News Archive

Champions League, day 1

Not such a good day for Spanish clubs on Wednesday after the full house the day before. Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw at Roma, Luis Suárez heading the opener from a Rakitic cross midway through the first half, but Florenzi levelling it soon afterwards with a shot from the half-way line which flew over the stranded Ter Stegen and in off the far post. An away draw against a strong opponent was not so bad, but Luis Enrique may well have lost Rafinha for some time after he was stretchered off following a reckless tackle by Nainggolan just a couple of minutes after coming on as substitute. Valencia though were beaten 2-3 by Zenit, and with Gent and Lyon drawing in the other group game, the Ches find themselves at the bottom of their group. Hulk scored twice for the Russian side before the break, and although strikes by Cancelo and André Gomes levelled it, Witsel fired the winner past Domenech with a quarter of an hour to go. (16.09.15)

A brilliant start for La Liga sides in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, all three winning their respective ties without letting in a single goal. Real Madrid beat Shakhtar Donetsk 4-0, Ronaldo adding to his five goals at the weekend with another hat-trick tonight. The first two came early on in the second half from the penalty spot for hand-balls after a mistake by Pyatov had allowed Benzema to open the scoring on the half hour mark, and the Portuguese striker headed his third after the keeper could only push out a shot by Marcelo later on. Shakhtar played for most of the second half with ten men after Stepanenko picked up two bookings in quick succession.

Atlético Madrid began their campaign with a 0-2 victory at Galatasaray, Griezmann getting both goals in the first half hour, the first from Juanfran’s cross, and the second after Godín headed back Koke’s centre. And Sevilla won 3-0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Gameiro and Banega converting penalties at the start of the second half, and Konoplyanka getting the third with a little help from keeper Sommer. It could have been even better though, Gameiro firing another spot kick against the crossbar in-between the two that were scored. (15.09.15)

Roma 1 – Barcelona 1

Defending champions Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw at Roma in their opening Champions League match, not what they were expecting, but still a good result away from home against probably the strongest opponent in their group. Messi and Luis Suárez tried their luck early on, and with just over twenty minutes gone Suárez got on the end of a Rakitic cross to head the opener from close to goal. The Uruguayan striker felt he should have had a penalty soon afterwards when Sczesny brought him down in the area, but a couple of minutes later Florenzi equalized for the Italians with a shot from just over the half way line and wide out on the right, the ball flying over the head of Ter Stegen and in to the net off the far post. Barça had most of the play after that, Messi in particular hitting the bar, Iniesta bringing a good save out of substitute keeper De Sanctis and Jordi Alba seeing his effort cleared off the line in the last minute, but the Italians also had their chances, with Stegen having to save from Nainggolan and Dzeko, and Iago Falque shooting just wide. The worst news for Luis Enrique though was a serious knee injury to Rafinha, who was stretchered off following a reckless tackle by Nainggolan just a couple of minutes after coming on as substitut, and he is likely to be out for several months. (16.09.15)

Valencia 2 – Zenit 3

Valencia were beaten 2-3 by Zenit in their first group game, and with Gent and Lyon drawing in the other tie, the Ches find themselves at the bottom of their group. Cancelo hit the post and Feghouli and Negredo both missed chances early on, but it was the Russian side who took the lead when Hulk drove an angled shot past Jaume Domenech in the ninth minute. Piatti brought a good save out of Lodygin in reply, but Danny tested Domenech again, and Hulk fired an effort from the half-way line just over the bar before making it two with a fierce shot on the stroke of half time. Valencia bounced back though after the interval, Alcácer having a goal disallowed for a marginal offside before Cancelo caught Lodygin out of position with a shot from wide out on the right wing. André Gomes levelled the scores a few minutes later with a low shot from left of goal, but just three minutes after that Witsel got the winner for the visitors, beating Domenech again from the edge of the area. (16.09.15)

Real Madrid 4 – Shakhtar Donetsk 0

Real Madrid kicked off the new European campaign with a 4-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, Ronaldo adding to his five goals at the weekend with another hat-trick tonight. Benzema started things off though on the half hour mark with the easiest of tap-ins after Pyatov dropped Isco’s cross at his feet, and Croatian referee Ivan Bebek gave the locals a helping hand, sending off Stepanenko for a second bookable offence soon after the restart, and then incorrectly awarding a penalty when the ball hit Srna on the back. Ronaldo converted the spot kick though, and then drilled home a second penalty a few minutes later when Azevedo handled in the area, and the Portuguese striker headed his third later on after the keeper could only push out a shot by Marcelo. The bad news for Benítez though was injuries to Bale, Varane and Ramos which used up all his substitutions, although none of the three are likely to be out for long. (15.09.15)

Galatasaray 0 – Atlético Madrid 2

A good start for Atlético Madrid in their first group game, a 0-2 victory at Galatasaray taking them joint top together with Benfica. Simeone’s side were on top right from the kick-off, Tiago and Vietto testing Muslera before Griezmann got on the end of Juanfran’s cross to open the scoring. And with less than half an hour gone Griezmann got his second of the night, turning the ball in from close up after Godín headed back Koke’s cross. Bulut went close a couple of times for the locals either side of half time, and Podolski and Sneijder fired shots off target after the interval, but Muslera had to save again from Jackson Martínez, and Griezmann could have had a hat-trick had he been able to beat the keeper after Oliver put him through near the end. (15.09.15)

Sevilla 3 – Borussia Mönchengladbach 0

Sevilla celebrated their return to the Champions League after a five year absence with a 3-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach in their opening group match. With visits to Juventus and Manchester City up next, this was a must win game for Emery’s side, and they came out strongly, Vitolo hitting the post, and Gameiro going close several times before the break. In the first five minutes of the second half the Andalusians were awarded two penalties, the first after Sommer brought down Vitolo, and the second after Brouwers fouled the same player, but although Gameiro drove home the first, his second spot kick came back off the crossbar and bounced away. A few minutes later however Czech referee Pavel Kralovec gave a third penalty to the locals, and this time Gameiro handed the ball to Banega for him to make it two. The German team responded with a shot by Raffael just wide of the mark, but with six minutes to go substitute Konoplyanka picked up a short Krohn-Dehli corner and swung the ball towards goal, Sommer helping it into his own net. (15.09.15)