Real test for Madrid against Bayer
Real Madrid will try to revive memories of their last glorious moment on the Champions League stage when they face German side Bayer Leverkusen away in their first match of this season's tournament on Wednesday.
Real Madrid will try to revive memories of their last glorious moment on the Champions League stage when they face German side Bayer Leverkusen away in their first match of this season's tournament on Wednesday.
Two years ago, a stunning volley from Zinedine Zidane was the standout moment as Real beat Bayer 2-1 in the final in Glasgow but on Wednesday it will be another of their galacticos, David Beckham, who will be looking to build on his fine freekick in the 1-0 victory over Numancia on Saturday.
The 29-year-old was still at Manchester United when Real last won the Champions League and last season's campaign is one he would rather forget for the 'meringues' when his marital problems intruded on his form.Poor performances for England at Euro 2004 and subsequent World Cup qualifiers has presented him with a huge challenge to show he is still worthy of his place in England's side but he has come out fighting.
"Of course my performances have not been as good but I don't think they stretch back as far as people are saying," he said.
Fabio Capello will be looking for a measure of revenge when he takes Juventus to Ajax as they were the Dutch side that beat his then AC Milan team in the 1995 Champions League final.
One major doubt for Capello is Brazilian star Emerson, who suffered a leg muscle injury during the 3-0 victory over Brescia on Sunday, but on the positive side there was a goalscoring display by Czech maestro Pavel Nedved and summer signing from Ajax Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Nedved, though, claimed that he was still not fully fit after suffering an injury in the Euro 2004 semi-final defeat by Greece.
"I am only playing at half my capacity," Nedved said. "But that is a warning to the rest of our rivals as I will very soon be back to my best and I am looking this season to win the Champions League at any cost," he added.
Morientes' former club Monaco travel to Liverpool where they will cross swords with former defender John Arne Riise and on the back of a convincing 3-1 victory at the weekend which saw their latest star, on-loan Argentine striker Javier Saviola, open his scoring account.
However Monaco coach Didier Deschamps will have to do without the Olympic gold medal winning striker's services as he is serving a suspension after being sent off in Barcelona's UEFA Cup defeat by Celtic last season.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was delighted with the performance of the team in the 3-0 defeat of West Brom at the weekend and claimed he was close to coming up with his most effective line-up.
If Benitez is confident he is close to finding the right formula, his Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson, impatient to include Rio Ferdinand and wonderkind striker Wayne Rooney, must be scratching his head in bewilderment.
United travel to Lyon on the back of more bad news as their experienced
England defender Gary Neville is out for four weeks with a hairline fracture of his kneecap picked up last week in the World Cup qualifier with Poland.