Real favorite

Defending champ Madrid opens against AS Roma

Real Madrid enjoyed an audience with Pope John Paul II Monday. AP

LONDON (AP) -- Real Madrid has assembled what many believe is the best club side in history. Now it's time to prove it.

With an awe-inspiring lineup that includes Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos, the Spanish side is an overwhelming favorite to win its fourth European Champions Cup title in six seasons and a record 10th overall.

Real Madrid opens its Champions League campaign Tuesday at AS Roma -- the most eye-catching of the 16 group games across Europe on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Manager Vicente del Bosque's biggest problem may be getting all his superstars to gel into a cohesive unit.

"It is all very well having three great flair players [Figo, Zidane and Ronaldo], but you need somebody to do the leg work," said Peter Schmeichel, the Danish international goalkeeper on Manchester United's 1999 Champions Cup winning team.

Real, which had an audience with Pope John Paul II on Monday, will be without new US$44 million signing Ronaldo in its Group C match. The Brazilian striker stayed in Madrid to work on his fitness, with Fernando Morientes and Jose Maria Gutierrez expected to fill in.

Roma coach Fabio Capello, who led Real Madrid to the Spanish league title in 1996-97, picks his former team as the clear favorites.

"I'm not surprised that Capello said that we're the favorites," Del Bosque said. "I think that Europe admires Madrid. Our progress has been impeccable over recent seasons."

Coming off a 2-1 season-opening loss over the weekend against Bologna, Roma needs to recover quickly and will play without suspended striker Gabriel Batistuta, captain Francesco Totti and midfielder Francisco Lima. They are banned for fighting on the pitch after a game against Turkish side Galatasaray in March.

"We're playing the best side in the world but I think we're capable of winning," said Roma fullback Christian Panucci, who played for Real's Champions Cup winner in '98.

Tuesday's seven other matches -- Group A: Arsenal vs. Borussia Dortmund, Auxerre vs. PSV Eindhoven; Group B: Basel vs. Spartak Moscow, Valencia vs. Liverpool; Group C: RC Genk vs. AEK Athens; Group D: Ajax vs. Olympique Lyon, Rosenborg vs. Internazionale Milan.

Wednesday's eight games -- Group E: Dynamo Kiev vs. Newcastle, Feyenoord vs. Juventus; Group F: Manchester United vs. Maccabi Haifa, Olympiakos vs. Leverkusen; Group G: Bayern Munich vs. Deportivo La Coruna, AC Milan vs. Lens; Group H: Barcelona vs. Club Brugge, Lokomotiv Moscow vs. Galatasaray.

Real Madrid's biggest challenge this season may come from Arsenal, the English Premier League and FA Cup champion seeking its first Champions Cup trophy.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger's side boasts fellow Frenchmen Thierry Henry, Sylvain Wiltord and Patrick Vieira. Brazilian World Cup star Gilberto Silva links up with Vieira in midfield.

Still injured and yet to play this season are French winger Robert Pires and Sweden's Freddie Ljungberg.

"We will give everything to win it, but it's the best teams in Europe," said Wenger, whose team opens against German champion Borussia Dortmund. "But I am positive and I think we will do it."

Wenger should be confident. His team, coming off an impressive 3-0 win at Charlton on Saturday, is unbeaten in 27 straight English league games and sits atop the standings.

Unlike past Arsenal teams, this one expects success in Europe.

"Do you think I go into any competition thinking I cannot win it? No chance," Wenger said. "We know it's difficult but we have the belief and the quality. The rest is down to performances."

Facing Borussia Dortmund in its opening game at Highbury is a tough test. Dortmund has had a mixed start in the Bundesliga season, winning one and tying its other four games.

"There is no ground for any self doubt," said coach Matthias Sammer, who will be without injured midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

"It is not a setback, we have enough good players," Sammer said.

Also on Tuesday, Inter Milan goes to Norway's Rosenborg, the only club to make it to the Champions League nine seasons in a row.

"It will be tough like it always is when you play a northern team, " said Inter's French midfielder Stephane Dalmat.

Spanish champion Valencia, the losing Champions Cup finalist twice in the last three seasons, has a difficult opener Tuesday against four-time winner Liverpool. Striker Pablo Aimar is doubtful with a thigh strain.

"Liverpool is a very compact side and we're going to have to play our socks off," said Valencia's striker John Carew. "[Michael] Owen is one of the best in the world and we have to watch him very carefully."

Another four-time winner, Ajax Amsterdam, plays hosts to French champion Olympique Lyon on Tuesday.

Notes: Belgian champion Genk has scored nine times in the last two matches with Momouni Dagano and Wesley Sonck scoring three each. The Belgians face AEK Athens.

"On paper, it [Athens] is the easiest opponent," Sonck said. "But that is easy to say considering the other two are Real Madrid and AS Roma [in Group C]."

AEK Athens should be on a high for its match with Genk after beating Panathinaikos 1-0 over the weekend.

Vladimir Smicer is the only first-team Liverpool player who did not travel to Valencia. Central defender Stephane Henchoz made the trip but is doubtful.

"I can't say whether he will be fit to play, we need to see him in training first," said manager Gerard Houllier. "But it is worth taking him and I will give him every chance."

Basel is coming off a 4-0 victory over Aarau. All 29,500 tickets for each of Basel's three Champions League home games were sold out in 90 minutes. The club is looking into setting up big screens to show the match lives to fans who failed to get tickets.

 

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