the visiting keeper and his defence had blocked three previous efforts. Lodygin was in action again to keep out a Villa free kick, and Godin and Koke went close before substitute Leo Baptistao picked up Turan's through ball to score his first goal for his new club. Courtois did have to prove his skills again with a top class save from Ansaldi, but the final whistle went soon afterwards. A good win, and on this performance Simeone's side may just be a dark horse to win some silverware this season? (18.09.13)

Galatasaray 1 - Real Madrid 6

A great start for Real Madrid in the new Champions League campaign, a 1-6 victory at Galatasaray taking them clear at the top of the table. Ancelotti opted to play Iker Casillas in goal in this competition, but after making an early save from Felipe Melo he picked up a rib injury and had to be replaced by Diego López. The new man also had to keep out Melo a couple of times, but Madrid gradually got back in the match, and with just over half an hour gone Isco pulled down a long ball from Di María and fired a shot in off the post. Benzema made it two after Isco set him away early in the second half, and Ronaldo (celebrating his new improved contract) quickly added two more, the first after Isco headed back Di María's chipped cross, and the second after Muslera could only push out a Ramos header from a wide Bale free kick. Benzema got his second of the night after Bale and Ronaldo combined to set him up, and although Bulut pulled one back for the Turkish side from Amrabat's cross, Ronaldo ran on to beat three men and complete his hat-trick near the end. (17.09.13)

Real Sociedad 0 - Shakhtar Donetsk 2

Not such good news though for Real Sociedad against Shakhtar Donetsk, a 0-2 defeat leaving them at the bottom of their mini-league. After their brilliant qualifying round against Olympique Lyon, an expectant crowd turned up in a rainy Anoeta stadium to witness the Basque side's return to the competition after a ten year absence. However despite dominating the first half they were unable to find the route to goal, the closest they came being a lob over the top by Carlos Vela, and a couple of efforts by Griezmann and Xabi Prieto which Pyatov kept out. Xabi Prieto also felt he should have had a penalty when Srna brought him down just inside the area, the referee awarding a free kick but outside of the box. After the restart Seferovic also failed to convert a good chance, but soon afterwards the Ukrainians went ahead, Teixeira beating Bravo after Douglas Costa laid back Srna's cross. Vela headed against the bar after that, but Teixeira fired home his second of the evening later on, and to round off a poor evening substitute Granero was stretchered off with what looked like a bad knee injury. (17.09.13)