CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
September 15, 2005
With the world cup in Germany only nine months away... the three Bundesliga representatives.... Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen and Schalke, will be especially keen to do well in this Champion League season.
Schalke were the first Bundesliga team in action. They travelled to Holland to face PSV Eindhoven.
Eindhoven, last season`s semifinalists took the lead after slack defending by Schalke allowed Vennegoor of Hesselink to head the Dutch side into the lead.
This was not the way to perform in Europe`s elite competition, fumed Schalke manager Rudi Assauer at half time, urging his team to raise their level of concentration.
The second half saw Schalke enjoy more possession
against a mediocre Eindhoven side...but the German side failed to show enough motivation on the night and rarely threatened their Dutch hosts.
There were plenty of other matches across Europe on the night:
Milan 3 Fenerbahçe 1
Lyon 3 Real Madrid 0
Olympiacos 1 Rosenborg 3
Betis 1 Liverpool 2
Chelsea 1 Anderlecht 0
Artmedia 0 Internazionale 1
Rangers 3 Porto 2
On Wednesday the other two Bundesliga representatives entered the fray. Bayern travelled to Vienna to play Rapid whilst Bremen had the daunting task of hosting one of the competitions favourites ...Barcelona.
Not wanting a repeat of Schalke’s lack-lutre performance, a disappointing 1:0 defeat, against Dutch side Eindhoven the previous evening, Werder Bremen knew that his team faced a daunting task against the all-stars from Barecelona.
But the four-times Bundeliga champions played to their strength, pressing forward, attacking from the start. But a deflected goal and then a penalty gave the Spanish side a 2:0 victory.
In an interview with SAT1 televison Bremen’s sporting director Klaus Aloff’s praised his players: “After going down a goal we were able to put it behind us and then created lots of goal chances, but couldn’t score that all-important goal. Then they got their goal, catching us offguard for one moment -- and then it hard against a side like Barcelona“.
Bremen’s Ivan Klasnic had more goal scoring chances than the whole of the Barcelona put together. He failed to hide his disappointment.
21-year-old Nelson Valdez, who came on for suspended Miroslav Klose had a good chance right in the opening minute.
Barcelona’s game rotates around Ronaldinho -- arguably the best player in the world. The Brazilian midfielder was able unable, though, to conjure up some of the old magic we are used to in last season’s Champions League and in the Confederations Cup in the Summer.
News media reported that the Brazilian star had promised fans before the match that he would score two goals in Bremen.
Barecelona’s Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard adopted a more cautious approach, knowing that Bremen’s defence would not be giving anything away in front of a home crowd.
But Ronaldinho was not the first player to get on target. In the 13th minute Deco’s shot was deflected by Frank Baumann, goal for Barcelona -- no chance for the goalie, giving Deco his first goal of the season for the Spanish side. 15 minutes before the final whistle Ronaldinho scored a penalty, after the referee spotted Schulz hindering Argentinian Mezzi.
Meanwhile in Vienna, Bayern were having most of the possession, but failed to convert their any chances. Roy Makaay failed to show his full potential, showing that he has not fully recovered from a knee injury. Rapid were always quick on the counter offensive – the underdogs were definitely no walk over for the visitors. Bayern’s vice-president Karl-Heinz Rumminigge said the game was more like a friendly than a Champions League encounter.
Rapid’s best chance was a free kick just outside the penalty area in the 49th minute – causing Bayern keeper Oli Kahn all sorts of problems. But Rapid were unlucky not to score an equaliser from a penalty in the 81st, which went wide.
The Bundesliga champions were without injured Michael Ballack.
Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero got the winning goal for Bayern after 60 minutes, cleaning up from a header from Roy Makaay after a fine cross from Lucio. Final score 1:0.
In the other Champions League matches played Wednesday:
Villarreal 0 Manchester United 0
Arsenal 2 Thun 1,
Sparta Prague 1 Ajax Amsterdam 1
Benfica 1 Lille 0
Udinese 3 Panathinaikos 0
Bruges 1 and Juventus 2
Group A
Bayern
Rapid
Club Brugge
Juventus
Group B
Sparta
Ajax
Arsenal
Thun
Group C
Bremen
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
Udinese
Group D
Benfica
Man. United
Villarreal
Lille
Group E
Milan
PSV
Fenerbahçe
Schalke
Group F
Olympiacos
Lyon
Real Madrid
Rosenborg
Group G
Liverpool (Holders)
Anderlecht
Betis
Chelsea
Group H
Porto
Rangers
Internazionale
Artmedia Bratislava
Previous Winners
2005 Liverpool 5 Milan 3 (on penalties)
2004 Porto 3 Monaco 0
2003 Milan 5 Juventus 4 (on penalties)
2002 Madrid Leverkusen 2-1
2001 Bayern Valencia 5-4
2000 Madrid Valencia 3-0
1999 Man. United Bayern 2-11998 Madrid Juventus 1-0
1997 Dortmund Juventus 3-1
1996 Juventus Ajax 1-1 (Juventus 2-4 pens)
1995 Ajax Milan 1-0
1994 Milan Barcelona 4-0
1993 Marseille Milan 1-0
1992 Barcelona Sampdoria 1-0
1991 Red Star Marseille 0-0 (Crvena Zvezda 5-3 pens)
1990 Milan Benfica 1-0
1989 Miilan Steaua 4-0
1988 PSV Benfica 0-0 (PSV 6-5 pens)
1987 Porto Bayern 2-1
1986 Steaua Barcelona 0-0 (Steaua 2-0 pens)
1985 Juventus Liverpool 1-0
1984 Liverpool Roma 1-1 (Liverpool 4-2 pens)1983 Hamburg Juventus 1-0
1982 Villa Bayern 1-01981 Liverpool Madrid 1-0
1980 Notts Forest Hamburg 1-01979 Notts Forest Malmö 1-0
1978 Liverpool Club Brugge 1-01977 Liverpool Mönchengladbach 3-1
1976 Bayern St Etienne 1-01975 Bayern Leeds 2-0
1974 Bayern Athlético 4-01973 Ajax Juventus 1-0
1972 Ajax Internazionale 2-0
1971 Ajax Panathinaikos 2-0
1970 Feyenoord Celtic 2-11969 Milan Ajax 4-1
1968 Man. United Benfica 4-11967 Celtic Internazionale 2-1
1966 Madrid Partizan 2-11965 Internazionale Benfica1-0
1964 Internazionale Madrid 3-11963 Milan Benfica 2-1
1962 Benfica Madrid 5-31961Benfica Barcelona 3-2
1960 Madrid Eintracht 7-31959 Madrid Reims 2-0
1958 Madrid Milan 3-21957 Madrid Fiorentina 2-0
1956 Madrid Reims 4-3