Arsenal start 15th season in UEFA’s top competition with a bang

The opening matches from the Champions League group stages produced two wins and two draws for English clubs.

Arsenal, now in their 15th campaign in Europe’s premier competition for clubs, achieved the most comprehensive win at the Emirates Stadium as they thrashed Portuguese side Braga 6-0 (Fabregas 2, Arshavin, Chamakh, Vela 2).

Manchester United shared the spoils with Scottish champions Rangers in yet another British battle (0-0) at Old Trafford while Chelsea cruised to another European win, beating Slovakia’s MSK Zilina away 4-1 (Essien, Anelka 2, Sturridge).

In their debut season in the Champions League, Tottenham opened with a creditable draw away to Werder Bremen 2-2 (Pasanen og, Crouch) even if the Spurs threw away a two-goal advantage.

Arsenal’s record in the European Cup:

1971-72: quarter-finals.
1991-92: second round.
1998-99: group phase.
1990-00: group phase.
2000-01: quarter-finals.
2001-02: group phase (second).
2002-03: group phase (second).
2003-04: quarter-finals.
2004-05: second round knock-out.
2005-06: final.
2006-07: second round knock-out.
2007-08: quarter-finals.
2008-09: semi-finals.
2009-10: quarter-finals.

Arsenal will be on their travels as they meet Partizan Belgrade, of Serbia, at the Partizan stadium next week.

Partizan are considered the best team in their country. In the past, Partizan regularly represented the former Yugoslavia in the top UEFA competitions along with bitter rivals Red Star Belgrade.

In 1978-79, Arsenal met two teams from the Balkan region in the UEFA Cup. In the second round, the Gunners suffered a 2-1 defeat at Hajduk Split but won the return at Highbury 1-0 to advance on the away goals rule.

In the third round, Arsenal confronted Red Star, bowing out 1-2 on aggregate (0-1 at home and 1-1 away).

Next week’s Champions League match will be the first meeting between Arsenal and Partizan Belgrade.

Manchester United will also be on the away front as they play Valencia at the Mestalla.

Valencia lost two Champions League finals in successive seasons to neighbours Real Madrid in 2000 and Bayern Munich in 2001.

In the domestic scene, Valencia are widely regarded as Spain’s third force behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, even if they have failed to win the top prize on the continent.

Last season, Valencia finished third in La Liga but their biggest setback was the transfer of David Villa to Barcelona in the summer.

United, whose only away defeat last season was against Bayern, have featured in two finals in the last three seasons.

In their past three clashes with Valencia, the Red Devils collected a mixed bag of results as data below well denotes:

1982-83: (UEFA Cup, first round) Home 0-0, Away 1-2 (1-2 aggregate).

1999-00: (Champions League, group match) Home 3-0, Away0-0 (four points).

2000-01: (Champions League, group match) Away 0-0, Home1-1 (two points).

Eager Essien

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, back to peak form after a lengthy lay-off due to injury, has told reporters that he is desperate to help Chelsea win the elusive Champions League this season.

The Blues have reached the semi-finals or final in five of the last seven seasons.

Next week, Chelsea host Marseille at Stamford Bridge, a reunion for their Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba who joined the Blues from the French club in the summer of 2004.

Chelsea’s first connection with a French club was with Marseille in 1999-00 when the two teams met in the second round of the group phase. The Londoners earned three points against them after a 1-0 win at home and a defeat by the same scoreline in the away leg.

In their three other home encounters with French clubs, Chelsea won once and drew the other two.

Tottenham will entertain Dutch club FC Twente at White Hart Lane.

Clubs from the Netherlands have provided opposition for Tottenham on seven different occasions, including a final, the longest sequence with teams from the same European country.

Yet, this will be Spurs’ first meeting with FC Twente.

Spurs’ home record against Dutch sides:

1961-62: (European Cup, first round) Feyenoord 1-1.

1973-74: (UEFA Cup, final) Feyenoord 2-2 (lost the title 2-4 on aggregate).

1981-82: (Cup Winners’ Cup, first round) Ajax Amsterdam 3-1.

1983-84: (UEFA Cup, second round) Feyenoord 4-2.

1991-92: (Cup Winners’ Cup, quarter-final) Feyenoord 0-1.

2007-08: (UEFA Cup, fourth round) PSV Eindhoven 0-1.

Their clash with NEC Nijmegen in the group phase of the UEFA Cup was a one-match tie that was played away. Tottenham won 1-0.

Also next week, Rangers play Bursaspor, of Turkey, at Ibrox Park.

The Turkish club’s first match against Scottish opponents was against Dundee United in ­1974-75 (second round of the Cup Winners’ Cup). Bursaspor held the upperhand after a 1-0 aggregate win.