1.   But the other big summer signings, Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy, were missing altogether.

2.   Ferguson made two key signings last summer which have paid off with huge dividends.

3.   French defender Laurent Blanc was out with a broken nose but the other big summer signings, Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy, were missing altogether.

4.   In England, veteran Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson rested his two biggest summer signings and again left England captain David Beckham on the bench.

5.   Last week, Bruce was told there was no money available for new signings this summer.

6.   Sevilla battled hard but made little impact on the new-look Barcelona defense, which featured summer signings Philippe Cristanval and Patrik Andersson as its central pairing.

7.   The return of Giggs may inspire the Frenchman and probably would mean that summer signings Cruyff and Poborsky will be sitting side-by-side on the bench.

8.   Gullit confirmed that Vialli and fellow Europeans Franck Leboeuf and Roberto Di Matteo are his last major signings this summer.