Madrid: Current holders Real Madrid and English giants Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City all made winning starts to their 2017/18 UEFA Champions League campaigns on Wednesday.
In Madrid, Christiano Ronaldo made a thumping comeback after a suspension by hammering a brace as Real Madrid secured all three points in Group H with a 3-0 win over Apoel Nicosia while Tottenham's 3-1 win over Dortmund was one of the most eye-catching results of the match day 1. The outcome leaves the Blancos in first place in Group H - this year's "Group of Death" - by virtue of a better goal difference than second placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool welcomed Champions League for the first time since December 2014 but only to be frustrated to a 2-2 draw by Sevilla at Anfield. It was the latter who defeated the English giants to claim the Europa League trophy last year but eying for redemption was only till as long as Liverpool did not give in to sloppy defence.
Man City claimed first place in Group F after defeating Feyenoord 4-0 in Rotterdam. City led 3-0 before the half-hour mark, thanks to goals from John Stones, Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesus. But in another crucial match in the group, Napoli, who were expected to be City's main rival in the group, lost 2-1 away to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Elsewhere, European football debutants Leipzig were held to a 1-1 draw by Monaco while there were also wins for Besiktas and Shakhtar Donetsk while Maribor held Spartak Moscow in the night.