Champions League semi-final, first leg

Valencia 4 - Barcelona 1

Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Farinós, Gerard (Juan Sánchez 83'), Mendieta, Kily González; Angulo (Albelda 75'); Claudio 'Piojo' López (Ilie 93'). 4-4-1-1.
Barcelona: Hesp; Puyol (Bogarde 46'), Frank De Boer, Reiziger; Gabri, Guardiola, Cocu; Rivaldo; Dani (Litmanen 60'), Kluivert, Zenden (Simao 73'). 3-3-1-3.

Goals:
1-0. 08. Angulo. Shot from inside area after Djukic effort blocked by defence.
1-1. 26. Pellegrino (own goal). Turned Zenden's cross from left past his keeper.
2-1. 43. Angulo. Beat Hesp on near post after strong cross by Kily on left.
3-1. 45. Mendieta (penalty). After Puyol ruled to have brought down Angulo.
4-1. 91. Piojo López. From edge of area after centre by Carboni.

A sensational performance by Valencia left league champions Barcelona virtually out of the Champions League this year. Barcelona had been touted as favourites for this match given their experience at this level, but Valencia have been the team on form recently and it showed. An unlikely combination of the oldest defence in the Spanish first division and the youngest midfield, plus a couple of wily Argentinians up front, has worked wonders for Héctor Cúper, and after a bad start to the season Valencia are now winning everything. Cúper decided to stick to his recent line up, with Angulo playing behind Piojo López in attack, leaving the more experienced Adrian Ilie and Juan Sánchez on the bench. Carboni returned at left back after injury. The combination worked, with Angulo the man of the match, scoring two and making a penalty in the first half. Louis Van Gaal opted for attack himself, considering that the away goal was vital, and he kept Rivaldo in the position he has played recently, behind Kluivert, with two men wide on the wings. The great absence in the Barcelona side however was Figo, who was injured last week, and after much speculation as to who was to play on the right wing, the manager decided on Dani rather than his natural replacement Simao, who has been a disappointment recently. With tickets changing hands on the black market for 60,000 Pesetas a piece, the stadium was full to bursting, and the atmosphere in the Mestalla stadium was intimidating, with the world famous Manolo el Bombo (a Valencia supporter) leading the crowd with his drum. Valencia started rapidly, and within eight minutes they caught Barcelona on the hop after Mendieta's corner, the ball falling to Angulo who drove it home. Rivaldo was the only one creating chances for the visitors, and he forced a good save out of Cañizares early on from a header. In the 25th minute Valencia had the ball in the net again, but referee Urs Meier ruled out Piojo's goal for an earlier foul. A minute later Barça drew level, Pellegrino scoring in his own net following a tame cross from Zenden. Accused of being a 'fifth columnist' Pellegrino was on Barcelona's books last season, although any thought that Barcelona had placed him at Valencia for any such event was surely over-estimating Barcelona president Josep Luis Nuñez's foresight. It looked as if they would go in all square at the break, but two goals in three minutes from Valencia changed everything, with Angulo first reacting quicker than his marker on the near post to beat Hesp, and then Puyol falling into Angulo's trap to give away a penalty. At half time Van Gaal decided to replace the young defender, who was being given a hard time by Kily González on the wing, the more experienced Bogarde taking his place. Dani looked lost on the right wing and Barcelona brought on Litmanen, with the versatile Gabri moving forward, and Simao finally came on for Zenden. Angulo went off to rounds of applause to be replaced by the more defensive Albelda, and Juan Sánchez came on near the end. Valencia weren't finished though, and after Guardiola stopped Sánchez from scoring, up popped Van Gaal's nightmare, Claudio López, to score in injury time. Barcelona came back from a 3-1 deficit against Chelsea in the last round to qualify, but Valencia's fourth looks like a goal too far, especially as Figo will be at best half fit for the second leg. Valencia fans ended the match singing 'si, si, nos vamos a Paris' (we're on our way to Paris), and who would deny them after this performance?

Real Madrid 2 - Bayern Munich 0

Real Madrid: Casillas; Iván Helguera; Salgado, Karanka, Iván Campo, Roberto Carlos; McManaman, Redondo, Raúl; Morientes (Savio 60'), Anelka (Baljic 80'). 1-4-3-2.
Bayern Munich: Kahn; Babbel, Jeremies, Linke; Salihamadzic (Santa Cruz 75'), Fink, Tarnat (Wiesinger 46'), Lizarazu; Scholl; Elber (Jancker 75'), Paulo Sergio.

Goals:
1-0. 04. Anelka. Shot high into net from left after pass from Raúl.
2-0. 32. Jeremies (own goal). Ran ball past keeper after run by Salgado.

The dream of an all Spanish final was one step nearer to reality after Real Madrid took revenge on Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. Bayern had scored eight goals past them in the two matches at the league stage of the competition earlier this season, but they had lost two of their key players and Madrid were more confident after knocking out reigning champions Manchester United in the last round. Missing from the Munich side were Matthaus, now playing his football in the United States, and midfield powerhouse Effenberg, who was injured. Madrid's manager Vicente Del Bosque returned to his 'trident' formation in attack, with Anelka joining Morientes (who passed a late fitness test) in attack and Raúl playing behind them on the left of midfield. Iván Helguera took up a sweeper's role behind the back four to counter Bayern's aerial threat, although he was given the liberty to come forward and make up another body in attack as he did against Manchester United. The introduction of Anelka into the starting line up was a controversial decision, with Savio in particular unhappy about being left out. However it proved correct very early on, the French striker picking up a pass from Raúl, stopping for a second on the left to take aim and beating Kahn with a shot into the roof of the net. In one moment Anelka was pardoned by his team-mates who rushed forward to congratulate him, and the crowd started to chant his name. Madrid kept up their attacks, and in the twentieth minute Swedish referee Anders Frisk correctly disallowed a goal from Morientes for offside. Raúl was involved in everything, and on the half hour he set up Michel Salgado down the right wing. The full back cut in past one defender, and Jeremies intercepted, but he lost control and the ball ran past Kahn into his own net. Madrid closed ranks, and with Casillas once again on form and the three central defenders suffocating any attack, Munich were unable to break through. Del Bosque replaced the limping Morientes with Savio on the hour, and ten minutes from time he took off Anelka to great applause. Madrid go on to the second leg in Munich in six days time remembering the time two years ago when they reached the final after beating Borrusia Dortmund 2-0 at home then drew 0-0 away. A similar result this time will see them through. However Effenberg will be back, and Madrid will be missing Karanka and Salgado, both suspended, and Hierro is still out. Bayern keeper Kahn (who had confrontations with Anelka and the crowd during the game) said that Madrid will go through hell in Munich, drawing attention to the four goals they scored earlier in the season. They couldn't score this time however, and if Madrid can get a goal in the Olympic stadium it should be enough. That would mean that there would be a Spanish champion this year, although it remains to be seen who.