18 APRIL 2001
BAYERN MUNICH 2-1 MAN UNITED
Elber 5 Giggs 49
Scholl 40
Man United's sorry excuse for a defence gave Bayern a dream start. Sagnol
picked out Tarnat who was in acres on space on the left flank, Jancker, Brown
and Stam missed his cross, Elber didn't, 1-0. Jancker helped on Kuffour's long
free kick, Elber passed to Scholl, he clipped a beautiful first time pass into
the box and Jancker crashed the ball against the underside of the crossbar.
Jancker failed to punish Brown's hospital pass. Scholl cleared Cole's effort
off the line. A marvellous dribble by Jeremies(!) set up Bayern's second
although maybe calling his run a dribble is an exxageration as anyone can get
past donkey Silvestre. Jeremies passed to Elber, he turned the ball onto
Zickler, donkey #2 Gary Neville got a touch, and Scholl slammed the ball
past Barthez. Kahn let a well struck effort from Cole slip through his hands
but the ball bounced to safety.
Man United, desperately short on ideas, resorted to slinging longs balls into
the box. One proved to be successful - Giggs chipped Kahn from close range.
Nerves set in for the home side as Man United threatened to stage another
miracle comeback. Khan made a spectacular one handed save from an equally
spectacular shot by Giggs. Scholes hit a volley straight at Kahn. Sheringham
blew two guilt edged chances.
Interesting comments by Keane after the match :
"To say that we're not good enough is hard to accept but it's a fact. It's
upto the manager now. I think maybe this team has come to an end especially
in Europe, we've not performed over the past two years. We'll have to wait
and see.".
Assists : Tarnat, Scholes
Bayern win 3-1 on aggregate
REAL MADRID 3-0 GALATASARAY
Raul 15, 37
Helguera 28
Macca and Salgado blocked off Hasan as he tried to counter attack from a
corner, Macca passed to Salgado and his first time cross was poked in by Raul.
Taffarel should have cut out the cross. A brilliant header by Helguera gave
Real the lead on aggregate. Macca, now on the left flank, playing in Raul
with a beautiful disguised pass and his first time shot gave Taffarel no
chance.
Guti should have scored a fourth in the first minute of the second half.
Gala, unquestionably the dirtiest team in Europe, then resorting to their
trademark cheating. Jardel's back heel gave Emre a great opening which he
wasted with a mindless, cowardly dive when Roberto Carlos slid in (and got
nowhere near). Another dive, this time by Akin Bulent deep in his own half
went unpunished when Figo shot straight at Taffarel. As Real were preparing
to take the corner, a small object struck the back of Okan's head. He waited
a few second (this is no exaggeration) then went down clutching his FACE.
Emre stupidly picked up a projectile and launched it into the stands. Minutes
later Arif made another half arsed appeal for a penalty, by this time even
the Dutch commentator (I was watching the match on a Dutch satellite
channel) didn't even bother to mention the incident. Jardel wasted a header.
Korkmaz Bulent went straight through the back of Raul and referee Frisk, who
I thought was pathetic, only gave a yellow card. Figo may have been elbowed
in the face, the replay wasn't clear.
Galatasaray are a disgrace to football. Glad they're out. UEFA should give
them a massive fine but they won't.
Real win 5-3 on aggregate
17 APRIL 2001
DEPORTIVO 2-0 LEEDS
Djalminha 9 (Pen)
Tristan 72
Kewell gave his team the worst possible start by pushing Victor in the box.
Djalminha converted the penalty. Depor had two more penalty appeals turned
down. The challenge by Dacourt on Donato was 50/50 but as the ball broke in
the box Smith went straight through Djalminha? A desperate block by Ferdinand
denied Makaay and Smith wasted a great opportunity late in the half to give
Leeds some desperately needed breathing space. He pounced on a mistake by
Donato, rounded Molina but shot into the side netting.
Martyn made a fantastic fingertip save to keep out Romero's powerful drive.
Dacourt made a great run from the half way line but finished weakly. Makaay
headed against the crossbar. A quickly taken free kick cut the deficit to one
goal. Substitute Tristan turned in Valeron's centre at the near post. Molina
made a brilliant save from Viduka to ensure a nervy finish for the visitors.
Leeds rode their luck. They can console themselves in the fact that Valencia
are nowhere near as good in attack as Deportivo but then they are a lot
better in defence.
Assists : Victor, Valeron
Leeds win 3-2 on aggregate.
VALENCIA 1-0 ARSENAL
Carew 75
The only noteworthy chance of the first half fell to Carew. The giant striker
combined brilliantly on the left with Vicente, his shot deflected off Adams
forcing Seamen into a brilliant save.
Ljunberg and Mendieta had non-penalty appeals turned down. Henry intercepted
a slack pass from Angloma, cut inside the box and from a tight angle flashed
the ball across the face of goal. Angloma picked out Mendieta from a
throw-in. Mendieta found himself double teamed by Pires and Cole so knocked
the ball back to Angloma, he sent a first time cross into the box and the
much maligned Carew easily rose above Adams to head past Seamen. If Seamen
wasn't so fat he could have got across and saved.
Arsenal rarely threatened. For all their possession Valencia were very
disappointing.
Valencia win on away goals, 2-2.
4 APRIL 2001
LEEDS 3-0 DEPORTIVO
Harte 26
Smith 50
Rio Ferdinand 66
Harte (one of the best left backs in Europe) found Bowyer in acres of space
with a superb cross field pass, Bowyer's first touch took him clear of Romero
but Molina denied the competitions top scorer another goal with a superb
block. Smith did the Serie A trick - pulled his markers shirt then fell to
the floor. Harte smashed the free kick into the roof of the net. Smith made
up for a horrendous first half miss by brilliantly stealing between his
markers to head past Molina. Ramis foolishly headed Harte's corner back
into play and Rio Ferdinand headed in his first ever Leeds goal. Martyn made
a fantastic save late on from Pandiani, Depor's only real chance of the
match.
Assists : Smith, Harte
ARSENAL 2-1 VALENCIA
Henry 58 Ayala 41
Parlour 60
From Pires' corner Viera headed against the post and from the rebound Henry's
goal bound effort was charged down. Arsenal's offside trap gave Carew a one
on one with Seamen, Seamen made a superb save and from the rebound Carew
struck the post. Dixon weakly headed Mendieta's cross straight to Ayala and
he volleyed Valencia into the lead.
Wiltord's left wing cross found Pires via Kanu, he slipped in Henry with a
back heel and as Valencia appealed for offside Henry drew Arsenal level.
Parlour took the ball off Kanu, drove forward and left fly from 30yds with
an unstoppable shot. Viera released Henry with a superb pass, Henry flew
past Ayala, went round Canizares and just before he was about to pull the
trigger old man Angloma got back to clear. Henry was denied again, this
time by Molina's outstretched foot.
IF Arsenal can match their physical dominance of the second half they have a
chance but Valencia are clearly favourites to make their second successive
semi-final.
Assists : Pires, Kanu
3 APRIL 2001
MAN UNITED 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH
P Sergio 86
Andy Cole was guilty of two misses that cost Man United's dearly. Beckham
found him in yards of space on the left side of goal but he volleyed well
over. A deflection off Andersson gave him another clear opening but again
he blazed over the bar.
Barthez made excellent saves from Elber and Jeremies (twice). Zickler
volleyed against the crossbar and on the rebound Silvestre handled Elber's
shot inside the box. Horrific defending gifted Bayern a deserved winner.
Effenberg sent a deep free kick into the box, Linke flicked it on, Elber
missed and Paulo Sergio volleyed in at the far post. Salihamidzic picked out
Zickler with a phenomenal cross field pass but he volleyed over.
Man United were absolutely awful, as they have been throughout this year's
Champions League. There was zero invention. Giggs was even more anonymous
than Beckham and Cole did his usual choke job. Bayern should have won by at
least two clear goals. Effenberg was fantastic. Of course anything can happen
in the return leg which Salihamidzic, Lizarazu and Beckham will miss due to
suspension.
Assist : Linke
GALATASARAY 3-2 REAL MADRID
Umit 47 (Pen) Helguera 33
Hasan 66 Makelele 43
Jardel 75
Bloody hell, talk about a game of two halves! Yes I know it's a tired old
cliché but it's the first time I've ever used it.
Roberto Carlos passed to McManaman wide on the left flank, he played a
one-two with Raul and rolled a perfect pass to Figo but he shot wide.
Helguera headed Real into the lead from a Figo free kick. Real's second was
a super individual goal. From a throw-in Roberto Carlos found Raul, Makelele
ran onto his knock-down, vaulted over Bulent's desperate challenge and
cracked the ball low into the corner.
Jardel had already wasted a guilt edged chance before Collina awarded Gala a
penalty for a stupid, stupid challenge on Hasan by first half hero Makelele.
Umit embarrassed Casillas from the penalty spot. Substitute Fatih turned the
game in Gala's favour. He beat Salgado to a hopeful punt upfield and pulled
the ball back for Hasan to shoot first time past Casillas. Helguera cheaply
gave the ball away in midfield, Okan released Fatih, he ran unchallenged down
the left flank and whipped a cross into the box which Jardel powered past
Casillas. There was a brief floodlight failure. After the re-start Jardel had
a goal disallowed for offside. Deep into injury time Okan blazed over from
close range.
Real have two away goals, Gala has a one goal lead. This one is wide open.
Fantastic match. Gala laid absolute siege to Real in the second half. They
should play like that more often.
Assists : Figo, Raul, Hasan, Fatih (x2)
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