Barely a few months since Real Madrid’s Galácticos lifted their tenth European Cup, the road to Berlin begins this week with the first round of group stage fixtures in the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League season, live on ITV and Sky Sports.
The continent’s elite teams begin their battle to become kings of Europe with defending champions Madrid going head-to-head with the likes of fellow European giants Barcelona and Bayern Munich, while Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal flying the flag for the British teams in this season’s competition.
Premier League champions Manchester City successfully negotiated a tricky pool in last season’s Champions League, progressing eventually as runners-up to Bayern Munich in the group, but were drawn against Barcelona in the round of 16, where the Spaniards proved too strong for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.
Chelsea reached the semi-finals last season, back under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, with the Blues overcoming the challenge of Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, but fell to Atletico Madrid at the penultimate hurdle.
Liverpool will be making a welcome return to the competition for the first time in five years and fans will no doubt produce an electric atmosphere as Champions League football is brought back to Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers’ side enjoyed a fine domestic campaign but will face some of the biggest clubs in world football without the aid of star striker Luis Suarez, who joined Barcelona in the summer.
After progressing via the play-off stages in August, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are back to contest a 15th successive Champions League group stage and their fans will hope to progress further than previous seasons where they have come unstuck as the last 16 phase.
Who will stamp their mark in European football’s elite competition this season? Find out by watching every pass, cross, strike, tackle and goal from this season’s UEFA Champions League live across ITV and Sky Sports from the autumn’s group stage fixtures to the final in May.
Both broadcasters, who have shared coverage of the competition since 2003, are in their final season covering live matches from Europe’s premier club competition before the rights pass over to rivals BT Sport from 2015/16.
ITV will continue to screen its chosen first pick of Tuesday night matches throughout the competition, from the group stages to next May’s final which will be held at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
Adrian Chiles will continue to host ITV’s live match coverage where he will be joined by regular pundit Lee Dixon and new signing Paul Scholes, who won the competition with Manchester United in 1999 and 2008, while match commentary will be led by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend.
Matt Smith will present highlights of the Tuesday night games in UEFA Champions League Extra Time on ITV at 10.35pm during each matchday.
Free-to-view highlights of Wednesday matches will be available online via the ITV Football website from Fridays, while ITV′s live match coverage, as well additional video clips, interviews and analysis, is available to watch for free via ITV Player.
Sky Sports will again screen a total 129 games throughout the competition, including 15 of the 16 fixtures from each matchday of the group stage, ties from every round of the knockout phase and the final itself, shared with ITV.
Subscribers will be treated to over 11,500 minutes of drama as the world’s greatest football talents take to the pitch to begin their quest to reach the showpiece final next May.
Jeff Stelling leads Sky’s live coverage on each matchday and will be joined by a variety of guests throughout the season, including Ruud Gullit, Graeme Souness, Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher.
New for this season, all Sky televised Champions League games on Tuesday and Wednesday will be broadcast on Sky Sports 5, as well as online via Sky Go.
Additional live games can be found via the red button on Sky Sports’ interactive service, where fans can watch a host of other teams in action from around the continent on the same night.
With the Sky Sports for iPad app, fans can choose which game they want to watch at the tip of your fingers, allowing them to navigate their way through all the key moments, view player or match statistics and watch match-related video.
Also, ‘Sky Sports 360’ returns for users to relive goals and other key moments during live play, while the functionality also gives fans the ability to choose video from more than 20 different camera angles during selected matches.
Keep up to date with all the latest UEFA Champions League reports, goal flashes and results from both broadcasters by following ITV Football on Twitter @itvfootball or via Sky Sports dedicated feed @SkySportsCL.
Details of when and where to watch all the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 action can be found below.
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| TUESDAY 16th SEPTEMBER |
LIVERPOOL v LudogoretsGroup B |
19:45 |
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After a five-year absence, Champions League football returns to Anfield on Tuesday night as Liverpool host Bulgarian champions Ludogorets in their opening Group B clash, live on ITV.
Liverpool’s busy summer saw them bring in nine players to bolster a squad which finished second in the Premier League, with controversial star striker Luis Suarez leaving and Mario Balotelli arriving in August.
With the likes of Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana potentially facing their Champions League debuts, Brendan Rogers’ team will hope to get a good result against the Bulgarians before facing encounters with 2014 Champions League winners Real Madrid and Swiss champions Basel in Group B.
Ludogorets, meanwhile, come into the tie having won the Bulgarian A-Group league for three consecutive seasons, and having beaten Partizan Belgrade then Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League qualifying rounds. They are only the second Bulgarian side to have made the Group Stage of the Champions League.
Adrian Chiles presents ITV’s live coverage from Anfield alongside the channel’s regular pundit Lee Dixon, former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler and two-time Champions League winner and new signing Paul Scholes, who makes his punditry debut for ITV.
Match commentary comes from Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, while Gabriel Clarke conducts interviews and reports from the touchline.
Alongside coverage on ITV and ITV HD, you can also watch the action online as it happens via the ITV football website and ITV Player.
Borussia Dortmund v ARSENALGroup D |
19:45 |
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Three English clubs face German opposition on matchday one and Arsenal face a stern test at the electrifying Westfalenstadion against 2013 finalist Borussia Dortmund.
Arsene Wenger’s side ensured their customary position in the Champions League draw after battling past Turkish outfit Besiktas in the play-off stages last month.
Summer signing Alexis Sanchez inspired the Gunners through to their 17th successive season in the competition, while the return of Shinji Kagawa will be a boost for their opponents Dortmund who reached the quarter-finals last year.
Jeff Stelling and studio guests presents live coverage of this fascinating opening Group D clash in Germany on Sky Sports 5, the network’s new home of Champions League football, with coverage beginning at 7.00pm, while an additional five live matches can be found via the Red Button.
| WEDNESDAY 17th SEPTEMBER |
Bayern Munich v MANCHESTER CITYGroup E |
19:45 |
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Premier League champions Manchester City will be reacquainted with familiar old adversaries when they kick off their European campaign at the Allianz Arena.
For the third year in four, Bayern Munich and Manchester City lock horns at the first hurdle.Bayern will of course be buoyed on by the core of their squad that were crowned World Cup winners for Germany in Brazil and have since added Xavi Alonso to their dynamic midfield.
Much has been made of the fact City were again seeded lower than Chelsea and Arsenal when the draw was made, meaning Manuel Pellegrini’s men face a daunting group challenge which also features CSKA Moscow and Roma.
Jeff Stelling presents live coverage of the match, featuring extensive previews and analysis of all Wednesday night’s games, on Sky Sports 5 from 6.00pm, alongside a team of top studio guests.
CHELSEA v SchalkeGroup G |
19:45 |
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After investing heavily over the summer, recruiting the likes of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas from La Liga’s elite, Jose Mourinho has signalled his intent for a trophy-laden year at Chelsea.
The Blues are strong contenders and arguably boast the biggest threat out of the English representatives. Few would bet against them with Chelsea getting out of the blocks impressively on the domestic front.
Having reached the knockout stages in three of the past four years, Schakle will ensure a competitive affair at Stamford Bridge.
Full live coverage of this match at Stamford Bridge will be shown on Sky Sports 3 from 7.30pm. It will also be simulcast on Sky 1, available to non-Sky Sports subscribers.
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