The Champions League – Europe’s premier football competition! Well last night the Champions League returned for match-day two with Premier League club’s Arsenal and Liverpool in action. Arsenal hosted Belgian side Anderlecht whilst Liverpool travelled to Spain to face footballing giants and current Champions League holders Real Madrid. Tonight we have more action with London club and top of the Premier League Chelsea facing NK Maribor and Manchester City preparing for the visit of Russian team CSKA Moscow.
Arsenal (Arteta pen, Sanchez, Oxlade-Chamberlain) 3-3 Anderlecht (Vanden Borre x2, Mitrovic)
Arsene Wenger is being criticised today as his side threw away a 3-0 lead to concede an injury time equaliser in the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal dominated proceedings for an hour, Mikel Arteta opening the scoring after 25 minutes following a foul on £16m man Danny Welbeck. Arsenal’s top performer of the season so far, Alexis Sanchez, then made it 2-o after 29 minutes. After 58 minutes it was 3-0 as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain continued his return with a well taken goal however this was not the end and the Belgian club fought back with a double for former Portsmouth man Anthony Vanden Borre. Then, late in injury time to the dismay of Gunners’ boss Wenger and the fans, the scores were level at 3-3 as Mitrovic headed home.
Whilst this game now appears to have cost Arsenal the chance at top with group with Borussia Dortmund now on 4 wins from 4, it does mean Wenger’s men only need 1 point from their last 2 clashes to qualify for the knock out round.
Real Madrid (Benzema) 1-0 Liverpool
Brendan Rodgers stunned the footballing world with his Champions League squad selection last night as his so called ‘big names’ were rested to the bench including Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and captain Steven Gerrard. In a bold move that saw 7 changes from the Premier League side that lost to Newcastle United on the weekend, some accused Brendan Rodgers of waiting for the coming Chelsea fixture in anticipation of a loss to the Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Karim Benzema was the man who broke the deadlock after 27 minutes to give Real Madrid a deserved lead but then the Reds shut up shop and despite 27 Real Madrid attempts, 9 only hit the target. Out of those 9 Simon Mignolet made some good saves in the Liverpool goal and kept the scores a respectable 1-0. This leaves Liverpool 3rd in Group B with just 3 points, behind FC Basel on 6 points. It means the Reds can qualify still but top of the group comfortably goes to Real Madrid with 4 wins from 4.
Manchester City v CSKA Moscow, 7:45pm, Etihad Stadium
Manchester City have had it tough since they became regular Champions League attenders. In recent season they have been drawn with Real Madrid and Ajax as well as German juggernaut Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich are with them yet again and go into match-day 4 with 3 wins from 3 ties and sit pretty at the top of the group. Manchester City meanwhile only have themselves to blame for what has happened after playing Pep’s Bayern, they are in 3rd with just 2 points from a possible 9 and face CSKA Moscow tonight with the weight of a humbling draw in Russia on their shoulders. 2 weeks ago Pellegrini’s men through a lead away so tonight the focus will very much be 3 points as 2nd place Roma play Bayern Munich, giving City a chance to move above them in the group.
NK Maribor v Chelsea, 7:45pm, Stadion Ljudski vrt
Group G has been very kind to Chelsea, José Mourinho’s men are at the top of the table with 7 points out of a possible 9 and tonight they play the easiest team there once again. A fortnight ago their were comfortably successful and added to the victory over Sporting CP, a win tonight could see them all but confirmed as group winners with Schalke away the toughest clash to come. Mourinho has said he will not rest any of his squad for the match tonight, even if it is considered an easy fixture so expect Costa to feature and try and re-find his scoring form following an injury lay-off.
The home meeting was a 6-0 thrashing in the Blues favour so perhaps the Slovenian side will seek revenge in some way. However, surely Mourinho’s mind is more so focused to Liverpool in the Premier League on the weekend rather than the Champions League tonight. Mourinho saw Brendan Rodgers rest his ‘big names’ and other impressive performances from players like Kolo Toure. With the Stamford Bridge outfit in control of the domestic top flight they have another test this in the shape of the Anfielders to show that the current talk of a run-away title victory is a fair assumption to make.
(Picture: Borrowed with our thanks from www.independent.co.uk)
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