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Inter struggles, Barca turns on style
Source: Agencies |
September 16, 2010, Thursday
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THE world's best player Lionel Messi lit up the opening night of the Champions League for Barcelona although defending champion Inter Milan and Manchester United endured less than sparkling starts on Tuesday.
The Argentine, like last season, treated Europe's blue riband club competition as his personal playground, scoring two classy goals before missing a penalty as Barcelona recovered from an early shock to thrash visiting Panathinaikos 5-1 in Group D.
Inter took the lead but then had to come from behind to draw 2-2 at Dutch debutant Twente Enschede in Group A with the Italians losing forward Goran Pandev to a knee injury.
A much-changed Manchester United could find no way past obdurate Scottish visitors Rangers in Group C, drawing 0-0 in a game overshadowed by a serious ankle injury to Antonio Valencia.
The impish Messi bagged eight goals in the competition last season and judging by his display at the Nou Camp against an overwhelmed Greek side he will be aiming for double figures again, as Barcelona sets about trying to reclaim the trophy.
Messi would have celebrated a hat-trick but for the second-half penalty save and he also rattled the goal frame before halftime as he resumed normal service after failing to hit the target at the World Cup finals.
David Villa, Pedro and Dani Alves also found the net for the irresistible Catalans who emphatically made up for their shock defeat by promoted Hercules in La Liga at the weekend.
"He is the best player in the world by some distance from the rest," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. "It hurts him to miss and he has this amateur spirit of always wanting to play."
Wrong end
Inter forward Diego Milito was not far behind fellow Argentine Messi in the Champions League goal charts last season but scored at the wrong end as the Italians began the defence of their crown under new manager Rafael Benitez in jittery fashion.
Milito's own goal briefly left Inter 1-2 behind at Twente after Wesley Sneijder had given the champion an early lead.
Samuel Eto'o spared his blushes with an equalizer but Inter had to settle for a point after a goalless second half.
"In the first half we deserved nothing. We opened the scoring but after that we faced serious problems," former Liverpool coach Benitez, who faces a colossal task filling the shoes of Jose Mourinho, told reporters.
The other game in Group A also ended 2-2, Tottenham Hotspur wasting a two-goal lead against Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on its first appearance in the European Cup since 1962.
Alex Ferguson's decision to make 10 changes in Manchester United lineup to the side that drew with Everton on Saturday misfired. Wayne Rooney did return after being left out at the weekend as he deals with marital problems but the England striker, like his teammates, huffed and puffed against the massed ranks of Rangers' eight-man defence without making a serious dent.
The Argentine, like last season, treated Europe's blue riband club competition as his personal playground, scoring two classy goals before missing a penalty as Barcelona recovered from an early shock to thrash visiting Panathinaikos 5-1 in Group D.
Inter took the lead but then had to come from behind to draw 2-2 at Dutch debutant Twente Enschede in Group A with the Italians losing forward Goran Pandev to a knee injury.
A much-changed Manchester United could find no way past obdurate Scottish visitors Rangers in Group C, drawing 0-0 in a game overshadowed by a serious ankle injury to Antonio Valencia.
The impish Messi bagged eight goals in the competition last season and judging by his display at the Nou Camp against an overwhelmed Greek side he will be aiming for double figures again, as Barcelona sets about trying to reclaim the trophy.
Messi would have celebrated a hat-trick but for the second-half penalty save and he also rattled the goal frame before halftime as he resumed normal service after failing to hit the target at the World Cup finals.
David Villa, Pedro and Dani Alves also found the net for the irresistible Catalans who emphatically made up for their shock defeat by promoted Hercules in La Liga at the weekend.
"He is the best player in the world by some distance from the rest," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. "It hurts him to miss and he has this amateur spirit of always wanting to play."
Wrong end
Inter forward Diego Milito was not far behind fellow Argentine Messi in the Champions League goal charts last season but scored at the wrong end as the Italians began the defence of their crown under new manager Rafael Benitez in jittery fashion.
Milito's own goal briefly left Inter 1-2 behind at Twente after Wesley Sneijder had given the champion an early lead.
Samuel Eto'o spared his blushes with an equalizer but Inter had to settle for a point after a goalless second half.
"In the first half we deserved nothing. We opened the scoring but after that we faced serious problems," former Liverpool coach Benitez, who faces a colossal task filling the shoes of Jose Mourinho, told reporters.
The other game in Group A also ended 2-2, Tottenham Hotspur wasting a two-goal lead against Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on its first appearance in the European Cup since 1962.
Alex Ferguson's decision to make 10 changes in Manchester United lineup to the side that drew with Everton on Saturday misfired. Wayne Rooney did return after being left out at the weekend as he deals with marital problems but the England striker, like his teammates, huffed and puffed against the massed ranks of Rangers' eight-man defence without making a serious dent.
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