The first day of the Champions League came and went. While the first game never dictates how an entire tournament will play out, a few lessons were learned. Here are the five major takeaways from game day one of the Champions League.
1. Jose Mourinho and Chelsea are in trouble
The Blues are in trouble. After winning the Europa League under Rafa Benitez, they have seemingly taken a step back under new coach Jose Mourinho. The defense is compact and structured, but after that the team lacks offensive drive. Many thought that Chelsea's lack of offensive force against Manchester United a few weeks ago in a 0-0 draw was all part of strategy to limit the home team and simply work on the counterstrike. Now it is becoming clear that this is Mourinho's only way to play the game and it is not working with his new team. The 2-1 loss against Basel show how a well-structured defensive side does not need to worry about Chelsea's offense, even when it possesses such stars as Oscar, Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Frank Lampard.
2. Napoli is for real
Borussia Dortmund apologists will say that Napoli was home and had an extra man on the field for the 2-1 win on Wednesday, but the reality is that Dortmund looked rattled early on in the game even before Coach Jurgen Klopp was ejected. The Italian side under Rafa Benitez just seemed to have so much offensive drive and created a plethora of chances with abandon. Napoli has three points and is in the driver's seat to win Group F.
3. The Spanish teams are legitimate threats
Real Madrid and Barcelona did what they were expected to do, but no one expected them to put up blowouts against distinguished sides like Galatasaray and Ajax. Both scorelines were ultimately somewhat flattering considering how well their opponents played them in the first half, but the ultimate result showcased two teams with bonafide superstars carrying their respective sides to victory. Atletico Madrid showed that it is no slouch and is ready for this competition after winning defeating Zenit St. Petersburg 3-1 in its opener. Real Sociedad is the only Spanish side that is not a legitimate threat, but they almost damaged Shakhtar Donetsk's night in a 1-0 loss.
4. Manchester City may finally be ready for the knockout rounds
Viktoria Plzen is not an opponent that would scare many teams, but no one can really blame the English side for the Group draw it received. This was a test the team needed to pass and it did so with flying colors. This was not a match in which City looked lost and overwhelmed and just managed to squeak by; this was a game where the team showed what everyone hoped it was capable of doing in the last two years.
5. Bayern Munich is ready to defend its title
CSKA Moscow is a solid team, but obviously not in the same league as Bayern Munich. The Bavarian side made sure no one questioned that statement by putting together a dominating 3-0 win on Tuesday. Early concerns about the team's slow adaptation to Pep Guardiola's tiki-taka were dispelled as the team executed to perfection and looked unstoppable.
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