Champions' League: Round 1

I wonder who Arsenal can beat away from home?

Reassuring how little Auxerre have changed since they played Arsenal in the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup - Guy Roux is still the coach (he's been there since 1961!) and Fabien Cool, who was the last of the old "funny foreigners" from a British perspective (ie you sniggered when his name was mentioned) is still in goal for them. I rather admire that sort of team getting into the Champions' League, not least because they have the characteristics of a side Arsenal can ambush away without fear of a late comeback. Now if only PSV Eindhoven could finish (the shots PSV missed in the brief ITV highlights were SHOCKING, Clive, SHOCKING).

Most German footballers his age love Scooter or Die Böse Onkels.

Are Scooter the Teutonic equivalent of Craig David then?

More than you will ever know, Dom.

In that case, Sammer's tastes are even more antiquarian than I thought they were.

*chuckles* I can just imagine the Bayern Munich players in the penalty shoot-out against Valencia (2001 final) psyching themselves up by miming Scooter's rap breaks ...

Liverpool played rubbi9sh last night, Gerrard and Hamann never looked settled. Cheyrou looked useful when he came on, but Diouf had a mare.

Spencer Prior picked his three favourite songs on Soccer AM on Saturday, he picked Slipknot, The Disturbed (or summat like that) and that terrible band who did Disorder. His favourite film was Escape from New York.

Escape from New York is Mötley Crüe's favourite film too.

I watched the whole of Real Madrid's match without falling into a coma, but it was only this morning that I discovered Pep Guardiola wasn't playing until the second half.

I think it's Sevilla who have an entire team made up of AC/DC fans. They lift their shirts up and they've got AC/DC underneath.

I watched the Arsenal match. I'm not a supporter or anything (put in so as not to start a conflict with The Pinefox!), but they are a pleasure to watch these days. Borussia Dortmund are the German champions, which on the basis of recent years should rank them as among the best in Europe, but Arsenal made them look second rate.

LITMANEN WHOOHOO LITMANEN WOOHOOO. You fools! :) He's a god, Ajax immediatly improved a 100% with all his clever passes and forcing his team mates to play one-touch footie. Suddenly even our problem child Ibrahimovic is connecting and scoring goals too.

Real Madrid. Even as a fan I was sort of shocked by the cold efficiency with which they killed off Roma. Cold but always with a sense of beauty of course. The last 10 minutes reminded me a lot of the way Ajax around 1972 would freeze games just by passing into infinity.

Olympiakos 3 Bayer Leverkusen 1 at half-time: is it too early to say "one-season wonders"?

Man Utd 3 Maccabi Haifa 1 now. This is an easy group, really (Clive).

ended 5-1 to Olympiakos.

oh, and Diego Forlan actually scores shock!

wasn't it 6-2 to olympiakos?

it was indeed 6-2, ridiculous stuff, haven't seeen the goals yet though.

Omar, thanks for that informative update on my hero *sobs*

but I hear that young Mido wants away quite badly?

A mixed first week for the English teams: two very convincing wins, two comparably convincing defeats. Where are the close contests?

And do we start a separate thread for UEFA games, starting tonight?

about footballer's tastes, gaizka mendieta beats them all, as far as i know: his favourite bands are the velvet underground, yo la tengo and luna.
he's an indie icon in spain.

In England, a footballer is seen as radical and cool if they prefer Oasis to Phil Collins.

Chris, Houllier must be insane. Of course I was there on saturday when Litmanen came home. Incredible, what vision, grace and skill. Tuesday he was even better.

Yeah Mido, he's been forgiven it seems, although he showed some bad timing what with Ibrahimovic suddenly seeing the light (...from which the voice of Jari spoke: "let me show you the way" :) he's becoming obsolete.

Mendieta is ILE's footie chapter's secret hero isn't he, what with him reading real books (and being a bit of a loner, and having long hair but sadly playing for the enemy nowadays).

UEFA Cup subthread: Chelsea go two up against Norwegian "minnows" then concede a goal in the last minute. Almost self-parodic.

Wow, Leeds were amazing out there....

...amazingly poor at finishing.

I like Mendieta. He has over 100 records. All rock, rhythm and jazz.

I am suffering because Chris hasn't commented on the Little Rabbit's goal the other night, and it was quite a good one, involving a bit of dribbling. In fact it was so good, I'm beginning to think I imagined it. I rely on ILE confirmation nowadays.

sorry Peter, I've been computer-less since a brief moment on Wednesday, the little Rabbit's chip was delicious, absolutely sublime. ANd has Luis Enrique ever been playing such good football. I'm glad that Van Gaal has finally decided that he can do a job for him.