As expected, favourites Barcelona, champions Inter and Manchester United secure victories
As expected, favourites Barcelona, champions Inter and Manchester United secure victoriesA second half Gareth Bale hat-trick enabled Tottenham Hotspur to limit the damage last night but it was still not enough to stave off a Champions League loss at holders Inter Milan in a seven-goal thriller.
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| Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (left) dribbles past Copenhagen's Claudemir during their Champions League football match at the Camp Nou Stadium last night. Barcelona won 2-0. Pics/AFP |
Manchester United, meanwhile, missing injured and want-away striker Wayne Rooney, thanked an early Nani goal to see off Turkey's Bursaspor at Old Trafford to go two points clear of Rangers in Group C after the Scots could only draw 1-1 at home to Valencia.
United boss Alex Ferguson, having stunned observers earlier this week by revealing Rooney's desire to leave, which the player confirmed last night, said of his side: "I think we did the job ufffd we controlled the whole match."
Of Rooney's revelations, he said he would not rush to any judgment, while observing that "we want to keep good players."
Lionel Messi meanwhile bagged a brace as Barcelona took over the leadership of Group D thanks to a 2-0 win at the Nou Camp over previous pace-setters FC Copenhagen.
But the evening's biggest thrills were at the San Siro, however, where Inter and Spurs produced an enthralling proverbial game of two halves that left the Italians breathless ufffd but in command of Group A.
Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti became the oldest-ever Champions League scorer.u00a0
Samuel Eto'o notched a brace and Dejan Stankovic added the fourth, all before half-time, before Bale's brilliant solo cameo while Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was dismissed after just eight minutes. Inter now lead Group A by three points from Harry Redknapp's team ahead of the pair's meeting at White Hart Lane in two weeks' time.
