Champagne fizzes after openers’ action

Real Madrid began their assault on an unprecedented 10th European Champions title with a convincing opening night win at AS Roma on Tuesday ...

Real Madrid began their assault on an unprecedented 10th European Champions title with a convincing opening night win at AS Roma on Tuesday — just as they did last season.

Real beat Roma 3-0 with Guti scoring twice and Raul once, taking his all-time high scoring record in the Champions League to 35 goals.

The victory is a good omen for Real who won 2-1 at Roma on the opening night last season and went on to win the competition eight months later.

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	Guti vows to make Ronaldo sweat
ROME: Real Madrid striker Guti says he is ready to challenge Ronaldo for a place in the European champions’ forward line after scoring twice in his team’s 3-0 defeat of AS Roma in their opening Champions League match on Tuesday. “I know that Ronaldo will soon be fit to play, but I’m ready to compete with him,” Guti was quoted as saying in Italian daily Corriere Dello Sport. “With these two goals I think I’ve demonstrated that I have all the qualities to play in a great team like Real Madrid.” Guti’s first goal came in the 41st minute and added a second goal 16 minutes from time. Guti’s performance left Real in the enviable position of having to decide whether to use him or new acquisition Ronaldo in future Champions League fixtures. The Brazilian star forward, who signed from Inter Milan just before the transfer deadline, is recovering from a leg injury. He watched the game on television in Spain and was impressed by Guti’s performance. (Reuters)

Valencia made it a great start for Spain with a 2-0 home win over Liverpool, but Arsenal salvaged a victory for England with a convincing 2-0 win over disappointing German champions Borussia Dortmund at Highbury.

Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam marked their return to the Champions League after a three-year absence with a 2-1 home win over Olympique Lyon, but Inter Milan’s campaign got off to a stuttering start with a 2-2 draw at Rosenborg Trondheim in Norway. In the two other matches played AJ Auxerre drew 0-0 with PSV Eindhoven and Genk drew 0-0 with AEK Athens.

Real, playing without their new signing Ronaldo who is not yet fully fit, were almost dismissive of one of the strongest sides in Serie A although it took them almost until the break to go in front in their Group C match with Guti scoring after 41 minutes.

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Raul doubled their lead after 56 minutes before Guti wrapped up the points with their third after leaving two defenders in his wake. Genk and AEK finished scoreless in the other match in the group.

Valencia, European Cup finalists in both 2000 and 2001 and Spanish champions last season for the first time in 31 years, showed poise, control and played superbly to deservedly beat Liverpool 2-0 in Group B. Ruben Baraja wrapped up the game with a superbly worked second goal after 39 minutes following Pablo Aimar’s opening 20th minute strike.

A disappointing night for Liverpool got worse when Dietmar Hamann was sent off for a second yellow card 13 minutes from the end.

Basel marked their Champions League debut in the same group with a 2-0 win over Spartak Moscow with both their goals coming in a five minute spell at the beginning of the second half from Hakan Yakin (50) and Julio Rossi (55).

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Arsenal had to wait until an excellent Dennis Bergkamp goal after 62 minutes to break through a resilient Dortmund defence at Highbury where they have now won 15 of their last 18 home Champions League matches.

Inter new boy Crespo made his mark as Ronaldo’s replacement scoring both his side’s goals after 33 and 78 minutes, while Azar Karadas scored twice for Rosenborg.

While they were ultimately pleased to take a point after trailing 2-1 at one stage, Inter’s performance was marred by the late dismissal of defender Fabio Cannavaro. (Reuters)