Ronaldinho

Barcelona: If Tuesday’s showdown against Werder Bremen was billed as a test of Barcelona’s mettle as European champions, they passed the exam with flying colours.

Needing a win to avoid becoming the first holders of the Champions League to tumble out at the group stage since the competition was revamped in 1992, Barcelona rose to the occasion with an irresistible display.

With the inspirational Ronaldinho at the helm, the Catalans stretched Werder on the wings and tormented them in the middle in the opening half hour as they ran out 2-0 winners.

The Brazilian, who had swaggered into the pre-match news conference wearing oversized dark sunglasses, diamond earrings, a chunky medallion and an infectious grin, lived up to his prediction that he was going to enjoy this match.

He opened a virtuoso performance with what he calls an “espaldinha”, a carefully choreographed move where he flips the ball past an opponent with his back, followed it up with a neat back-heel and then picked out teammate Ludovic Giuly with a pin-point cross-field pass.

But the Brazilian magician had an even more impressive trick up his sleeve in the 13th minute.

Deliberately manufacturing a free-kick when he went to ground just outside the Werder area, he shaped as if to curl the ball over the wall, but instead slipped a daisy-cutter shot under the jumping defenders and low into the corner. His guffawing celebration made it clear to the 95,000 at the Nou Camp that this was no accident, instead the giant Werder defence had fallen for his practical joke hook, line and sinker.

Five minutes later Ronaldinho released Giuly with another inch-perfect pass. The Frenchman scorched down the right flank, slipped the ball to Eidur Gudjohnsen who side-footed home from five metre

Meanwhile, striker Andriy Shevchenko made sure Chelsea finished top of Group A by setting them on the way to a 2-0 win over Levski Sofia on Tuesday.

AS Roma, needing only a draw, reached the knockout phase for the first time thanks to Christian Panucci’s header after 13 minutes.

The result meant Roma finished second behind Valencia and ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk, who drew 1-1 with Olympiakos to grab a Uefa Cup slot. Bayern secured first place in Group B despite conceding a late equaliser.

Striker Roy Makaay blasted Bayern ahead in the 62nd minute but Inter, fielding a weakened team, grabbed an equaliser through Patrick Vieira.

The other Group B game was notable for Spartak Moscow ending a Champions League record run of 22 games without a win as they beat Sporting 3-1 in Lisbon to snatch third place and a Uefa Cup spot.

With everything already settled in Group C, leaders Liverpool will not lose too much sleep over their 2-3 defeat at Galatasaray, who finished bottom. Runners-up PSV Eindhoven were also off the pace as they went down 1-3 at home to Girondins Bordeaux.

(Reuters)