FC Barcelona 4 FC Porto 2

FC Barcelona took charge of Group A with this win over Portuguese champions FC Porto.

Barca recovered from a poor opening that echoed their misery at the Bernabeu last Saturday night in the 3-0 loss to Real Madrid. Jardel took full advantage of the space allowed to him by the home defence after Esquerdina put him clear and he beat Rud Hesp with a neat finish.

Jardel is the top scorer in the Champions League but if the fifth minute of this game was his then the remaining eighty five belonged to the Spanish champions.

Rivaldo scored with a low drive in the 16th minute and Barca were back in the groove. Luis Figo drifted in a great cross in the 22nd minute for Frank De Boer to leap and drive a header into the net and Patrick Kluivert converted a loose bal in the area in the last seconds of the first half.

The excellent Jardel managed his second goal of the night - and seventh of the competition - in the 77th minute but Rivaldo had the last word with a neat left foot drive.