Champions League minnows bigger than you think.
Just two games into this season's Champions League group stage, and it is becoming apparent that the dynamics of European club football is reflecting more that of international football. It has been a common soundbite in recent years that there are no easy international matches anymore, and likewise judging by some of the results, the same could now be said for the highest level of club football.
If you only take a fleeting look at the scorelines of this weeks round of Champions League matches, you could be forgiven for thinking that there were some mistakes in the reporting. The stand-out results involved both of Milan's clubs. Firstly Jose Mourinho's Inter only managed a 1-1 draw in Russia against Rubin Kazan, and then on Wednesday AC Milan fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Swiss champions FC Zürich.
Whilst it is true that Rubin Kazan are the current holders of the Russian Premier League, this season is their debut in the Champions League. Their own domestic campaign is also yet to get underway. Yet despite any supposed lack of match fitness, the hosts were ambitious and determined against Mourinho's team, taking the lead after only 11 minutes through the Argentine Alejandro Domínguez.
Inter then rode their luck and narrowly avoided going further behind, before the Serie A champions realised that the 'Special One' might be a little bit livid and hit back. After Samuel Eto'o was spectacularly denied, Inter eventually equalised through Stanković and his header at the far post from Maicon's deep cross.
The second half saw Inter go down to ten men when Balotelli rather harshly received a second yellow card in the sixtieth minute. From then on in the visitors were on a damage limitation exercise that almost came unstuck when Semak hit the post with 10 minutes remaining.
At the San Siro on Wednesday, things ended up far worse for Leonardo and AC Milan. After just 10 minutes the hosts were behind, courtesy of Hannu Tihinen who deftly back-heeled Milan Gajić's corner into the goal.
This spurred AC into a period that saw them close to an equaliser on several occasions, with Clarence Seedorf heavily involved. Try as they might though, no breakthrough could be found, and FC Zürich continued to threaten on the counter.
The second half introduced Ronaldhinho, fresh from denying claims of an impending retirement, and AC began to turn the screw. The veteran Filippo Inzaghi was especially unlucky as he was denied by two excellent saves from Zürich's goalkeeper Leoni.
As the match wore on, the home side launched more and more attacks for a desperate equaliser but to no avail. They instead very nearly ended up 2-0 down when Margairaz failed to convert a one to one against AC's goalkeeper Storari. In the frantic last moments Gianluca Zambrotta hit the post, but rather than wilting FC Zürich hung on for a famous victory.
Elsewhere, the 2nd round of Champions League group games produced more evidence of a leveling of the playing field. Germany's VfB Stuttgart travelled to Romania to face the domestic champions Unirea Urziceni, and had the perfect start. After a mere five minutes Serdar Tasci took advantage of an opportunity, racing past the defender to place the ball past the goalkeeper.
The home team reacted positively though and displayed enough craft to suggest something better to come. In the opening period of the second half they achieved parity, the ball ping-ponged around the six yard box and found Varga on the right. He took it inside and curled a sweet shot inside the post with his left foot.
The first goal in Champions League football for Unirea Urziceni resulted in joyous celebration from their manager, a certain Dan Petrescu. The former Chelsea stalwart is a hero in the area after leading them to their first ever domestic league title last season. After securing their first ever Champions League point he will be all the more revered.
Other results that may have been expected to be more one-sided, included Chelsea's visit to Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus. Although Ancelotti's new charges came away with a 1-0 away win, the result could have gone pear-shaped for them.
They led through Nicolas Anelka's quality first touch strike in the 18th minute, but as the contest progressed the Cypriat team almost crafted an equaliser. Savvas Poursaetides came the closest when Cech saved his deflected goal-bound effort with his legs.
Overall the general consensus on the result was that Chelsea had become too complacent and that they nearly came unstuck. Either way, the result is the most important thing after all, and Carlo Ancelotti is still on course for his primary objective.
Finally, there was a similar struggle at home for Laurent Blanc and his Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux, who came through 1-0 against Maccabi Haifa FC from Isreal. Victory was only secured with 7 minutes left on the clock, Michaël Ciani the hero with a header.
The match had been a finely poised affair and there were plenty of goal attempts for two sides that like to play attractive attacking football. Even David Bellion was getting in on the act, although the former Manchester United striker should have at least hit the target with one of two great openings.
The rest of the fixtures from around the Champions League yielded more predictable outcomes (see below). The attacking powers that be with Real Madrid and Barcelona confirmed comfortable victories, whereas Arsenal and Manchester Utd came through tests of patience to also win.
Group A had Bayern Munich and Juventus play out an entertaining 0-0 in Munich, whilst Liverpool came back from Florence with Rafa's ranting in their ears, following a tame 2-0 loss to Fiorentina.
So far so good then for Michel Platini. As it was his vision to slightly alter the automatic qualifying for the Champions League based upon coefficients. This effort does appear to have made the competition more representative of the continent as a whole, rather than it being dominated by the financially lucrative leagues of Western Europe.
Of course it will still be a surprise if the latter stages of the competition were not to be predominantly tied to clubs from the Premiership and La Liga. Judging by some of the results so far however, we may be on the cusp of a new wave, where more scorelines upset the established order..
If you only take a fleeting look at the scorelines of this weeks round of Champions League matches, you could be forgiven for thinking that there were some mistakes in the reporting. The stand-out results involved both of Milan's clubs. Firstly Jose Mourinho's Inter only managed a 1-1 draw in Russia against Rubin Kazan, and then on Wednesday AC Milan fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Swiss champions FC Zürich.
Whilst it is true that Rubin Kazan are the current holders of the Russian Premier League, this season is their debut in the Champions League. Their own domestic campaign is also yet to get underway. Yet despite any supposed lack of match fitness, the hosts were ambitious and determined against Mourinho's team, taking the lead after only 11 minutes through the Argentine Alejandro Domínguez.
Inter then rode their luck and narrowly avoided going further behind, before the Serie A champions realised that the 'Special One' might be a little bit livid and hit back. After Samuel Eto'o was spectacularly denied, Inter eventually equalised through Stanković and his header at the far post from Maicon's deep cross.
The second half saw Inter go down to ten men when Balotelli rather harshly received a second yellow card in the sixtieth minute. From then on in the visitors were on a damage limitation exercise that almost came unstuck when Semak hit the post with 10 minutes remaining.
At the San Siro on Wednesday, things ended up far worse for Leonardo and AC Milan. After just 10 minutes the hosts were behind, courtesy of Hannu Tihinen who deftly back-heeled Milan Gajić's corner into the goal.
This spurred AC into a period that saw them close to an equaliser on several occasions, with Clarence Seedorf heavily involved. Try as they might though, no breakthrough could be found, and FC Zürich continued to threaten on the counter.
The second half introduced Ronaldhinho, fresh from denying claims of an impending retirement, and AC began to turn the screw. The veteran Filippo Inzaghi was especially unlucky as he was denied by two excellent saves from Zürich's goalkeeper Leoni.
As the match wore on, the home side launched more and more attacks for a desperate equaliser but to no avail. They instead very nearly ended up 2-0 down when Margairaz failed to convert a one to one against AC's goalkeeper Storari. In the frantic last moments Gianluca Zambrotta hit the post, but rather than wilting FC Zürich hung on for a famous victory.
Elsewhere, the 2nd round of Champions League group games produced more evidence of a leveling of the playing field. Germany's VfB Stuttgart travelled to Romania to face the domestic champions Unirea Urziceni, and had the perfect start. After a mere five minutes Serdar Tasci took advantage of an opportunity, racing past the defender to place the ball past the goalkeeper.
The home team reacted positively though and displayed enough craft to suggest something better to come. In the opening period of the second half they achieved parity, the ball ping-ponged around the six yard box and found Varga on the right. He took it inside and curled a sweet shot inside the post with his left foot.
The first goal in Champions League football for Unirea Urziceni resulted in joyous celebration from their manager, a certain Dan Petrescu. The former Chelsea stalwart is a hero in the area after leading them to their first ever domestic league title last season. After securing their first ever Champions League point he will be all the more revered.
Other results that may have been expected to be more one-sided, included Chelsea's visit to Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus. Although Ancelotti's new charges came away with a 1-0 away win, the result could have gone pear-shaped for them.
They led through Nicolas Anelka's quality first touch strike in the 18th minute, but as the contest progressed the Cypriat team almost crafted an equaliser. Savvas Poursaetides came the closest when Cech saved his deflected goal-bound effort with his legs.
Overall the general consensus on the result was that Chelsea had become too complacent and that they nearly came unstuck. Either way, the result is the most important thing after all, and Carlo Ancelotti is still on course for his primary objective.
Finally, there was a similar struggle at home for Laurent Blanc and his Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux, who came through 1-0 against Maccabi Haifa FC from Isreal. Victory was only secured with 7 minutes left on the clock, Michaël Ciani the hero with a header.
The match had been a finely poised affair and there were plenty of goal attempts for two sides that like to play attractive attacking football. Even David Bellion was getting in on the act, although the former Manchester United striker should have at least hit the target with one of two great openings.
The rest of the fixtures from around the Champions League yielded more predictable outcomes (see below). The attacking powers that be with Real Madrid and Barcelona confirmed comfortable victories, whereas Arsenal and Manchester Utd came through tests of patience to also win.
Group A had Bayern Munich and Juventus play out an entertaining 0-0 in Munich, whilst Liverpool came back from Florence with Rafa's ranting in their ears, following a tame 2-0 loss to Fiorentina.
So far so good then for Michel Platini. As it was his vision to slightly alter the automatic qualifying for the Champions League based upon coefficients. This effort does appear to have made the competition more representative of the continent as a whole, rather than it being dominated by the financially lucrative leagues of Western Europe.
Of course it will still be a surprise if the latter stages of the competition were not to be predominantly tied to clubs from the Premiership and La Liga. Judging by some of the results so far however, we may be on the cusp of a new wave, where more scorelines upset the established order..
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