Real’s Mourinho seeks Euro fillip

The Champions League returns to the spotlight today as Real Madrid, one of the most decorated clubs in the competition, take on Manchester City, the English champions whose vast spending power has fast-tracked them to European heavyweight status.

The Group D match between the champions of the two strongest leagues in the continent needed no extra billing but Real manager Jose Mourinho has already raised the stakes by saying “money cannot buy trophies or history”.

While Real have won the title nine times to City’s none, Roberto Mancini’s City will not travel to the Bernabeu with any inferiority complex even though their first foray into continent’s blue riband event did not go to plan last season when they failed to survive the group phase.

Not least because of Real’s terrible start to the new domestic season which has seen them lose two of their opening four games and languishing down in 13th position.

Holders Chelsea begin the defence of their title at home to Juventus in Group E tomorrow while Barcelona begin Champions League life post-Pep Guardiola against Spartak Moscow.

Manchester United take on Turkish club Galatasaray tomorrow in Group H hoping to avoid the problems of last season when they surprisingly failed to reach the first knockout round.

The usual round of summer transfer activity has re-arranged the furniture at some of Europe’s leading clubs but many of the usual suspects will be out in force as the 32 teams qualified for the competition kick off this week.

Real Madrid are already eight points behind Barca in La Liga after defeat by Sevilla on Saturday, a loss which has set the alarm bells ringing in the Spanish capital.

“My players’ heads are not focused, for many of them football is not a priority,” Mourinho said.

“But I am the coach and if there are heads that are not focused, it is my fault.”

He will hope that the visit of City will get their minds back on the job, particularly that of Cristiano Ronaldo who regularly tormented City while playing for Man. United.

Real have never lost their opening home game in European Cup or Champions League, racking up 40 wins and two draws, and with the group also containing Borussia Dortmund and Ajax they will want to put down an early marker.

After two consecutive Champions League semi-final defeats with Real Madrid, Mourinho played down any pressure he was feeling to return the famous piece of silverware to the club’s bulging trophy cabinet for a 10th time.

“This (City) is a team being created to lift the Champions League, that’s their aim,” Mourinho told The Sun in the build-up to the clash.

“A lot of top managers and clubs have never won a Champions League. So if I have won it twice and Real have won it a record nine times... well we should say ‘Thanks to God’.

“And if a third comes for me and a 10th title comes for Real Madrid this season – amazing.

“We will accept it all with a smile. But there is no pressure on us. There is no obsession to win it here.”

Chelsea came from a mid-season fog to snatch the Champions League in dramatic fashion against Bayern Munich last season but have since parted ways with talismanic striker Didier Drogba.

They have started the season strongly, however, and are top of the Premier League standings after four games.

Unhappy travels

Juventus have also started the Serie A season well although they will be hoping to improve on a dismal record away to English clubs in Europe. They have not won any of their last 11 visits to Premier League clubs, losing eight and drawing three.

The other opening round match in Group E features Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk up against Denmark’s FC Nordsjaelland, one of two teams making their debuts in the Champions League.

The other one is French champions Montpellier who host Arsenal in their opening Group B match.

The harsh economics of football will come into sharp focus for Montpellier as they come face to face with former striker Olivier Giroud – tempted away from France by the riches of the Premier League during the summer.

It could be a tough baptism for Montpellier who have started the French season with something of a hangover, while Arsenal have hit form, thrashing Southampton 6-1 on Saturday.

French hopes of success in the tournament this season may rest with big-spending Paris SG who begin their first Champions League adventure since 2004-05 with a home game against Dynamo Kiev.

Group A

FC Porto
Dynamo Kiev
Paris St Germain
Dinamo Zagreb

Today: D. Zagreb vs Porto
Today: Paris SG vs D. Kiev
03/10/12: D. Kiev vs D. Zagreb
03/10/12: Porto vs PSG
24/10/12: Porto vs D. Kiev
24/10/12: D. Zagreb vs Paris SG
06/11/12: D. Kiev vs Porto
06/11/12: Paris SG vs D. Zagreb
21/11/12: Porto vs D. Zagreb
21/11/12: D. Kiev vs Paris SG
04/12/12: D. Zagreb vs D. Kiev
04/12/12: Paris SG vs Porto

Group B

Arsenal
Schalke 04
Olympiakos
Montpellier

Today: Montpellier vs Arsenal
Today: Olympiakos vs Schalke
03/10/12: Schalke vs Montpellier
03/10/12: Arsenal vs Olympiakos
24/10/12: Arsenal vs Schalke
24/10/12: Montpellier vs Olympiakos
06/11/12: Schalke vs Arsenal
06/11/12: Olympiakos vs Montpellier
21/11/12: Arsenal vs Montpellier
21/11/12: Schalke vs Olympiakos
04/12/12: Montpellier vs Schalke
04/12/12: Olympiakos vs Arsenal

Group C

Milan
Zenit St Petersburg
Anderlecht
Malaga

Today: Milan vs Anderlecht
Today: Malaga vs Zenit SP
03/10/12: Anderlecht vs Malaga
03/10/12: Zenit SP vs Milan
24/10/12: Zenit SP vs Anderlecht
24/10/12: Malaga vs Milan
06/11/12: Anderlecht vs Zenit SP
06/11/12: Milan vs Malaga
21/11/12: Zenit SP vs Malaga
21/11/12: Anderlecht vs Milan
04/12/12: Malaga vs Anderlecht
04/12/12: Milan vs Zenit SP

Group D

Real Madrid
Manchester City
Ajax Amsterdam
Borussia Dortmund

Today: B. Dortmund vs Ajax
Today: R. Madrid vs Man. City
03/10/12: Man. City vs B. Dortmund
03/10/12: Ajax vs R. Madrid
24/10/12: Ajax vs Man. City
24/10/12: B. Dortmund vs R. Madrid
06/11/12: Man. City vs Ajax
06/11/12: R. Madrid vs B. Dortmund
21/11/12: Ajax vs B. Dortmund
21/11/12: Man. City vs R. Madrid
04/12/12: B. Dortmund vs Man. City
04/12/12: R. Madrid vs Ajax

Group E

Chelsea
Shakhtar Donetsk
Juventus
Nordsjaelland

19/09/12: S. Donetsk vs Nordsjaelland
19/09/12: Chelsea vs Juventus
02/10/12: Juventus vs S. Donetsk
02/10/12: Nordsjaelland vs Chelsea
23/10/12: Nordsjaelland vs Juventus
23/10/12: S. Donetsk vs Chelsea
07/11/12: Juventus vs Nordsjaelland
07/11/12: Chelsea vs S. Donetsk
20/11/12: Nordsjaelland vs S. Donetsk
20/11/12: Juventus vs Chelsea
05/12/12: S. Donetsk vs Juventus
05/12/12: Chelsea vs Nordsjaelland

Group F

Bayern Munich
Valencia
Lille
Bate Borisov

19/09/12: Lille vs Bate Borisov
19/09/12: B. Munich vs Valencia
02/10/12: Valencia vs Lille
02/10/12: Bate Borisov vs B. Munich
23/10/12: Bate Borisov vs Valencia
23/10/12: Lille vs B. Munich
07/11/12: Valencia vs Bate Borisov
07/11/12: B. Munich vs Lille
20/11/12: Bate Borisov vs Lille
20/11/12: Valencia vs B. Munich
05/12/12: Lille vs Valencia
05/12/12: B. Munich vs Bate Borisov

Group G

Barcelona
Benfica
Spartak Moscow
Celtic

19/09/12: Barcelona vs S. Moscow
19/09/12: Celtic vs Benfica
02/10/12: Benfica vs Barcelona
02/10/12: S. Moscow vs Celtic
23/10/12: S. Moscow vs Benfica
23/10/12: Barcelona vs Celtic
07/11/12: Benfica vs S. Moscow
07/11/12: Celtic vs Barcelona
20/11/12: S. Moscow vs Barcelona
20/11/12: Benfica vs Celtic
05/12/12: Barcelona vs Benfica
05/12/12: Celtic vs S. Moscow

Group H

Manchester United
Braga
Galatasaray
CFR Cluj

19/09/12: Man. United vs Galatasaray
19/09/12: Braga vs CFR Cluj
02/10/12: CFR Cluj vs Man. United
02/10/12: Galatasaray vs Braga
23/10/12: Galatasaray vs CFR Cluj
23/10/12: Man. United vs Braga
07/11/12: CFR Cluj vs Galatasaray
07/11/12: Braga vs Man. United
20/11/12: Galatasaray vs Man. United
20/11/12: CFR Cluj vs Braga
05/12/12: Man. United vs CFR Cluj
05/12/12: Braga vs Galatasaray