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A Nou Camp lesson for Panathinaikos

FOOTBALL / FC Twente holds Inter Milan

— PHOTO: AP

ARTIST AT WORK:Xavi Hernandes (not in picture) floated a brilliant pass behind the Greeks and the unmarked Lionel Messi chipped in beautifully

PARIS: Holder Inter Milan drew 2-2 at competition debutant FC Twente as the Champions League group phase began on Tuesday, while Manchester United was held by Rangers and Barcelona thrashed Panathinaikos.

Theo Janssen was the star for Twente, Dutch champion for the first time in its history last season, scoring one and making one to frustrate Rafael Benitez's side on a rain-soaked night in Enschede, eastern Holland.

Wesley Sneijder gave the visitor the lead on his return to his homeland but Janssen curled in a stunning free-kick before Diego Milito's own goal gave the host the lead, only for Samuel Eto'o to earn Inter a point.

The result leaves Inter and Twente in a four-way tie with Tottenham Hotspur and Werder Bremen's game also ending in a 2-2 stalemate.

Tottenham went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes after a Petri Pasanen own goal and a Peter Crouch header, but the host hit back through Hugo Almeida and drew level early in the second period when Marko Marin fired in a low drive.

Barcelona began its European campaign in similarly spectacular fashion, smashing five typically well-worked goals past Greek champion Panathinaikos in a 5-1 victory at Camp Nou.

Brace by Messi

The visitors had the temerity to take a 20th-minute lead through former Lyon forward Sidney Govou, but Barca was 3-1 up at the interval thanks to a Lionel Messi brace that sandwiched a close-range David Villa strike.

Messi spurned the chance to claim a hat-trick when his tame second-half penalty was saved, but goals from Pedro Rodriguez and Dani Alves in the 78th and 93rd minutes added gloss to the scoreline.

“We couldn't win on Saturday and knew we had to win tonight,” said Pedro, whose side fell to a shock 2-0 defeat at home to newly-promoted Hercules in La Liga at the weekend. — AFP

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