But the most striking results on the first night of the group stage came from the competition's newcomers on the road, with Romanian team CFR Cluj upsetting AS Roma 2-1 and Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus holding Werder Bremen 0-0.
Chelsea, which lost May's final on penalty kicks, crushed Bordeaux 4-0; five-time champion Liverpool rallied to win 2-1 at Marseille; 2006 winner Barcelona overcame Sporting Lisbon 3-1 and Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan beat Panathinaikos 2-0.
Atletico Madrid ended its 11-year absence with a 3-0 win at PSV Einhoven, while Shakhtar Donetsk won 2-1 despite FC Basel scoring a late goal.
Fernando Torres was back spearheading Liverpool's attack after recovering from injury as Liverpool was given a tougher test than last year's visit to the Stade Velodrome when it left with a 4-0 victory.
Marseille went ahead in the 23rd when Benoit Cheyrou lofted the ball over and Lorik Cana sidefooted past goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
The flares were still being launched when Steven Gerrard struck within three minutes with a rasping shot that looped into the net from 25 yards.
"It was amazing. It was a fantastic goal, it shows the quality he has," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.
Gerrard put Liverpool ahead in the 31st from the penalty spot at the second attempt after Ronald Zubar had tripped Ryan Babel. It was Gerrard's 99th career goal.
"We played well in the first half, but in the second they pinned us in and put us under a lot of pressure," Gerrard said. "They've got small guys who are really quick and can pass around you."
Atletico hadn't played in the Champions League this century, but Sergio Aguero scored twice and Maniche added another to give the Spaniards a winning start at PSV.
Chelsea began the new European campaign emphatically, with Frank Lampard scoring and playing provider.
He powered in a header in the 14th on Jose Bosingwa's cross, before his inviting cross allowed Joe Cole to nod in at the near post in the 30th after rising above Alou Diarra.
Florent Malouda put the Group A match beyond doubt in the 82nd when put clear by Lampard's well-timed backheel. Anelka added a fourth in injury time.
"It is important to start with a win because in this competition you never know what will happen," Chelsea manaer Luiz Felipe Scolari said. "You see that Cluj beat Roma. That is a warning for us for the next game. It is important to win and if you play well that is better."
Cluj stole the headlines by stunning Roma on two goals from Argentine midfielder Juan Culio.
A 25-year-old journeyman playing his first Champions League match, Culio scored in the 27th and 49th minutes after Christian Panucci had put Roma in front at Stadio Olimpico, which will host this season's final on May 27.
Panucci headed in a pass from Daniele De Rossi in the 17th minute for his 13th goal in 99 European matches.
But Juan Culio equalized six minutes later, splitting two defenders with a diagonal shot from the edge of the area, and Juan Culio struck again in the 47th, volleying in a loose ball from the center of the area.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will hope the victory over Sporting has an impact on his team's domestic form and its worst start in 35 years.
Defender Rafael Marquez headed in Xavi Hernandez's corner in the 21st and Samuel Eto'o doubled the lead on the hour from the penalty spot.
Tonel stabbed home a cross in the 72nd to pull a goal back before Xavi scored in the 87th to secure Guardiola's first win of the season.
Inter took an early lead in Group B after Amantino Mancini and Adriano scored in manager Jose Mourinho's first European game with the Italian club.
Anorthosis Famagusta, the first Cypriot team to enter the Champions League, drawing 0-0 at Werder Bremen.
