Sorry - No Time Today - Enjoy the Weekend Action

Bayern Edge City, Schalke Shock Chelsea, Roma Run Riot On & Off the Pitch, Ole Gunnar Out at Cardiff, Jonathan Wilson on Alejandro Sabella

Due to reader complaints, our usual Schalke fan has been replaced. For today...

Right! Talk around SSN Headquarters yesterday was about how many Chelsea would put past Schalke. Cut to the chase: none of us were correct. No, nobody in the office guessed the game would end 1-1. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich controlled their affair with Manchester City but couldn't score until late. That's all it takes, though. Barcelona knows it. They could only manage one at home against Apoel Nicosia. And it was a Pique header! PSG and Ajax? 1-1. Roma went all nutty on CSKA Moscow to the tune of 6-1, while Porto did them one better with their 6-0 victory over BATE. Also going nutty were the Roma and CSKA supports. Both clubs could be in trouble after violence broke out inside and outside the Stadio Olimpico. Here's the lowdown from last night and the matchday in general:

Champions League Matchday One Review

Champions League Rewind

Winners and Losers – Champions League Matchday One

Team of the Week

John Brewin: English clubs frustrated again

Bayern Munich 1 - 0 Manchester City: Daniel Taylor at Allianz Arena

Raphael Honigstein: Bayern's late win eases the pressure on Pep

Jamie Jackson: Another big-game Touré no-show

Gary Neville: City must learn to see Champions League games out

Richard Jolly: Three Points: Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City

Chelsea 1 - 1 Schalke: Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

Barney Ronay: Hazard sparkles but Chelsea fail to find finishing to match

Roma 5 - 1 CSKA Moscow: Report

Crowd trouble in Rome.

Poor Ye 'Ole Gunnar. Everyone's favorite Norwegian baby-faced assassin lasted less than nine months in charge of Cardiff. He's stepped down. Good effort, though.

Jonathan Wilson is a favorite scribe of ours. Today he's looking to answer this question: Where next for Alejandro Sabella? The manager left his post with Argentina after the World Cup final and is in search of a new gig.

The Europa League is today, but it's so early, we really can't be bothered to provide any previews. We'll take a look tomorrow and see if anything happened of note. OK? Good.

Uhh, Major League Soccer unveiled a new logo. So, you know. Big news.

Oops.

Hey! That'll do for today.

Onward!!

-SSN

nbcsoccer.com

Dortmund Defeat Shambolic Arsenal, Liverpool Leave it Late to Beat Bulgarian Minnows, Seattle Win U.S. Open Cup, Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City

Is it Hump Day already? Geez. Well, in Champions League action yesterday, Arsenal had a night in Europe to forget as Dortmund easily brushed them off the pitch. They only scored two but it could easily have been five or six. Elsewhere, Real Madrid did score five to cruise past Basel, and Liverpool barely survived a scare at Anfield against Ludogorets Razgrad. Here's your lot from Tuesday's European fixtures:

Champions League Rewind

Champions League Tuesday Review

Borussia Dortmund 2 - 0 Arsenal: Henry Winter at the Westfalenstadion

Borussia Dortmund 2 - 0 Arsenal: Daniel Taylor at the Westfalenstadion

Miguel Delaney: Three Points: Borussia Dortmund vs. Arsenal

Jim White: Arsenal have problems

Arsenal Player Ratings

Liverpool 2 - 1 Ludogorets Razgrad: Richard Jolly at Anfield

Liverpool 2 - 1 Ludogorets Razgrad: Paul Wilson at Anfield

Real Madrid 5 - 1 Basel: Sid Lowe at the Bernabéu

Dermot Corrigan: Three Points: Real Madrid vs. Basel

Real Madrid Player Ratings

Modric to Bale = Goal

Back in the USA, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup thanks to a Clint Dempsey goal. Bird has Three Thoughts.

Talking Points! Let's look back at the weekend one last time: European football returned this weekend and there were twists and turns in every domestic league. With transfer deadline signings suited up for their new clubs and squads refreshed following the extended international break, there were plenty of movers and shakers in the league tables across Europe.

Champions League Wednesday Team News

Chelsea vs. Schalke: Preview

Dominic Fifield: Schalke’s slow start leaves squad doubting themselves for Chelsea

Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City: Preview I

Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City: Preview II

Raphael Honigstein: Bayern aim to bounce back from Pep’s ‘biggest cock-up of career’

That's it!

Onward!!

-SSN

nbcsoccer.com

The Champions League Begins, Scribes, U.S. Open Cup Final, Keeper’s Water Bottle Spiked With Urine

Hello Hello Hello! What a day we have! So much to get through, so let's roll. Monday Night Football finished 2-2 between Hull City and West Ham. The highlight was the Hammers' new man Enner Valencia's cracker of a strike. Richard Gibson was at the KC Stadium.

The Champions League Group Stage gets going today. Let's begin with some general previews and thoughts ahead of this year's competition prior to diving into this week's action. Here:

2014-2015 Champions League Preview. 

Five Key Questions for 2014-15. 

The view from the Continent. 

Michael Cox: A competitive Premier League may have led to England's UCL decline.

OK! Now that's done, what's up today? Obviously, Arsenal's trip to Dortmund is grabbing the headlines since those two clubs are rather large, it must be said. Oh, and Liverpool host something called Ludogorets Razgrad after five years of Champions League exile. Interesting...

Matchday One Previews

Five Storylines to Watch

Uli Hesse: Battle commences once again between English and German clubs

Borussia Dortmund vs. Arsenal: Preview I

Borussia Dortmund vs. Arsenal: Preview II

David Hytner: Injuries raise questions about Arsène Wenger’s transfer strategy

Liverpool vs. Ludogorets Razgrad: Preview I

Liverpool vs. Ludogorets Razgrad: Preview II

Liverpool vs. Ludogorets Razgrad: Preview III

Andy Hunter: Rodgers takes long view as Liverpool embrace return to Europe

Real Madrid vs. Basel: Preview

What the hell is going on at Newcastle? Barry Glendenning takes a gander at the chaos at St. James' Park.

The U.S. Open Cup Final is also today (7:30 pm EDT on GolTV). Here's all you need to know about that illustrious competition and a preview of the match itself featuring Seattle vs. Philly. Sticking with the U.S., Bird has his MLS honors from the weekend and Jeff Carlisle has his weekend review and Power Rankings.

Would it make a difference?

Scribe Time! In-depth analysis of the action around the globe. Sadly, just Europe this week. For some reason nobody is writing about South America.

Where? Spain. Who? Sid Lowe. What? Turan gives Atlético life...and Real another derby defeat

Where? Germany. Who? Adam Bate. What? Kagawa is back where he belongs

Where? Spain. Who? Guillem Balague. What? Madrid need to be more adaptable and show intensity

Where? Germany. Who? Raphael Honigstein. What? Hamburg in a familiar position while Schalke’s crisis deepens

Where? Italy. Who? Paolo Bandini. What? Inter repeat 7-0 Sassuolo thrashing as Milan edge nine-goal Parma thriller

It is Tuesday, so that means it is also time for Marcotti's musings. This week, Gabriele is gabbing about Real Madrid's self-inflicted issues, Man Utd's evolution, and Barca's bright start.

And finally...there's this: Swiss Football Shaken By Truly Disgusting Scandal After Goalkeeper’s Water Bottle Spiked With Urine.

Onward!!

-SSN

nbcsports.com

No More Gus Johnson, Real Madrid 1-2 Atlético Madrid, Arsenal 2-2 Manchester City, Inter Milan 7-0 Sassuolo, Liverpool 0-1 Aston Villa, Parma 4-5 AC Milan, Big Interview = Thomas Müller, Monday Night Football

Where's Waldo Welbeck?

All right! We were pretty excited going into the weekend because it looked pretty damn good on paper. Isn't lovely when the paper is correct? An enthralling draw at the Emirates, Chelsea's attacking machine, Atlético's win over Real, Inter's annihilation again of Sass, Manchester United's new boys changing the mood, Parma and AC Milan in a thriller, there was so much great action. Perhaps the greatest action, however, was Gus Johnson's decision to step down as Fox Sports' lead soccer announcer. While we understand and sympathize with the difficulties in his personal life, we also don't care for his presence on our televisions during soccer matches. Now, let's move on to the Premier League and all the fallout from the weekend:

10 Talking Points

Kammy's Weekend Review

Heroes and Villains

Arsenal 2 - 2 Manchester City: Daniel Taylor at the Emirates Stadium

Arsenal 2 - 2 Manchester City: Phil McNulty at the Emirates Stadium

Barney Ronay: Agüero in a class of his own but Welbeck shows promise

Chelsea 4 - 2 Swansea City: Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

Liverpool 0 - 1 Aston Villa: Chris Bevan at Anfield

Manchester United 4 - 0 QPR: Five Talking Points

Richard Jolly: Three Points: Manchester United vs. QPR

Simon Stone: From Fellaini to Falcao - fortunes revived at Old Trafford

Amy Lawrence: Van Gaal’s new era is on an upward trajectory

Team of the Weekend

Garth Crooks's Team of the Week

No shortage of drama in Spain, where Atlético Madrid went to the Bernabéu and beat Real. Was Sid Lowe there? Duh. Here's his report. And here's a wee weekend review. We'll have more on Spain from El Sid tomorrow.

CRISIS!!!

No shortage of drama in Italy, where Inter Milan pasted Sussudio Sassuolo yet again (!) and AC Milan edged Parma in a thriller. Here's a wee weekend review. We'll have more on Italy with Paolo Bandini tomorrow.

Oooo. We've got a Big Interview to begin the week. It's Raphael Honigstein asking the questions and it's Thomas Müller providing the answers.

Last Weekend In Europe

The complete package (ahem) for Diego...

As if all that excitement from the weekend wasn't enough, there's Monday Night Football to enjoy today! Yes, indeed. Big Sam and his boys head up to Hull to face Mrs. Doubtfire and his Tigers of Hull. Here'a preview. Want to watch? Great! Go to NBCSN at 3pm EDT and you'll be all set.

And finally...Thomas Vermaelen can't park his car.

Onward!!

-SSN

nbcsoccer.com