Moyes set for first proper Euro test

David Moyes’s experience in the Champions League amounts to two qualifying matches back in 2005, when he was manager of Everton. He lost both games. Moyes’s pedigree in Europe is therefore under scrutiny as he makes his return to the competition eight years later at the helm of Manchester United. And he is unlikely to be given an easy ride in the group stage after United was pitted with Bayer Leverkusen, Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Sociedad.

Moyes called predecessor Alex Ferguson after last month’s draw and was handed a grim assessment by a man who won Europe’s top prize twice -- in 1999 and 2008 -- in his near-27 years at Old Trafford.
‘He said he thinks it’s one of the hardest draws United have ever had in the Champions League,’ Moyes said. ‘If that’s coming from him, it must be tough.’

‘The hope is that we get a partnership where folk are saying, ‘My goodness, we are having to play against Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney,’’ Moyes said. ‘Everybody is looking to see if those two form a partnership that can score lots of goals.’

Real Madrid will get their first indication on Tuesday of whether unprecedented spending on players of more than 600 million euros over the past five years can secure the 10th European crown they have been chasing since 2002.  World-record signing Gareth Bale, who alone cost 100 million euros ($133 million) when he joined from Tottenham Hotspur this month, is likely to line up with 94-million-euro man Cristiano Ronaldo when Real begin their Champions League campaign at Group B rivals Galatasaray.

‘We don’t like losing points but the Real Madrid match will be different,’ said Terim, a former Turkey and Milan coach. Galatasaray’s hopes will rest on the attacking duo Didier Drogba and Burak Yilmaz and will look to repeat last year’s show.