Real Madrid's European road starts from Rome
Mitch Phillips
Holders Real Madrid, strengthened by the arrival of Ronaldo and 9-2 favourites to lift the trophy for the 10th time, begin their campaign in familiar style with a visit to Italy's AS Roma on Tuesday.
The match, a repeat of the opener last season which Real won 2-1 to set up an easy route to the second phase, is the pick of Tuesday's eight matches, with a further eight being played on Wednesday.
With Belgian champions Genk, in the competition for the first time, and AEK Athens completing the group C lineup, Real and Roma will expect to ease through again and will both probably be happy with a draw.
"They are always very tough and competitive games for both teams," said Real coach Vicente Del Bosque, who played down the importance of Ronaldo to his side's development.
"People talk to me about the signing of Ronaldo, of course, but we have also brought in five or six youngsters from our own system. He has to join the squad and then we shall see."
Real's preparation for their assault on a record 10th European Cup success did not go smoothly at the weekend as their league game against Real Betis was abandoned just before halftime after a floodlight failure. Betis were leading 1-0.
Roma kicked off the delayed Italian season with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna after giving away a last-minute goal.
Spanish champions Valencia are also in action on Tuesday, at home to Liverpool in group B, which also contains Basel and Spartak Moscow.
Valencia coach Rafael Benitez has told his players to ignore the proud history of the English club -- four times winners of the trophy -- and remember their own pedigree which has been superior in recent years.
Valencia, runners up in 2000 and 2001, have started the defence of their Spanish league title well with two wins. They have not been beaten at home by an English side for 36 years and have never lost a Champions League game at the Mestalla.
DISAPPOINTING ARSENAL
Arsenal were one of their victims, losing in the 2001 quarter-finals on the away goals rule.
The English double winners are desperate to make an impact this year after several disappointing campaigns, kicking off this time with a home game against Germany's Borussia Dortmund.
Arsenal are already back on top of the premier league after an impressive start and manager Arsene Wenger is confident his defence will cope with Dortmund's towering Czech striker Jan Koller in Tuesday's clash.
"We are well equipped in England, maybe the best in Europe, to cope with that kind of problem," said the Frenchman.
Wenger also predicted an improvement on their previous best Champions League showing -- that quarter-final place.
"We are ready, physically and mentally. We are highly focused and concentrated and confident," he said."
PSV Eindhoven and AJ Auxerre, who meet in France, complete the group A lineup.
Inter Milan return to the group stages for the first time in four years and start with a trip to Rosenborg Trondheim.
Rosenborg, in the competition for the eighth successive season, can already point to the scalp of AC Milan among their many big name Champions League victims, and Inter, who beat Torino 1-0 at the weekend, will give them plenty of respect.
Ajax Amsterdam host Olympique Marseille in the other group D game on Tuesday.
