it is opening night a huge night for both sets of fans match day one
in the uefa champions league who will get off to a flying start
it's barcelona they face atletico madrid and it's coming your way next on ea tv
hello and a warm welcome to the donbass arena this vast venue in donetsk i'm derek ray and i'm joined
here on the gantry for commentary by stuart robson and this is where it all starts in the
uefa champions league the group stage and match day one my goodness so much to look forward to
it's barcelona against atletico madrid well the first game of the group is so vital
you just can't get off to a losing start this could be a tight battle today derek
well this is what we think for barcelona mark andreiter stegen stands between the posts
johnny alba plays with sergio roberto in the fullback positions
usman dembele starts with memphis out wide and leading the attack today is edinson cavani
and here are the starters for atletico jano black gets the nord in goal
stefan savitz plays with jose maria jimenez in the center of defense defence
rodrigo javier de paul starts alongside koke
in central midfield and the strike partnership antoine griezmann plays with luis suarez
it's the opening match day champions league group stage match day one underway
moving the ball forward with purpose and the flag is up offside well that's just
the lack of awareness he was clearly in an offside position
well slightly off target and that'll be a throw in
rodrigo javier de paul
promising possession this now suarez how can they make one of these passes count
suarez oh tremendous goalkeeping but now we see that the offside flag has gone up
jordi alba
griezmann
well that's such a good save isn't it how did he keep that one out
another corner hot on the heels of the last one
and short it is
okay delivered into the box not really the ideal clearance the routine saying
lovely incisive pass
well no way through
suarez and space for them here on the black
oh a fine block danger reverted for now but they have a corners an event
corner kick from cocaine well far from the ideal header and the goalkeeper had it all the way
goodbye going about his defensive business with a minimum of fuss
well there it is atletico have dominated possession in the last 15 minutes
and created a hat full of chances but when you're enjoying that amount of possession
you need to make it count cuts it back wow fantastic reflex action from the goalkeeper
oh great vision it's looking promising
and kept out by jimenez wow is it going to be a productive moment for barcelona corner
trying to pick out a teammate and the fast getting in the way good control under pressure
well they won't come closer than that but they are creating chances and surely a goal is coming
oh that's a pass of high quality the crossbar got in the way well
he couldn't strike it much better than that could he that was a great effort
on the ball
brilliant
options in the middle frankie de young just not looking confident in possession
well the first 45 minutes have come and gone here in catalonia
and so the second half of this champions league group stage match day one contest commences
yannick carrasco at the ready well tremendous block free kick awarded then by the referee
can he make it one nil it could be up for grabs
and top notch as well as brave goalkeeping well he comes off his line at just the right time
he read that brilliantly and the counter looks on here options available
and that puts them in position flinging himself that's it the keeper
well that's just a wonderful save how did he stop that
and over comes the corner wonderful header
excellent goalkeeping barcelona in the quest to take the lead might be helped out by this quarter
can he deliver it with accuracy
oh a stellar piece of defending
now counter-attacking possibilities here
getting the better of his opponents oh good defending to stop a decent looking attack
moving the ball with purpose coutinho and a body in the way
what can they do from here
and dispossessed rochino tried to open things up
well they so nearly took the lead there they just have to keep creating these opportunities
and i'm sure the goal will come
and now trippier very quick thinking there it is on atletico substitution
there's an example of how you shouldn't do it samwell um tc
can they do something positive on the counter attack
and he's through here oh just narrowly off target well they broke with such pace
and intent fantastic move just couldn't quite cap it off there has been plenty
of limbering up from substitutes and now both sides will make personnel switches
and here they come now atletico looking for a late winner and the danger's still on
lamar another successful intervention winning the ball back and that's a straightforward stop
time he's running out to get this winner but the fans certainly believe it's coming just listen to
the noise what a fantastic finish we could have here when it comes down to the final five minutes
goodbye and in some cavani now it was a terrible looking challenge
and a big decision for the official here
substitution time as is
oh he's gone for goal well giving it a go and his quest to grab the first goal of the contest
well there's been some half chances and that was another one he just couldn't keep it on target
well there it is i'm not sure what all the fuss was about it wasn't even close in the end
here it is now a substitution
two minutes of stoppage time coming up
sergio roberto just not testing the keeper at all with that cross
and that is the whistle for the end of the 90 nothing at all to separate these two