Monaco beat Tottenham in Group E opener at Wembley Stadium

Monaco shone in London, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in their Champions League Group E opener at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday.

Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for Monaco in the 15th minute. After picking up an Erik Lamela giveaway near midfield, Silva cut into the centre of the penalty area and fired past Hugo Lloris to make it 1-0 in favour of the visitors.

Monaco doubled their lead in the 31st minute, when Thomas Lemar blasted a left-footed shot into the roof of the Tottenham net following a scramble in front of the goalmouth.

Spurs found a much-needed opener just before the stroke of half-time as Toby Alderweireld rose to meet a Lamela corner and headed home at the near post to make it 2-1 at the break.

Harry Kane had a chance to level in the 79th minute, but his shot from the center of the penalty area went right at Monaco’s Danijel Subasic.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side continued to frantically push for the leveller in game’s dying minutes, but Monaco’s defence and Subasic were resolute in closing out the match.

Tottenham face CSKA Moscow next on Wednesday, Sept. 27, while Monaco host Bayer Leverkusen on the same day.

Pep Guardiola will make an emotional Champions League return to Barcelona with Man City

It is the third time in four seasons City have faced the Caltalan Club in Europe and means an emotional return to the Nou Camp for Guardiola who led Barca to 14 trophies in his four years in charge, including two Champions League wins In 2009 and 2011.

Under previous boss Manuel Pellegrini, City were drawn with Barca in the last 16 in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. They lost all four games and had a player sent off in three of the clashes.

But Guardiola will draw on his inside knowledge of the Spanish giants when he seeks revenge for Bayern Munich’s semi-final defeat by Barcelona in 2015.

The draw also means an immediate return to Barca for City’s new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who yesterday completed his £13.75million move to the Etihad as a replacement for the unwanted Joe Hart.
City’s other Group C opponents will be Borussia Monchengladbach, who they beat twice in the group stage last season, and Scottish champions Celtic.
Sporting director Txiki Begiristain, a former Barcelona player and director, said: “For Bravo, Pep, me and Ferran [Soriano, City’s chief executive] it’s back home again – three times in four seasons! At least we know the way!

“It’s a tough draw but it’s better to face Barcelona in the group stage than in the round of 16 like before. We were in the semi-finals last season and we want to get there again.”
In contrast to City, the three other English clubs – Leicester, Arsenal and Tottenham – were relatively happy with their draws.
The Foxes are in with Porto, Bruges and Copenhagen; the Gunners face Paris Saint-Germain, Basle and Ludogorets while Spurs are up against CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.