Porto threw Champions League Group G wide open with a deserved away win over CSKA Moscow in the Lokomotiv Stadium last night, but their stay at the top was short-lived.

Porto threw Champions League Group G wide open with a deserved away win over CSKA Moscow in the Lokomotiv Stadium tonight, but their stay at the top was short-lived.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan made two changes from Sunday’s 2-1 Bank of Scotland Premier League win at Kilmarnock for their Champions League Group F match against Benfica in the Estadio da Luz.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan handed Evander Sno his Champions League debut in the Hoops’ home Group F match against Benfica.

Barcelona 2 Benfica 0 (Agg: 2-0)

Benfica 0 Barcelona 0

Xabi Alonso believes it is vital for Liverpool to win the FA Cup this season after exiting the Champions League.

Liverpool 0 Benfica 2 (Agg 0-3)

Liverpool 0 Benfica 2 (Benfica win 3-0 on aggregate)

ALEX FERGUSON is trusting his players to deliver when their pride and up to £15 million (€22 million) in Champions League prize money go on the line in Lisbon tonight.

Benfica have their injury problems ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League make-or-break Champions League Group E match against Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho laughed at the suggestion that Alex Ferguson is under any pressure, but it needed a defeat of Benfica to let some steam escape from the Old Trafford cooking pot.

Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was sent off as Juventus opened their Champions League campaign with a victory.

Udinese had a night to remember on Wednesday as a Vincenzo Iaquinta hat-trick gave them a 3-0 win over Panathinaikos in their first ever Champions League tie.

STUART PEARCE is ready to wrap Andy Cole in cotton wool to ensure he is fresh enough to spearhead Manchester City's bid for Europe.

JUVENTUS claim either Aston Villa or Benfica will buy Italian forward Fabrizio Miccoli in the next 48 hours.

FORMER Liverpool coach Gerard Houllier has been named the new coach of reigning French champions Lyon. Houllier, ousted from the Liverpool hot seat last summer, will replace Paul Le Guen, who announced he was leaving the club after three seasons in charge during which time he won three league titles.

Disgraced former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu made his comeback from a seventh-month drugs ban in Serie A champions Juventus’ 4-2 victory over Cagliari.

REAL MADRID moved up to second place in La Liga after goals from Luis Figo and Michael Owen helped them to a 2-0 win at Malaga.

REAL Madrid took full advantage of a slip-up by title rivals Valencia when they stretched their lead at the top of the Primera Liga to eight points following a 4-2 victory over struggling Celta Vigo last night.

REAL Madrid beat Deportivo Coruna 2-1 at the Bernabeu last night to extend their perfect home league record and stay two points clear at the top of the Primera Liga.

BAYERN Munich progressed to the knock-out stages of the Champions League defeating Anderlecht 1-0 in a tense Group A encounter at the Olympic Stadium.

RYAN GIGGS knows he is facing probably his best and last chance of reaching a major international tournament with Wales.

EUROPEAN champions AC Milan and title-holders Juventus again start as favourites when the Italian Serie A season gets underway tomorrow.

SERIE A side Perugia paraded the most unorthodox signing of Italy’s closed season yesterday when they presented al-Saadi Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, to the press.

Juventus won the 27th Serie A championship of their history today although a 2-2 draw with Perugia was not the perfect way to celebrate.

REAL SOCIEDAD saw their Spanish first division lead dwindle to just two points after a goalless draw with relegation-threatened Espanyol yesterday afternoon.

REAL MADRID remain in second spot in La Liga following last night’s 2-2 draw at home to city rivals Atletico.