curtain raiser

After the women opened the season on Saturday with their giant slalom on the Austrian glacier, the men battled poor visibility and welcome wintry weather in their traditional curtain raiser.

Twelve months ago, on the eve of their Champions League curtain raiser against Slovan Bratislava, the manager said he was "in the best place I've been" at the club.

This year's Earthshot is being viewed as the curtain raiser to COP which is due to begin a few days later in Belém, the gateway to the Amazon.

It was a personal and at times touching five minute curtain raiser for the main event.

A jam-packed opening day will feature all the teams in action, with last season's surprise package Aston Villa hosting runners-up Manchester United in the curtain raiser, which will be live on the BBC.