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Defending champion Manchester United looks to recover at battling Aalborg

LONDON: After breezing through last season’s group stage without breaking a sweat, Champions League defending champion Manchester United’s dream of a fourth European Cup will be imperilled if it stumbles at Aalborg on Tuesday.

The title defence began with Villarreal frustrating the Red Devils with a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in a repeat of the Spaniards’ results against the English team in the 2005 competition.

And Tuesday’s group match in Denmark — one of 16 this week — will also revive memories of the defeat at FC Copenhagen at this stage two years ago.

United’s struggle hasn’t been confined to Europe, taking just eight points from the first five matches in its Premier League defence.

“Having dropped two points in our first game it is important we get it right against Aalborg,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.

Group E is a stalemate after Celtic, which is at Villarreal, also held Aalborg 0-0 two weeks ago.

Nine-time European champion Real Madrid travels to UEFA Cup holder Zenit St. Petersburg sitting second in the Spanish league after its fourth straight victory.

Sneijder out

Madrid beat newcomer BATE Borisov of Belarus 2-0 in unconvincing fashion in the Group H opener, and will be without influential midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Jose Maria “Guti” Gutierrez in Russia.

Zenit’s entrance on the Champions League stage ended in a 1-0 defeat at Juventus, and coach Dick Advocaat needs a positive response to Madrid now the Russians’ domestic title defence is over.

Coming off two draws in Serie A, Juventus visits BATE without goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (thigh), and surgery on both knees will keep striker David Trezeguet out until next year. Especially with BATE still getting to grips with the elite opponents.

“As in Madrid, we do not know what to expect from our opponents — we had never before played against such teams,” coach Viktor Goncharenko said. “But we are capable of challenging any team.”

Champions clash

The champions of Germany and France meet in Group F, with Bayern Munich eager to make up for its second straight Bundesliga loss against Lyon.

Juergen Klinsmann’s team began by beating Steaua Bucharest and is alert to the danger posed by Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who should play despite a slight ankle knock Saturday.

Steaua’s focus will be on stymieing striker Alberto Gilardino when the Romanian club visits Fiorentina. The Italy international scored two of his six goals this campaign in the 2-2 draw with Lyon in the first round of matches.

Arsene Wenger will shake up his Arsenal lineup against FC Porto after his side surrendered the Premier League top spot after an unexpected loss to newcomer Hull on Saturday.

Arsenal captain William Gallas salvaged a 1-1 draw when Group G began at Dinamo Kiev.

Fenerbahce plays Kiev coming off three losses in five games domestically — the Turks’ worst start in 20 years.

Having stunned AS Roma 2-1, Chelsea fears CFR Cluj repeating its eye-catching Champions League debut when May’s beaten finalist travels to Romania. After Barcelona’s worst start to a season for 35 years, new coach Pep Guardiola has reversed the team’s slump by finding the offensive rhythm that was initially lacking. Barcelona kickstarted the revival with a 3-1 win over Sporting Lisbon.

Five-time champion Liverpool can effectively end PSV Eindhoven’s campaign and smooth its progression with a victory at Anfield.

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho lost his first derby against city rival AC Milan on Sunday as he prepares to meet Werder Bremen. — AP

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