Cristiano Ronaldo got his Champions League career at Real Madrid off to a flier with a brace, but they had to survive a real fright in Switzerland against plucky FC Zurich.
BBC Sport rounds up all the action from across Europe as the Champions League group stage got under way.
German giants Bayern Munich took an early lead in Group A courtesy of a 3-0 victory at Maccabi Haifa.
Former Manchester City defender Daniel van Buyten got the first and Thomas Muller wrapped up the points with a quickfire double in the last five minutes.
In the other game, Ciro Ferrara’s Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux.
Vincenzo Iaquinta gave the hosts the lead just after the hour mark, but Jaroslav Plasil levelled matters with 15 minutes remaining.
Brazilian striker Grafite wrote his name into the Champions League record books, becoming only the sixth player to score a hat-trick on his debut in the competition, as Wolfsburg brushed aside CSKA Moscow 3-1.
He struck twice before the break, including one penalty, and once towards the end, with Alan Dzagoev grabbing a consolation for the visitors.
Last year’s beaten finalists Manchester United picked up three early points with a 1-0 victory at Turkish side Besiktas.
Veteran midfielder Paul Scholes got the only goal of the game, heading in from close range after the break.
Real Madrid’s new Galacticos got off to a quickfire start as they took a 3-0 half-time lead against debutants FC Zurich in Switzerland, thanks to goals from Raul, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Swiss fought back with a Xavier Margairaz penalty and Silvan Aegerter header, but Ronaldo and Guti wrapped it up late on to earn Real a 5-2 victory.
Having missed out on the Champions League last season, AC Milan looked keen to make up for lost time as they won 2-1 at Marseille.
Pippo Inzaghi’s trademark poacher finishes did the damage for the Italians, sandwiched either side of a Gabby Heinze header for Didier Deschamps’ side.
In Group D, Spanish team Atletico Madrid were surprisingly held to a goalless draw at home by Cypriots Apoel Nicosia.
The home team laboured throughout and Konstantinos Charalambides missed two fine chances to earn all three points for the visitors.
Beaten 2008 finalists Chelsea came through a tough test to beat FC Porto 1-0 in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s European bow at the helm of the Stamford Bridge club.
In the absence of the suspended Didier Drogba, it was French striker Nicolas Anelka who secured victory with a fine clipped finish shortly after half-time.
