2013 UEFA Champions League Live Stream: Barcelona vs. Ajax, AC Milan vs. Celtic - Preview, Commentary, Stats & Highlights
2013 UEFA Champions League Live Stream: Barcelona vs. Ajax; AC Milan vs. Celtic (Group H)
UEFA Champions League action will resume on Wednesday with the heavyweight battle between Barcelona and Ajax serving as the main event of the second day of Europe's premier football tournament. Atletico Madrid, the third placer in the 2012-13 season of Spanish La Liga, will also kick off its Champions League campaign at Vicente Calderon.
Barcelona vs. Ajax - 2:30 a.m (Manila & Perth Time)
For the first time in history, two of the most successful ball clubs in the world will finally square it off in the UEFA Champions League Wednesday afternoon at Camp Nuo.
Three-time UEFA Champions League champion Barcelona will be bringing its full arsenal of elite football players such as Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and football prodigy Neymar against perennial European powerhouse Ajax, who also boasts caliber players such as Siem de Jong and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson. Bojan Krkic will also return at Camp Nuo but as a son of the Gods after Barca decided to send him to Amsterdam on loan.
Barcelona head coach Gerardo Martino is having a splendid work with Barcelona so far, steering to four win in four Spanish La Liga competitions. Martino is also aware that Barcelona's goal is to take back the UEFA Champions League or else the season will be a total failure.
"There's always a prioritisation of the tournaments you're involved in. I feel that Barcelona have to win this competition," the Argentinian told a press conference today via ESPN FC. "We're in three competitions and we have to reach the final stages of all three.
"When I took on the Barcelona job, I knew that if we didn't win a title this season it would be a failure. If I am here it's because I believe we can repeat the glorious moments of the club in recent seasons."
Martino, whose team is grouped with Ajax, Milan and Celtic, is confident his team will find a way to advance into the next stage despite facing a daunting competition in the group.
"It's clear that for every coach to have the chance to be in the Champions League is very relevant in his career. "I am very excited about it, although obviously I feel nervous about us living up to our standards in such a prestigious competition," the Barca coach added.
AC Milan vs. Celtic 2:30 a.m
AC Milan will open their Champions League competition in odd situation after losing some of its key members to injury prior to their clash with Scottish League giant Celtic. Captain Riccardo Montolivo, Andrea Poli and Kaka will all sit out in the opener but AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri is still upbeat about the chances of his team with striker Mario Balotelli leading the charge.
''We didn't play well on Saturday, actually, we played very badly against a Torino side that caused us a lot of problems. Tomorrow will be a different game as they always are in the Champions League. It's a great atmosphere. The start of the group stages," said Allegri.
On the other hand, Celtic boss Neil Lennon still believes Milan is a formidable team to take on despite suffering big time injuries.
''It is very unfortunate for him that these injuries have come all at the one time and it is not an ideal situation. But I am sure as the season and the campaign progresses Milan as always will get better and stronger. I can't look too much into Milan's problem I have to concentrate in my own," Lennon told ESPN FC.
2013 UEFA Champions League Schedule & Live Stream (Streaming Links will be provided 30 mins before the match)
2:45 a.m: Barcelona vs. Ajax - link 1 / link 2 - - - A.C Milan vs. Celtic - link 1/link 2
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