Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona will be among four La
Liga hopefuls counting on their big-money summer transfers to put
them back at the heart of Europe after last season's Champions
League flop.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla line out in the
Group stages of the elite European competition on Tuesday and
Wednesday nights.
No Spanish club made it to the final four last season with
nine-time winner Real Madrid, Valencia and defending champion
Barcelona all crashing out.
Sevilla had more European success when it won the UEFA Cup for a
second straight year.
Spanish champion Real and runner-up Barcelona spent more than
100 million euros between them on summer transfers and Valencia was
not far behind.
And they will be counting on their investments to pay off.
After crashing out last season to Bayern Munich, Real Madrid is
riding high in La Liga and opens its European Group C campaign at
home against another German side Werder Bremen at the Santiago
Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday.
The match will be Real's 300th in Europe, and it is favorite
against Bremen, who has been struggling in the Bundesliga, losing
3-0 at Borussia Dortmund at the weekend.
By contrast Bernd Schuster's side warmed up with a 3-1 home win
against Almeria on Saturday which kept its unbeaten league
record.
Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooy should be fit
for the tie, but compatriot Arjen Robben is still waiting anxiously
to make his debut.
"We have a squad capable of being competitive in every
competition," said Schuster.
Brazilian striker Julio Baptista added: "It's important for us
to start with victories to show everyone that we are in excellent
shape. The team is playing at a very high level.
"The Champions League is a very important competition and in
order to do well in it we will have to take points at home.
"Werder Bremen don't seem to be the strong side they normally
are.
"They (Bremen) have lost their most recent games, but they have
individual and collective talent. That sometimes decides the
outcome of a Champions League fixture.
"German teams are always tough nuts to crack because they defend
very well. We know they will look to draw the game and we have to
destroy them."
Group C rival Lazio, returning to the competition after a
three-year absence, travels to Greek champions Olympiakos.
Expectations are also high at Barcelona who fell to eventual
runner-up Liverpool in the knockout stages last year.
A goalless draw at Osasuna on Sunday night was hardly the ideal
warm-up to meet six-time French champion Lyon who hammered Metz
5-1.
Barca with one of Europe's top strike forces in former Arsenal
striker Thierry Henry, Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Messi host Lyon, with
Group E rival VfB Stuttgart traveling to Scottish side Rangers.
Sevilla faces a tough task in its inaugural tie when it travels
to Highbury to meet Premier League leader Arsenal on Wednesday.
In the past seven seasons Arsene Wenger's side has never failed
to get out of the group stages.
But Sevilla showed it is in fine shape with an impressive 4-1
home win against Recreativo Huelva on Sunday which maintained a 100
percent start to the season.
Sevilla also has the added incentive of paying tribute to
Antonio Puerta, the 22-year-old defender who tragically died
following his side's 4-1 Liga win over Getafe in August.
Valencia, fourth in La Liga last season, is third so far after
two wins from three.
It reached the quarter-finals last year but fell to Chelsea and
holds high hopes traveling to Group B rival Schalke 04 on
Tuesday.
Schalke 04 is midtable in the Bundesliga after just one win and
four draws following five games.
Group B rival Chelsea hosts Norwegian side Rosensborg as two of
the three Premier League teams begin their campaigns in
Portugal.
Liverpool opens its bid to reach a third final in four years at
FC Porto in a Group A tie on Tuesday, as Turkish side Besiktas
travels to struggling French outfit Marseille.
Manchester United will be looking for its 100th victory in the
competition when it travels to Sporting Lisbon in Group F on
Wednesday with two of the Portuguese club's former players
Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.
Holder AC Milan, meanwhile, begins its title defense at the San
Siro against Portuguese side Benfica as their Group D rival Celtic
travels to Shakhtar Donestsk of the Ukraine.
(China Daily via AFP September 18, 2007)