I am going to begin on a controversial note and an incident which had absolutely nothing to do with the Champions League action on the pitch.
It was at Anfield and a minute’s silence ahead of the Liverpool-Ajax match in memory of Her Majesty the Queen.
Before kick-off, a fans’ support group called on their fellow fans to show respect and avoid a repeat of the scenes of last season’s FA and League Cup Finals when Liverpool supporters booed ‘God Save the Queen’ before kick-off.
Now, on the whole, what followed was pretty good with the majority doing just that.
Sadly, it had to be cut short as a handful of fans couldn’t even muster up 60 seconds to honour the late Monarch.
Yet I could scarcely believe what I then heard as one broadcaster said it had been impeccably observed.
Perhaps side speakers were used to drown out the heckling that occurred. Perhaps not.
But to try and pretend as if nothing happened was as shameful as the fans who let down their club as it aims to shake off a reputation it has earned for previous misdemeanours.
As for the match itself, both sides traded first half goals to go in level at the break.
First, a long ball downfield from goalkeeper Alisson was won by forward Luis Diaz before dropping into the path of Diogo Jota who flicked expertly to Mohamed Salah who finished coolly.
The forward has recently come under fire for his form but that criticism seemed harsh for a player who has been first class since arriving on Merseyside in 2017 and this was a perfect riposte.
To highlight the point, only four players have scored more goals for an English side in the Champions League than Salah has for Liverpool (34); Sergio Agüero for Man City (36), Didier Drogba for Chelsea (36), Thierry Henry for Arsenal (35) and Ruud van Nistelrooy for Man Utd (35).
Ten minutes later and Ajax replied with a slick move which saw the home side cut open down their right and culminated in Mohammed Kudus showing neat control before rifling in via the top of the crossbar.
It looked to be more frustration for the home team but, a minute from time, Joel Matip headed home to spark as much relief as joy around Anfield and last season’s tournament runners-up were off the mark.
The other English club in action were given a timely reminder of the need to play to the whistle.
Spurs had been unbeaten in the first month of the campaign and were expected by some to have too much for a club which has so often been forced to sell its best players – Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes among them.
In fairness, the visitors had a number of good chances and, while they could not break the deadlock, looked on course to earn a point in Portugal.
However, with time almost up, Paulinho headed home a corner to send the home fans into raptures and, with Spurs stunned, another substitute, Arthur Gomes, hit a fine, low strike in the third minute of stoppage time to make it two wins out of two.
The contest of the night largely expected to deliver the most Champions League highlights was in Munich as Bayern hosted Barcelona and the returning Robert Lewandowski.
One of the favourites with the SBOTOP Champions League betting odds, the Bavarians are actually my tip for this season’s competition
Yet after Bundesliga draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and high-flying Union Berlin, the German champions were again held to a 2-2 stalemate by Stuttgart at home over the weekend so big-spending Barca arrived as the form team, second in La Liga following a thrashing of lowly Cadiz.
During an evening of entertainment at the Allianz Arena, Bayern could count themselves a touch fortunate to be level at the break as Manuel Neuer made two important saves, including one from Lewandowski, while the Pole also had other chances to open the scoring.
Yet there is more substance about Bayern and, even after losing Benjamin Pavard to injury – replaced by one of their two summer signings from Ajax, Noussair Mazraoui – their structure, naturally, seems more bedded-in than new-look Barca.
Two goals in three minutes shortly after the restart provide the point.
First a corner from Joshua Kimmich was met by the unmarked Lucas Hernandez to head home.
Then after Mazraoui won possession and sent Thomas Muller through, the experienced German found Leroy Sane who slalomed into the box and rolled the ball past the advancing Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Had youngster Pedri scored instead of clipping the post when played through by Lewandowski 10 minutes later, we could have had an exciting last half hour.
But Bayern survived that and saw it through with something to spare.
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