Leverkusen hog the headlines

RC Deportivo La Coruña 0-0 Olympiacos CFP

Olympiacos have once again secured a draw at the Riazor [as in 2001/02], this time against a disappointing Depor side. Much has to change in this team who, with their passivity and lack of ideas, were incapable of entertaining the crowd and only offered a sensation of worrying slovenliness. The amber light has lit up for the La Coruna-based outfit after yet another game without football.
(La Voz de Galicia, Spain)

Olympiacos tamed the Spanish bull. For the first time in their UEFA Champions League history, Olympiacos kept a clean sheet in an away match and put a stop to the negative series of eight consecutive defeats on their travels. And all because the Piraeus team at last managed to defend almost faultlessly, with Gabriel Schürrer providing the 'missing link'.
(Sportime, Greece)

Liverpool FC 2-0 AS Monaco FC

It is almost two years since Liverpool last contested the Champions League, though any fears that they had fallen behind Europe's élite in the interim have been smartly allayed. Monaco, the team who embarrassed Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to last season's final, were dismantled last night and, though the scoreline suggests a squeeze, the reality was emphatic
(Guardian, England)

Memories of the wonderful Monaco campaign last season definitely vanished at Anfield. Didier Deschamps is right to rule out every comparison. The times when Monaco began their Champions League campaign with a compelling success in Eindhoven are long gone.
(L'Equipe, France)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3-0 Real Madrid CF

(Bild, Germany)

Madrid collapsed against an unassuming Bayer Leverkusen in their first outing in the Champions League. They were humiliated in such a fashion that there are no excuses to be found, wherever they try to look. The horizon has turned black for Real Madrid.
(El País, Spain)

AS Roma 0-1 FC Dynamo Kyiv (match abandoned)

(Corriere dello Sport, Italy)

Anders Frisk handed Mexes a red card, but very soon had to pay for this decision. While heading down the tunnel Frisk had his forehead cut badly by a missile and was bleeding. The teams and match officials disappeared, leaving Ukrainian supporters hoping that the game would not be abandoned for it would be a pity to let Roma escape in these circumstances.
(sport.com.ua, Ukraine) 

AFC Ajax 0-1 Juventus FC

The Champions League, in which the youngsters of Ajax want glory, started with a hard slap in the face. Only in a phase right after half-time were Ajax able to threaten the Italians, with daring and sometimes excellent team football. But, as if to rub in the difference between Ajax and Juventus, it was the European Footballer of the Year [Pavel Nedved] who forced the result with a fabulous goal.
(De Volkskrant, Netherlands)

(Gazzetto dello Sport, Italy)

Maccabi Tev-Aviv FC 0-1 FC Bayern München

Tel-Aviv were the first Israeli team to host a Champions League game, as Maccabi Haifa [FC], who played in the competition two years ago, were forced to play their games in Cyprus as a result of a UEFA ban on games being held in Israel. The National Stadium in Ramat Gan where Tel-Aviv were hosting Bayern underwent a transformation on Tuesday, with the Champions League flag flying in every corner making it look more like a European arena than a stadium accustomed to half-empty stands.
(Haaretz, Israel)

Maccabi Tel-Aviv had little or no problem controlling Bayern for an hour yesterday evening, but than a Roy Makaay penalty swung the game in Bayern's favour. The visitors showed that they have a lot of work to do in the flattering 1-0 win. The only good thing about Bayern's first European match of the season was the result. But if Felix Magath's side produce a repeat performance against Ajax or Juventus they will not have a chance.
(Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany)

Fenebahçe SK 1-0 AC Sparta Praha

Fenerbahçe's Dutch star [Pierre van Hooijdonk] helped them grab three points in their UEFA Champions League opener. The game was played in a magnificent atmosphere at the sold-out Sükrü Saraçoglu stadium and although defender Servet Çetin was sent off in the 73rd minute, the Istanbul giants managed to maintain their 1-0 advantage.
(Sabah, Turkey)

Czech football has a new nightmare in Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk. The close-to-two-metre giant gatecrashed the national team's opening World Cup qualifier one week ago and now humbled Sparta in the UEFA Champions League. Nevertheless Sparta, even without Karel Poborský, suffering with back pains, were not resigned to their fate, particularly with a one-man advantage in the last 20 minutes. However as they were completely toothless in front of goal, they left Istanbul empty-handed.
(Sport, Czech Republic)

Olympique Lyonnais 2-2 Manchester United FC

For the first time since first entering the Champions League, Lyon have drawn their opening fixture. As this was against European giants Manchester United, no team will give the French champions a tougher game and the result does not harm their qualification chances too much.
(L'Equipe, France)

Following an abject opening half, Manchester United trailed Lyon 2-0 with Tim Howard horribly at fault for the first goal. But as so often United revived and Ruud van Nistelrooij dragged them back into this Champions League opener with his first goals of the season.
(Independent, England)