Verdict draw MARSEILLE v BESIKTAS Tuesday, Velodrome, 7.45 Verdict draw GROUP B CHELSEA v ROSENBORG Tuesday, Stamford Bridge, 7.45 Jose Mourinho spoke during the week of finally making the "last step" in the Champions League, but then he would given that, well, he likes to talk. He couldn't have been presented with an easier first step though, meeting the weakest team in the group at home. Rosenborg qualified after winning back their league from Valerenga, Slovakia's Marek Sapara and ex-Spurs striker Steffen Iversen making it 14 titles out of 15. They will hardly be enough to stop Chelsea cranking into gear.

Verdict home win SCHALKE v VALENCIA Tuesday, Arena Aufschalke, 7.45 Verdict draw GROUP C REAL MADRID vWERDER BREMEN Tuesday, Bernabeu, 7.45 Yet another new departure at the Bernabeu, but one that finally seems to have pattern and structure . . . for now at least. New boss Bernd Schuster has built his team around Dutch arrival Wesley Sneijder and they should have too much sparkle for Bremen, who have already been taken apart 4-0 by Bayern Munich.

Verdict home win OLYMPIAKOS v LAZIO Tuesday, Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, 7.45 Verdict draw GROUP D MILAN v BENFICA Tuesday, San Siro, 7.45 Verdict home win SHAKHTAR v CELTIC Tuesday, RSC Olympiyskiy Stadium, 7.45 Live, Sky Sports 2, 7.00 The first of three rematches in this group for Celtic, this tie holds the most traumatic memories after they were humbled 3-0 here back in October 2004. Gordon Strachan's youthful outfit has a more dynamic look than Martin O'Neill's ailing one did then, but their success in Europe has been built on home form . . .much like Shakthar. Another defeat probable, if not so pronounced.

Verdict home win GROUP E RANGERS v STUTTGART Wednesday, Ibrox, 7.45 Verdict home win BARCELONA v LYON Wednesday, Camp Nou, 7.45 Barcelona's newly-crowned fantasticos haven't started the season in the convincing fashion they would have liked but at least it's not in the disastrous fashion Lyon have. Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho may be the only two of the four to start but that should be enough to extend the French side's trauma.

Verdict home win GROUP F ROMA v DYNAMO KYIV Wednesday, Stadio Olimpico, 7.45 Verdict home win SPORTING LISBON v MANCHESTER UNITED Wednesday, Jose Alvalade, 7.45 Live, RTE Two, 7.00 United pay a visit to the side they have plundered so gleefully . . .Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Quieroz and Nani all returning home . . . but are unlikely to show much gratitude.

Sporting lost more big names than usual during the summer and with United seeing their own return, they should continue their resurgence here. Verdict away win GROUP G PSV v CSKA MOSCOW Wednesday, PSV Stadium, 7.45 Verdict home win FENERBAHCE v INTER Wednesday, Sukru Saracoglu, 7.45 Verdict draw GROUP H ARSENAL v SEVILLA Wednesday, Emirates, 7.45 Potentially the game of the tournament on the first day of the tournament, this sees a clash between two distinct but mercifully adventurous styles of attack. Sevilla have shown mental fortitude to get this far, providing Antonio Puerta with the perfect tribute by dismissing AEK Athens. After such trauma, the controversy surrounding want-away duo Juande Ramos and Daniel Alves seemed mere asides. Both are here to stay for the short term but that shouldn't prevent Arsenal motoring.

Sit back and be entertained.

Verdict home win SLAVIA PRAGUE v STEAU Wednesday, Evzena Rosickeho, 7.45 Verdict home win