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The UEFA Champions League theme song was performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields chorus.
It is an arrangement by Tony Britten of Georg Frideric Handel's "Zadok the Priest" from the Coronation Anthems.
Hummels happy Dortmund did not win Champions League
By Mark Doyle45
Jul 3, 2013 7:41:00 AM
The Germany international has surprisingly admitted that the 2-1 loss to die Roten at Wembley did not hit him as hard as he expected it to
Mats Hummels claims he is over Borussia Dortmund's Champions League final defeat, and says it's "a nice thing" that Jurgen Klopp's men have been made to wait a little longer to realise their childhood dreams.
The Germany international explained that he feels the 2-1 loss to their Bavarian rivals will ensure that die Schwarzgelben will retain the same kind of hunger and desire that drove them all the way to Wembley in May.
"I have found that, for me, it did not really hit me as hard as I initially thought it would," Hummels said of the defeat in an interview with GQ.
"After a season in which we played in the final of the Champions League, I do not even have the feeling of having lost something.
"It would have been almost too crass if we had the got to the Champions League final and won it.
"All of the things I'd dreamt about as a child would have come to pass just a little bit too soon. So, I think it's a nice thing to have to chase it a little longer."
The 24-year-old joined Dortmund - initially on loan - from Bayern five years ago and was at the centre of controversy last week for claiming Mario Gotze's move from BVB to the Bavarians was financially motivated.
Klopp: Champions League win would have caused problems
By SW Lim68
Jul 6, 2013 11:37:00 PM
The German was more than gracious about losing Europe's premier club competition to rivals Bayern Munich and instead suggested it would serve as a springboard to more success
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp is upbeat about his side's Champions League final defeat in May and wants to use losing to Bayern Munich as motivation heading into the new season.
The Schwarzgelben reached the final hoping to replicate their win in 1997, but ultimately surrendered 2-1 at Wembley to Jupp Heynckes' Bavarians.
However, Klopp has passed off the defeat as unfinished business, insisting the team are now hungrier than ever to achieve success and hinted that he has a change in tactics in store for his BVB squad.
"I was not as depressed [from BVB's Champions League defeat] as you might have guessed. A win would have brought other problems," the 46-year-old revealed to Bild.
"Then we would have won recently all that there is to win. Therefore, it is actually not so bad that it did not work the first time.
"Some people think that was our only chance [in the Champions League]. Others say we can do it again soon. We want to strive to another final experience one time or another.
"When everything is finally clear [in pre-season], we will change up the system a bit. Ideally, our style will change so that we concede fewer goals."
The Signal Iduna Park outfit have already snapped up striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Saint-Etienne and defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Werder Bremen this summer to boost their ranks.
Mancini doubts Manchester City's Champions League chances
By Arthur Virgo18
Jul 8, 2013 10:19:00 AM
The club sacked the Italian in favour of Manuel Pellegrini after the Chilean's success in Europe, but the coach believes the Blues will struggle again
Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes the club will find it difficult to compete for the Champions League under his successor Manuel Pellegrini.
The Chilean has a strong record in the competition, reaching the semi-finals with Villarreal in 2006 while two last-gasp goals saw them knocked out at the quarter-final stage to eventual runners-up Borussia Dortmund last season.
In contrast, Mancini was dismissed after failing to take City beyond the group stages in both attempts and feels the club will suffer a similar fate this term.
"I would say City are a bit like Juventus. They are growing but are still a bit behind the big European clubs," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"To win the Champions League you need experience and the right squad. There aren’t many games, so if you get two wrong then you’re out of the running.
"In the Champions League last year, we had the toughest group. Now they have lost two important players in Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli."
Following the all-German Champions League final last season, some have questioned whether the Bundesliga has overtaken the likes of La Liga and the Premier League as the strongest in Europe.
But Mancini, despite praising Bayern Munich's squad, still feels Barcelona are the team to beat in the Champions League.
"I do not agree with those who say German or even English clubs are dominant in Europe," he continued.
"The Germans have the benefit of a long winter break, while the English lose intensity as time goes on because they never stop playing.
"Bayern Munich are the team to beat, as they are full of stars, solid at the back and strong on the counterattack. I still consider Barcelona to be the strongest team, though."
The Dortmund goalkeeper believes his side's arch-rivals in the Bundesliga are under far more pressure to continue to win trophies than BVB
Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller believes Bayern Munich are burderned by their past and present successes.
The first-choice BVB shot-stopper believes that there is less pressure at the Signal Iduna Park to win, whereas the Bavarians are weighed down by their past glories.
"Bayern have to win titles, while we want to win titles," the Schwarzgelben star told Sport Bild. "I guess you could say that."
The 32-year-old believes that Dortmund can recover from their final defeat to die Roten this season and hopes that the previous campaign's lack of silverware under Jurgen Klopp will be reversed in 2013-14.
"Very few teams do it right first time, so we do not doubt ourselves. The dream has still not faded away," Weidenfeller added.
"Personally, I hold the value of being in the Champions League final in higher esteem than a DFB-Pokal victory, but of course you dream - and always expect - to hold trophies in your hand at the end of the season."
The Germany international has fired a warning to the Champions League winners and revealed that Kaka has given a glowing review of new coach Carlo Ancelotti
Sami Khedira says Bayern Munich will be "hunted" this season by Real Madrid and other top European teams following their Champions League success last season.
The Bavarians secured their European crown with a 2-1 win over Madrid's semi-final conquerors Borussia Dortmund.
And Khedira, who is chasing an historic 10th Champions League trophy with los Blancos, has fired a warning to die Roten, insisting Carlo Ancelotti's men will be targeting them this year.
"Bayern Munich have to know that their international rivals intend on bringing back the balance," he told Welt am Sonntag. "They are the hunted now."
Germany international Khedira also believes the Liga outfit can look forward to progression under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti, who replaced Jose Mourinho as coach in June.
"It starts a new chapter for Madrid and at the same time in my career," he told AS. "A new coach is always associated with a new beginning. There are new ideas, a different playing philosophy.
"I feel a great excitement, I am still very proud to play for Real Madrid.
"Whomever plays at this club, playing for titles, I'm sure that with the work of Carlo Ancelotti we will take another step forward."
Although Khedira has never played under Ancelotti, he said Madrid playmaker Kaka has given the former AC Milan and Chelsea boss a glowing reference.
"I have heard a lot about Ancelotti," the 26-year-old continued. "Moreover, my team-mate Kaka has worked many years with him in Milan, everything he said was positive.
"His teams have always played well. Such as with Paris [Saint-Germain] last year."
The former Blancos midfielder, who is now back at Borussia Dortmund, feels the Clasico duo will be driven on by the pain of their semi-final exits in Europe last term
Nuri Sahin is expecting Real Madrid and Barcelona to lead a Liga backlash in this season's Champions League.
Many pundits tipped the Clasico duo to reach May's final at Wembley, but the biggest game in club football was instead an all-German affair, with the pair having been upset by Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in their respective last-four encounters.
However, Sahin, who has returned to Dortmund from Madrid via Liverpool, believes the Spanish will bounce back this term.
"The Spaniards were really hurt by last season," the midfielder told Kicker. "That will trigger a reaction, I'm sure.
"They have dominated European football in the last six to eight years, and Real Madrid and Barcelona will be very strong in the coming year.
"However, the Bundesliga is on the right track and will continue to play a role."
On a personal level, Sahin is now hoping to get his career back on track and feature with greater regularity in the Champions League this season, having been forced to play a bit-part role in Dortmund's run to the final following his January arrival from Liverpool.
"I now want to play in the really big games in the new season," he confessed. "These games are the dream of every professional.
"I know I can play my part in ensuring that we reach a higher level. But, at the moment, I am just happy that after two years I can finally start a campaign having done a full pre-season."
Sahin left Signal Iduna Park for the Santiago Bernabeu in 2011 but he failed to settle in the Spanish capital, making just four Liga appearances for los Blancos.
Fener's two-year ban remains but the suspended extra year has been removed from their punishment, while the Black Eagles are still disqualified from this year's Europa League
Fenerbahce's and Besiktas' two and one-year bans, respectively, from European football have been upheld, Uefa confirmed on Monday.
The sanctions were handed out last month as a result of a match-fixing scandal that occurred towards the end of the 2010-11 season.
Besiktas had their appeal denied while Fenerbahce’s two-year ban remains, but the five-year probationary period which could have resulted in an extra year’s suspension has been removed.
A Uefa statement read: “The Uefa Appeals Body carefully analysed the statements and documents submitted by Besiktas and Fenerbahce related to their specific cases, as well as the statements and documents submitted by the Uefa Disciplinary Inspectors appointed to each case, and reached the following decisions:
“Besiktas have had their appeal rejected. Consequently, Besiktas are not eligible to participate in the 2013/14 Europa League.
“Fenerbahce have had their appeal partially admitted. Consequently, Fenerbahce are excluded from participating in the next two Uefa club competitions they qualify for, including the 2013/14 Champions League.”
The clubs will now have the option to appeal the decisions of the Uefa Appeals Body to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
UEFA Champions League Qualifying Wrap: Steaua, Dinamo cruise to first-leg leads
17 July 2013
Former European champions Steaua Bucharest began their UEFA Champions League campaign in style on Tuesday in the second qualifying round.
The Romanian title holders have fallen from grace somewhat on the continental stage since lifting the old European Cup in 1986, but their dreams of a lengthy run in this season's competition are very much alive after a 3-0 first-leg victory at home to Macedonia’s Vardar.
Cristian Tanase gave them the perfect start after just 12 minutes, before their advantage was doubled by midfielder Mihai Doru Pintilii nine minutes later.
Vardar battled hard but were the masters of their own downfall when goalkeeper Igor Pavlovic turned the ball into his own net in first-half injury time, giving the visitors plenty to do in the second leg if they are to progress.
In Borisov, BATE saw their hopes of repeating last season's run to the group stages suffer a blow as they were on the wrong end of a shock 1-0 home defeat to Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan.
The Belarusian outfit were one of just two sides to beat eventual winners Bayern Munich in the 2012-13 competition, triumphing 3-1 in Minsk before ultimately exiting at the group stage.
However, they were no match for the Kazakh champions on Tuesday as Sergei Khizhnichenko's low shot beat goalkeeper Andrei Gorbunov for the only goal three minutes before half time.
There were no such worries for Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, who are all but assured of progression to the third qualifying round after establishing a 5-0 lead in the first leg against Fola Esch of Luxembourg.
After a slow start, the visitors upped the pace after the interval, scoring all their goals in the second half courtesy of a double from Algerian striker Hilal Soudani as well as strikes from Duje Cop, Arijan Ademi and Junior Fernandes.
There was also an emphatic win for Dinamo Tbilisi, who thumped Faorese minnows EB/Streymur 6-1 in the first leg at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium in Georgia, while Hafnarfjordur will take a narrow 1-0 advantage back to Iceland for their second leg against Ekranas.
Petur Vidarsson's 30th-minute header proved the difference between the two sides, but Hafnarfjordur were forced to ride their luck as the hosts hit the woodwork three times.
There is still everything to play for between Sheriff of Moldova and Montenegro's Sutjeska after a 1-1 first-leg draw in Triaspol, while Maltese outfit Birkirkara were held 0-0 at home by Maribor.
Czech champions Viktoria Plzen secured a first-leg advantage but may ultimately rue conceding three away goals as they edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3 against Bosnians Zeljeznicar.
In a remarkable game, all the goals came in the second half, but Pavel Vrba's side ultimately seized a narrow lead to take into the away fixture courtesy of Czech defender Frantisek Rajtoral's 81st-minute strike.
UEFA Champions League Qualifying Wrap: Celtic, Molde take first-leg leads
18 July 2013
Scottish champions Celtic breezed past Cliftonville to put one foot in the third round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
Neil Lennon's side had too much quality for the NIFL champions, as the first leg of their second-round qualifier finished 3-0 in Belfast on Wednesday.
Mikael Lustig scored from a Kris Commons corner to give the Glasgow outfit the lead, and their advantage was doubled before half-time by Georgios Samaras.
Cliftonville improved after the break but the visitors - who reached the first knockout phase of last season's Champions League, where they were beaten by Italian champions Juventus - continued to apply most of the pressure.
And they were duly rewarded just six minutes from time as James Forrest ensured the tie should be a formality in the return fixture at Celtic Park on July 23.
Norwegian champions Molde will take a slender lead back to the Aker Stadion after they secured a 1-0 victory over Irish outfit Sligo Rovers.
In what was a tightly-contested game, the deadlock was broken just three minutes shy of the break through a Daniel Chima strike.
Sligo will have a tough task overturning the deficit, as they conjured up just one shot on target during the 90 minutes.
Swedish outfit Elfsborg ran riot against Daugava Daugavpils in a 7-1 triumph at the Boras Arena.
Incredibly, six of their seven goals came in the second period as only Marcus Rohden's effort separated the two sides at the break.
But an own goal from Jurijs Sokolovs, followed by goals from Lars Nilsson, a second for Rohden and Mohamed Bangura put the game beyond doubt.
Ibrahim Babatunde scored a consolation for Daugavpils, but Viktor Claesson and Sebastian Holmen added late goals to complete the drubbing.
Elsewhere, Partizan pinched a 93rd-minute equaliser courtesy of defender Vladimir Volkov against Armenian outfit Shirak.
After squandering several chances in the first-half, the home side took the lead through midfielder Davit Hakobyan.
But Partizan left it late to seal a draw and make themselves favourite for the return leg.
The fixtures between HJK and Kalju and Neftci and Skenderbeu both finished goalless, while TNS suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Legia.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv earned a 2-0 away win against Gyor, and Slovan Bratislava earned a slender advantage with a 2-1 victory over Ludogorets.
