Hello European football fans. At long last the Champions League is back underway and we have a cracker of a matchday one to bring you. Champions of Europe Bayern Munich are up first at the Allianz Arena against Russian side CSKA Moscow.

Last year Bayern were exhilarating. They got progressively better throughout the tournament, with the highlight being a fantastic 7-0 aggregate win over Barcelona in the semi-finals.

They have not hit the same heights so far under Guardiola, but even so have been very tough to break down already. The Spaniard has switched to one main pivot in midfield, rather than the two Heynckes used, which will naturally take a little time for the players to get used to.

CSKA are no mugs. Of course the Russian league is comparatively weaker than the Bundesliga, but after eight games they sit top by three points with six wins and two draws. This on the back of a league and cup double last year make sure that they are a very talented side.

Before I go any further, I have the team news ready for you.

BAYERN XI: Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Lahm; Robben, Muller, Kroos, Ribery; Mandzukic

CSKA XI: Akinfeev; Nababkin, Berezutski, Ignashevich, Schennikov; Wernbloom, Cauna, Zuber, Honda, Vitinho; Musa

So what can we make from that Bayern lineup? Well, Philipp Lahm once again fills in for his injured vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, who starts on the bench having been unable to fully recover. Other than that, Bayern are at full-strength, with Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Mario Mandzukic as the attack.

Not having Schweinsteiger, as good as he is, will not be as much of a blow for Bayern as the loss of Alan Dzagoev will be for the visitors. The Russia international can turn games on his own and his side will find it very tough without him. He picked up an injury at the weekend and will miss tonight altogether. Zoran Tosic also does not start, but he is at least on the bench.

Although CSKA are heavy underdogs in the group with Bayern and Manchester City the heavy favourites, they have the capabilities to go further should either slip up. Their best Champions League finish in recent memory was in 2009-10 when the made the quarters.

#UCL: #BayernMunchen are winless in their last 3 matches v Russian opposition (2D-1L). Last win: 4-0 v Spartak Moskva in CL 2006/07

— Infostrada Sports (@InfostradaLive) September 17, 2013

That statistic, however, will encourage the Russian side. It still remains, however, that Bayern are massively favoured for this one. Although CSKA have some excellent players at the back - Igor Akinfeev in goal and Sergei Ignashevich in particular - I can't see them being able to keep out the threat from left, right and centre.

Guardiola was asked in the build-up to this one about his side's chances of retaining their European trophy. As you might expect, he was diplomatic.

"It is far too early to talk about this," he said. "First all of we want to survive the group stage and qualify for the knockout rounds.

"Then we can see what happens if we are into the last 16 or semi-finals. But it is too early to talk about it today."

The two sides have never clashed, but Bayern's recent CL form suggests that it could end with a win for them. They have 12 wins from 14 - the last being that 4-0 win over Barca. Without Dzagoev, CSKA will be looking to Keisuke Honda to perform. His future is in doubt - he will leave in January - but his immediate worry is to be his side's creator.

With just over five minutes before kickoff, let's take a look at what the bookmakers think of CSKA's chances. The best odds for Bayern are 2-9, while Moscow are way, way back at 19-1. I don't think betting on them is sensible, but 15-2 for a draw could stand a chance if you want to take a risk...

Not long now, so it's time for my prediction. I'm going 2-0 to the hosts. It won't be their best showing, but they should have more than enough.

KICKOFF: We're underway here. Let's hope for some good football to get the CL started again.

Bayern win an early corner as Muller's pass is fortunately deflectd behind, but they cannot take advantage. The hosts, in their change blue strip, have started brightly and have a free kick now with David Alaba stepping up...

That is a wonderfully struck free kick from the Austian left-back! In Cristiano Ronaldo style he gets the ball up and down with so much power. The dip was such that it managed to get down under Akinfeev's dive! The keeper maybe could have done better, but take nothing away from Alaba.

SAVE! This is going to be very, very tough now for the hosts. You have to feel that their chance was to ride the inevitable early pressure. Akinfeev makes a fine save there as Muller plays in Mandzukic but the keeper gets a foot to it.

Dominant stuff from Bayern here. When they do lose the ball they are right in the face of CSKA - that's the Guardiola influence. Akinfeev is forced to slice a kick into the stands.

Ribery is too easily past Nababkin there, as he shimmies left to cross, but Manzukic can't get on the end and it's header clear. They come again with Ribery, Mandzukic and Alaba combining. The left-back has so much licence to roam, the movement is magnificent to watch from Bayern so far.

First sign of a threat from CSKA and that has to go down as a chance. Musa heads down a long ball to Honda, who gives it back. He drives from the left towards the middle but his shot from just outside the box bobbles wide.

CHANCE: Mandzukic beats Ignashevich in the air then from Alaba's cross from wide. That he won the header meant that he should probably have found the target from six yards out, but instead it goes over.

It's interesting that Lahm has been trusted with the deep playmaker role, which will surely go to Javi Martinez when he is back. The role is key to Guardiola's system, with Sergio Busquets playing it for Barca. Off the ball he drops deep to almost become another centre back but drifts up through the middle with the ball.

That's a really good ball from Alaba, it just needed to be a bit closer to the goal. It fizzes across around the penalty area, but if it had been at the six-yard box would have caused real trouble. Neuer plays a bit of rush goalie to pinch the ball away from Musa.

There has been so much space on the left early on for both Ribery and Alaba. CSKA are a bit tighter on the other side to Robben, as Rafinha bursts into the box and rifles a shot into the side netting. Tough angle to score from, but a decent effort.

CSKA have managed to just tighten up in the last few minutes. They are now forcing Ribery inside, who tries to shoot through a wall of bodies but his shot is deflected to Akinfeev. Honda is the visitors' big threat on the counter and looks lively.

Lovely play there. The two wingers of Bayern both cut in, with Robben playing to Ribery, who shimmies a couple of defenders before threading it back through. Robben is wide, however, and cannot get his shot on an angle on target.

Oh my word, Rafinha is close to suffering a snapped ankle there. It was actually Lahm who came in from the side to win the ball, but ended up catching his right-back. On replay, both his ankle and knee looked to bend awkwardly. He's up and walking off, which is good news.

CSKA have come into the game a little more now. They're certainly seeing more of the ball than they were early on. That said, they've only created that one half-chance thus far.

Vitinho was so wasteful there. Schennikov had powered forward from left-back but the midfielder just took too many touches and the chance was gone. That would have been a real opportunity to get a ball into the box.

A shot on target for CSKA. It's Vitinho, who shot right-footed from the left corner of the box, but Neuer is well behind it and will not spill those.

Only Musa is not behind the ball when Bayern have possession. It's a good tactic against Bayern to limit their space, but the early goal has pretty much scuppered any success it might have. Mandzukic and Robben get in each other's way from a ball fizzed into feet by Toni Kroos.

POST! So close to 2-0! Rafinha crossed from the right, with Ribery's initial header picking out Mandzukic, whose own effort with the head beat Akinfeev but bounced out off the far post.

Ribery is given space to run and tries a little clip over the defender's foot to Mandzukic, but it was too delicate for his striker.

That is a fine example of how not to defend at a set piece. Robben clips in a free kick from out wide and Mandzukic - perhaps offside, I'll need to see again - as the first Bayern man nods low past Akinfeev. That's surely the result now.

Bayern finishing the half with pretty much all the possession. They are finding pockets of space and CSKA cannot get close, despite Honda's best efforts.

One minute of stoppage time added on, will there be another goal? I don't think so myself.

A typical Bayern display has seen them go in at the break deservedly ahead. It could have been more than the 2-0 it is, but they have been completely in control barring one or two slack passes.

CSKA have really missed the creativity of Dzagoev. Musa has been isolated up front at times and, despite Honda running an awful lot, Bayern have been more than comfortable at the back.

CSKA's game plan to keep it tight was undone early on. Alaba won a free kick - which was soft in fairness - and stepped up himself to drill it over the wall and back under Akinfeev. My issue was with the wall - had they jumped then it's not going in!

The players are coming back out. There has been a change for the visitors. Tosic is on a little earlier than expected, with Vitinho making way.

KICKOFF: The hosts get us back underway then.

The ball has spent much of the last three minutes in the air. Bayern are now looking to keep it on the floor, although Neuer hoofs it upfield, with Robben fouled going up with Berezutski.

SAVE! Fine effort from Robben. The ball goes in the air and comes back down to Robben, who catches a volley but Akinfeev turns it around the post. He didn't know a great deal about that, but did his job.

CSKA have come out with a bit more energy in this half and are pressing much higher up the pitch. Musa almost gets in by nipping past Boateng, but Rafinha gets in and then draws the foul.

The quality from Bayern is right down this half. A lot of that is probably down to CSKA who have battled much harder, but the passing is nothing like as crisp as it was from the hosts.

SAVE: Standard stuff for Akinfeev really. He moves to his left to hold a Robben shot from the edge of the box that was hit with his weaker foot. He still needed to hang on, though. At the other end Boateng heads behind for a rare CSKA corner - their first, in fact.

CSKA have been really wasteful with their crossing and passing in the final third. Honda doesn't beat the first man with a free kick and just before that Zuber shot from outside the box when a pass left was on.

Mandzukic split the centre-backs there with his run to get on the end of a diagonal long ball from Dante, but on the stretch he doesn't get enough on it and Akinfeev saves.

Oh, lovely play there. Bayern go all the way back to Boateng, who gets it forward to Kroos. He plays a one-two with Muller and then looks for Robben. The Dutchman turns and tries to thread in Mandzukic with a through-ball, but it was well cut out in the end by Ignashevich.

Musa still is really struggling up front on his own. He is the outlet with the ball played in front of him, but Boateng has him in his back pocket - strength is winning the battle against pace at the back for Bayern.

Lovely, lovely stuff. Alaba, again bursting through into midfield, clips over the defence - who were pressing up for the offside - to Robben. He has time to chest down and half-volley into the net to wrap up the win.

BAYERN SUB: If Ribery's pass there to Muller on the right was a bit less strong, he would have had a chance to cross. Here comes Bastian Schweinsteiger, who comes on for Kroos.

CSKA SUB: Schweinsteiger is almost straight in and tries to get on the end of a deep cross, but is beaten to it by Berezutski. Bazelyuk comes on for Musa.

BAYERN SUB: Rest time for Mandzukic, who has been tireless up top. Claudio Pizarro comes on for him, whose goals per minute ratio is exceptional.

The flurry of substitutions has disrupted the flow of the game somewhat, but despite that Bayern have got themselves on top once more. CSKA, however, break through Honda but his final ball is again poor and it's cut out.

CSKA SUB: Zuber, who has worked hard but has hardly been in the game, makes way Georgi Milanov.

BAYERN SUB: It's becoming end-to-end now as CSKA, in fairness to them, look for a goal. The most likely outcome is for Bayern to get another on the break, however, as the third goalscorer Robben comes off for Xherdan Shaqiri.

Dante has been an absolute rock at the back. He's not the quickest, but makes up for that by being a tank. Shaqiri gets involved for the first time and shoots low from the edge of the box, but without power and Akinfeev gathers.

Decent effort from Milanov there, who flicks the ball up and volleys. But despite dipping it was always going over and hits the roof of Neuer's net, who had it well covered.

Bayern are passing comfortably again. Pizarro puts the ball in after a lovely flowing move, but he was well offside as Muller pokes it through.

CLOSE! Shaqiri surely has to score. Muller clips a fine cross in front of him in the box, but he's so one-footed he doesn't get anything on it and instead pokes it wide. He has to hit the target at the very least.

SAVE! It's a late onslaught from Bayern. Schweinsteiger shoots hard and low from the outside of the box and the Russian keeper is down well to save.

As another CSKA move breaks down, three minutes of time have been added on at the end of the game.

Bayern are passing around to see this one out now. I'm not sure they want another goal now - their work has been done.

Bayern do what was required, and what was expected. They fully deserve their 3-0 win to get their defence of their title off to the best possible start.

In the other game in the group, Manchester City have beaten Viktoria Plzen 3-0. So no surprises on matchday one of Group D.

Thanks for joining me for this one. We will be back tomorrow night for more live Champions League football, but until then stick around tonight for the reports and reaction from groups A-D. Goodnight.