Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Champions League start

I was in a small village on the Northern coast of Mozambique, when a colleague told me that the Champions League was starting again. I felt a tickle of embarrassment, since as I have mentioned before, my football passion has gone, and I have not followed anything as of late. I wasn’t even aware that the Spanish league had started, or any of the groups in the Champions League. I haven’t even made a UEFA Fantasy team, and considering that I am a leading expert on football on the internet, it is all an embarrassment. I am indeed, that my football site has been gone for so long.

Anyway, as I got to my friend’s house to see the first match between FC Porto and Liverpool, I had the sudden feeling that I had been missing this a lot! That in spite of my reservations about the international capitalist football machinery having taken the magic out of the sport, I need the “fix”. I am addicted again I think, and greatly enjoyed the match: FC Porto was on to an amazing start against a really lame Liverpool side. However, Liverpool is known for getting back into matches, and completely underserved, managed to get an equalizer by Dirk Kuyt. After that Liverpool settled better into the match, and FC Porto was unable to be a major threat. It ended up a boring game…

On the more positive note, my old darling Valencia started with a good 0-1 away victory against Schalke 04 and Chelsea managed only a meager tie with Rosenborg in the same group.

Lionel Messi was magical in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyon, with Thierry Henry scoring for Barcelona as well. UEFA champions from Seville were shown how to play with the big boys, when Arsenal destroyed them 3-0, and Real Madrid defeated Werder Bremen.

Machester United’s Ronaldo scored the winning goal against his old Sporting Lisbon, and the defending champions of AC Milan started defeating the other Lisbon club Benfica. The other Milan team, Inter, defending Italian champions, were surprised by a good Fenerbahce side, who won a deserved victory.

All in all, Champions League is back, and I have a lot to learn about the new season!

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