Espanyol 3 - Weder Bremen 0

Espanyol: Gorka Iraizoz; Lacruz, Torrejón, Jarque, David García; Rufete (Corominas 83'), Moisés Hurtado, De la Peña (Jonatas 79'), Riera; Pandiani (Ito 73'), Tamudo. 4-4-2.
Bremen: Wiese; Fritz, Pasanen, Naldo, Owomoyela; Frings, Baumann (Vranjes 79'), Jensen (Reinke 60'); Diego; Klose (Almeida 74'), Hunt. 4-3-1-2.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Moisés Hurtado. Header from Rufete cross following De la Peña corner.
2-0. 50. Pandiani. Glancing near post header past Wiese from De la Peña corner.
3-0. 87. Corominas. Got on end of Riera's cross to guide shot wide of Reinke.

Espanyol took a big step towards their second ever appearance in a UEFA Cup final after beating Werder Bremen 3-0 in Barcelona. With the German side in the highest reaches on the Bundesliga there was some concern before the match, but the Catalans started well, Jarque having a goal disallowed for offside in the opening minutes. And with just under 20 minutes on the clock Rufete swung the ball across following a short De la Peña corner, and Moisés Hurtado rose up to head past Wiese and open the scoring.

Werder fought back looking for that important away goal, and Girka had to be at his best to keep out a shot from Frings, and then a header from Naldo. But Espanyol were having the better of things, and soon after the restart Pandiani got the second with a glancing near post header from De la Peña's corner, his eleventh goal in the competition this season.

Any hopes the Germans had of a recovery was cut short just eight minutes later when Wiese was sent off for bringing down Tamudo outside of the area. Ex Murcia keeper Reinke came on and made good saves from Riera and Rufete, but with three minutes to go substitute Corominas added to his growing reputation for important goals when he turned Riera's cross into the net.

There was still time for Hunt to test Gorka for a last time, but the final whistle went a couple of minutes later, and "the Periquitos" had one foot in the final. The fans' euphoria was tinged though with memories of that final 19 years ago, which took place over two legs against another German side, Bayer Leverkusen. Espanyol took a 3-0 lead into the second leg, but lost with current coach Ernesto Valverde and three of his coaching staff in the team. They will not want history to repeat itself!