Journalists back Real Madrid to win Champions League title

Opening matches for the Champions League, Europe’s elite club competition, will be played on September 16 and 17. Four sports journalists said Chelsea would be champions, two favoured four-times winners Bayern Munich, one said Arsenal and one backed Juventus to win.

Juventus ended Real Madrid’s bid to become European champions for the 10th time last season when they beat the Spanish aristocrats 4-3 on aggregate after two epic semi-final encounters in April. England captain David Beckham, one of the world’s most marketable footballers, has since joined Real from Manchester United in a transfer worth 35 million euros.

Seen by many as a boon to Real as they seek to broaden their appeal in Asia, Beckham has joined a galaxy of top players such as Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos, French midfielder Zinedine Zidane, Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Portuguese winger Luis Figo.

‘‘The ‘Galaxy’ was completed with David Beckham,’’ said Angel Cabeza at Marca in Spain. ‘‘I can hardly see another team fighting Real for the title, even the Italians.’’

Beckham has made a dazzling start for Real, scoring in each of his first two games at the Bernabeu stadium. ‘‘David Beckham will prove that he has been signed for his football skills, not just to sell merchandise in Asia,’’ said Jeremy Walker at Asahi Shimbun and the International Herald Tribune in Tokyo. ‘‘He will improve a great team.’’

Real will play UEFA Cup holders Porto in their opening group matches and will also meet Olympique Marseille — winners of the first Champions League format in 1993 — as well as Partizan Belgrade.

Others said the Champions League trophy could go to London club Chelsea, who play Sparta Prague, Lazio and Bsiktas in their opening group. Chelsea have been on a spending spree since Russian oil magnate Roman Abramovich took over the club in July, signing up the likes of Argentines Hernan Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron, French midfielder Claude Makelele and Cameroon international Geremi. In all 11 new players have joined Chelsea who have spent more than 110 million pounds — more than the other 19 English premier league clubs put together.

Roger Crutchley at the Bangkok Post favoured German champions Bayern Munich, who face Olympique Lyon, Celtic and Anderlecht in their opening group. ‘‘Bayern Munich may not have the glamour of the Italian and Spanish sides, but hard graft invariably overcomes glamour in Europe and they will be a very difficult team to beat,’’ he said.

Howard Donaldson at the Sunday Tribune in South Africa backed Italian champions Juventus, who are grouped with Galatasaray, Real Sociedad and Olympiakos in the group phase. ‘‘They should prevail against any other team in the competition, unless the entire team has a collective off-day,’’ he said.

English champions Manchester United, who were European Cup winners in 1968 and 1999, will meet Scottish champions Rangers, along with VfB Stuttgart and Panathinaikos. Arsenal were drawn against Dynamo Kiev, Inter Milan and Lokomotiv Moscow, while French League winners Monaco will play AEK Athens, PSV Eindhoven and Deportivo Coruna. AC Milan were paired with Ajax Amsterdam, Club Bruges and Celta Vigo. (Reuters)