UEFA Cup

All four Spanish teams qualified for the next round. Results were as follows:

Deportivo de La Coruña (0) 2 - Stabaek (Norway) (1) 0
Deportivo made it through to the next round doing just enough to qualify. Knowing they had to attack, they packed the side with forwards, and only the Stabaek keeper (and part time opera singer) Olsen kept them out. Eight minutes from half time Jokanovic finally beat the international minder, heading in Mauro Silva's corner. Irureta brought on Flavio Conceiçao for Jokanovic at half time, and the Brazilian midfielder, playing his first match after a long injury, tied up the game with a well struck free kick on the hour. Djalminha picked up another yellow card and will miss the first leg of the next round.

Ankaragucu (Turkey) (0) 1 - Atlético de Madrid (3) 0
With a 3-0 first leg advantage, and with a tiring journey to and from the match, Ranieri decided to leave most of his key players at home and give an opportunity to the rest of his squad. In the end their performance was disappointing, with hardly a shot at goal for their efforts and with only new boy Gustavo and reserve keeper Molina coming out of the match with any merit. The only goal of the match was scored by Birol from close range in the 84th minute.

Celta (2) 4 - Lausanne (Switzerland) (3) 0
Benni McCarthy answered his critics with a well taken hat-trick to give his side a comfortable victory in the end in a tie which had proved more difficult than expected. The recovery in the first leg from 3-0 down to end that match 3-2 set Celta up needing a low scoring one goal victory to qualify. Within 10 minutes they were ahead when McCarthy headed in Revivo's cross after a corner. Not until Mostovoi replaced Gustavo López on the hour did they wrap up the match for sure however, the Russian midfielder producing a piece of magic to score the second himself, and passing to McCarthy five minutes from time for the third. McCarthy completed his hat-trick in injury time with a diving header from a cross from Tomás.

Mallorca (3) 0 - Sigma Olomouc (Czech Rep) (1) 0
Mallorca played out an uneventful goal-less draw to qualify for the next round without pain or glory. With Stankovic and Lauren out, Vázquez gave Armando, Djokaj and Carreras their first start of the season, and brought on Diego Tristán, Quinteros and Serrizuela in the second half. The crowd in the Son Moix stadium kept themselves amused with Mexican waves, and ending up whistling at their own players for their lack of imagination. Ho hum.

The draw for the next round favoured the Spanish clubs, with relatively easy ties for all four. Pairings are as follows (Spanish teams in bold, teams drawn first play first leg at home):

Deportivo de La Coruña vs Montpellier (France)
Atlético de Madrid vs Amica Wronki (Poland)
Aris Salonica (Greece) vs Celta
FK Teplice (Czech Republic) vs Mallorca

Ties to be played on Thursday 21st October (except Aris Salonica vs Celta, 19th Oct) and Thursday 4th November.