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UEFA Champions League: Matchday One (A look ahead)

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The UEFA Champions League is officially back and ready to feature the world's best teams and players in a competition that is sure to entertain us all the way to May of 2010.

Matchday One kicks off on Tuesday with eight matches and some entertaining encounters. Before we touch on all eight matches, here is a quick look at your live viewing options on Tuesday:

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ON TV

2pm– Setanta Sports USA- Chelsea vs. FC Porto

2:45pm– Fox Soccer Channel-Marseille vs. AC Milan

2:45pm– Fox Sports Espanol- FC Zurich vs. Real Madrid

2:45pm– FSN- Besiktas at Manchester United

And remember, if you have DirecTV and Fox Soccer Channel, you will be able to watch most of these matches on one of several channels being devoted to the Champions League on matchdays.

Here is a quick rundown of all eight matches and some things to watch for in each of them: 

BORDEAUX vs. JUVENTUS

Diego is ruled out, but Juve still has plenty of weapons, including Amauri and Alessandro Del Piero. Will Sebastian Giovinco get a look with Diego injured? 

Best Match-up to watch: Bordeaux's Yoan Gorcouff vs. Juventus' Felipe Melo. The French playmaker and the Brazilian dynamo. 

Fast Fact: Juve manager Ciro Ferrara and Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc were teammates with Napoli

MARSEILLE vs. AC MILAN

Marseille's dangerous attack is going to provide a stiff test to a Milan defense that has looked extremely shaky early in the Serie A season. Former Porto playmaker Lucho Gonzalez will be the creator for the French club, and the man Gennaro Gattuso and/or Mathieu Flamini will need to contain. Offensively, Milan must find Pato and Filippo Inzaghi.

Best Match-up to watch: Marseille's Brandao vs. AC Milan's Thiago Silva. These Brazilians should have a fierce battle as Brandao, the former Shakhtar Donetsk star, looks to abuse his young compatriot. Ronaldinho vs. Stephane M'Bia is another good one to watch.

Fast Fact: Marseille head coach Didier Deschamps won the 1998 World Cup final with France against a Brazil squad that included AC Milan manager Leonardo.

CHELSEA vs. PORTO

Chelsea won't soon forget Andres Iniesta's series-winner in last year's Champions League semifinal decider, but the healing begins with this match-up, which will be tough in its own right. Porto boasts a strong midfield and some dynamic strikers that will make things difficult, but Chelsea's form has been stellar and its strikers could prove too tough for the Portuguese club.

Best Match-up to watch: Chelsea's Frank Lampard vs. Porto's Fernando. Manchester United fans will remember Fernando as the impressive central midfielder who made their lives hell in last year's Champions League. This time around, the young standout will look to neutralize Lampard, Chelsea's attacking fulcrum.

Fast Fact: There are five former Porto players on Chelsea's roster: Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Henrique Hilário, José Bosingwa and Deco.

BESIKTAS vs. MANCHESTER UNITED

The Turkish club hosts the returning Champions League finalists in a match Besiktas won't be expected to win despite being at home. Coming off a 4-0 loss to Galatasaray on the weekend, Besiktas has struggled in domestic play this season. United has overcome a slow start to put its stamp on the EPL, beating previously undefeated Tottenham on Saturday. Besiktas boasts goalkeeper Rustu Recber and striker Nihat Kahveci, as well as German midfielder Fabian Ernst, but will still be underdogs to United's loaded lineup.

Best Match-up to watch: Nihat Kahveci vs. Rio Ferdinand. Who can forget Kahveci's heroics for Turkey in Euro 2008? He'll be hard-pressed to repeat those feats against Ferdinand in what should be an entertaining clash.

Fast Fact: Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick in his first appearance for Manchester United on Sept. 28, 2004 in a Champions League match against Fenerbahce, which had Rustu Recber in goal that day. 

FC ZURICH vs. REAL MADRID

Is it fitting that the best team money can buy is heading to the land of big banks? Real Madrid should destroy the Swiss club. Not much else to say really.

Best Match-up to watch: Real Madrid's Pepe vs. FC Zurich's Johan Vonlanthen. Yes, Vonlanthen may be the only player you've ever heard of on Zurich, but the Swiss striker (who's actually half Colombian) will have a chance to show that he's worthy of a bigger stage and bigger club.

Fast Fact: Real Madrid has never failed to advance past the group stage in 13 previous Champions League appearances. 

VFL WOLFSBURG vs. CSKA MOSCOW

The German champions take on the perennial Russian power in what is actually one of the most underrated match-ups of the week. Wolfsburg has never played in the Champions League but certainly has the weapons to make the most of its first trip. The forward tandem of Edin Dzeko and Grafite is one of the best in Europe, while Obafemi Martins provides another dangerous option up top. For CSKA, goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev is the star, while Juande Ramos handles his first week as the club's head coach.

Best Match-up to watch: Wolfsburg's Grafite vs. CSKA's Akinfeev. Two players who could be at the top of transfer target lists next summer square off. Grafite will find his chances. It will be up to Akinfeev to show why he's considered one of the best young goalkeepers in the world.

Fast Fact: Wondering where Vagner Love is? The long-time CSKA Moscow start was sent to Brazilian club Palmeiras on loan. He needed to return to Brazil to deal with a pressing family issue.

MACCABI HAIFA vs. BAYERN MUNICH

With Franck Ribery back in the fold, Bayern Munich will be expected to roll against the perennial Israeli League power.

Best Match-up to watch: Bayern's Daniel Van Buyten vs. Haifa's Mohammad Ghadir. One of the best young strikers in the Israeli national team pipeline, Ghadir will need to work some magic against the physical and experienced Van Buyten.

Fast Fact: This match will be Luis Van Gaal's first in the Champions League since leading Barcelona through an unbeaten stretch during the 2002/2003 campaign.

ATLETICO MADRID vs. APOEL NICOSIA

Featuring the likes of Sergio Aguero and DIego Forlan in attack, Atletico will be heavily favored against the underdogs from Cyprus.

Best Match-up to watch: APOEL's Nuno Morais vs. Atletico's Simao. The Portuguese compatriots square off here. If the name Nuno Morais sounds vaguely familiar it is because he was once a fringe player for Chelsea during Jose Mourinho's time.

Fast Fact: APOEL Nicosia is the Cypriot champion (like you knew that before today).

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Excited to see Champions League starting again? Which match of the first day will you be watching? Who do you see winning it all?

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Comments

  1. I’m a bit of a hippy but I’m really considering hacking down the 6 or so palm trees ouotside my apartment that block my “clear view of the southern sky”.

    I hate cable…..

    Reply
  2. Del Piero is out for tomorrow’s game as well. Giovinco should start in Diego’s spot tomorrow.

    Too bad this game is not being shown until 2 AM on FSC.

    Reply
  3. who gets more cards per game?
    Felipe Melo vs. RedCardo Clark*

    i dont like Felipe Melo at all. this guy is a punk. I remember him in the USA game doing cheap shots on our players when the ref turned around.

    *someone else here came up with this clever nickname

    Reply
  4. i’m pretty sure you can watch any of the 8 games live. all in HD except the featured game on FSC and the Chelsea game, I guess cuz it’s on Setanta? maybe they’ll block out the Chelsea game on the DirecTV UEFA channel. but I hope not. I just gotta figure out which games to DVR?????

    they also have a mix channel showing all games at once.

    DirecTV + FSC = Praise Allah, Jehovah, Buddha, Christ, Obama, etc.

    Reply
  5. It should be mentioned that if you have the sports package on Direct TV, you can watch the four other games (not on fox and setanta) in HD as well.

    Reply

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