Euro release for Madrid multi-starrer

But although the Spaniards have ploughed the profits from their exploits into the capture of World Cup winner Ronaldo they could hardly have asked for a tougher start than AS Roma away in Group C. Furthermore, they were denied vital match practice when their Spanish league match at Real Betis on Saturday was abandoned just before half-time after floodlight failure with betis leading 1-0 after a goal from Jesus Capitan.

Fabio Capello, coach of AS Roma who lost 1-2 at Bologna on Saturday night in their opening Italian league match, has selection problems as he has three players suspended – Italy international playmaker Francesco Toti, Argentinian Gabriel Batistuta and Brazilian Lima. With Genk of Belgium and Aek Athens of Greece making up the numbers in the group the fact that Ronaldo is not yet ready for action should not cause the ‘meringues’ to melt in action just yet as they bid for the top prize in the European game.

English opening-day action focuses on Premiership champions Arsenal’s intriguing tussle with their German counterparts Borussia Dortmund, European champions back in 1997.

Whereas Arsenal have made a blistering start to the new domestic season Dortmund have been throwing away silly points and Saturday’s home draw with Schalke 04 was their fourth draw in five league outings, leaving the club six points behind rivals Bayern Munich.

Gunners’ coach Arsene Wenger says he believes his side, who have proved poor European travellers in the recent past, are now ready to win the tournament for the first time. With the Premiership title under their belts the Champions League is the pot of gold Arsenal have their sights on – they have a costly new stadium in the offing – and Wenger insists his current squad can crack the winning code even if the last eight is the best his sides has managed to date. “There is a very big desire in this team to do well in Europe. That is in me as well. We will give everything to win it, but it’s the best teams in Europe,” he maintained.

Saturday’s 3-0 win over Charlton saw Arsenal find the net for the 45th consecutive match, breaking a 65-year-old record. Neither Arsenal nor Dortmund can afford to be complacent as Group A also contains tough opposition in the shape of French side Auxerre – quarter-finalists six years ago – and Holland’s PSV Eindhoven, the 1988 European champions.

Auxerre are joint top of the French league after seven games and Arsenal fans will well remember that five seasons ago their side just made it to phase two after a home defeat to another French side in Lens, whom they also were unable to beat away.

Liverpool have conquered Europe four times – but not since 1984- and they have a tricky start away to Spanish champions Valencia in Group B.

That fixture should produce the two sides who will advance at the expense of the less-experienced Basel of Switzerland and Russia’s perennial participants Spartak Moscow.

However, while Swiss football does not represent the cutting edge of the continental game, Basel did knock out Scottish champions Celtic in the preliminaries and neither Liverpool nor Valencia will underestimate them.

Tomorrow’s other matches come with Group D encounters between experienced Norwegian campaigners Rosenborg and a now Ronaldo-less Inter Milan, twice champions but lifting the trophy back in the mid 1960s on both occasions. Inter won their opening Italian league match against Torino 1-0 on Saturday thanks to a Christian Vieri goal and coach Hector Cuper has the good news that he has a full squad to choose from.

Group rivals Ajax won the last of their four crowns in 1995 and kick off their campaign against French champions Lyon, the most fluid outfit currently gracing a domestic game which is struggling to attract top names. If they do not possess the depth of talent of a Real Madrid, Lyon do nonetheless have a potent strikeforce, however, of Brazilian Sonny Anderson and new France international Sidney Govou.

Coach Paul le Guen rested both in Saturday’s league defeat at Nantes and both will be raring to go tomorrow, as will the whole squad according to France international keeper Gregory Coupet.

“We have great spirit at this club. We will take that to Amsterdam.”

However, Brazilian midfielder Juninho admitted that “we can expect a tougher challenge there than nantes gave us.”