Champions League

Real Madrid 2 - Dynamo Kiev 2

Real Madrid: Casillas; Salgado, Hierro, Karanka, Roberto Carlos; Geremi (Iván Helguera 63'), Redondo, Guti, McManaman (Meca 60'); Raúl, Morientes. 4-3-1-2.

Real Madrid were in trouble for much of this match, but in the end they did enough to have a reasonable chance of qualifying from their group in second place. With a 1-2 victory in the first match in Kiev, a draw would put them ahead of their opponents on head-to-head goal average if the two are level on points at the end of the second league phase. There had been talk midweek that Savio could be fit enough to play, but in the end he wasn't and Del Bosque decided to only make one change from the team that lost heavily in Munich, bringing in McManaman for a rare start in place of the more defensive Iván Helguera. Madrid started well, and after Raúl and Redondo had gone close, Raúl opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute after Gerasimenko had brought down Morientes. Two minutes later French referee Alain Sars awarded a second penalty, this time to Kiev for a foul by Salgado on Demetradze, but Casillas guessed correctly, diving to his right to save Rebrov's kick. In the 24th minute there was yet another penalty after Holovko tripped Raúl, but this time it was the Kiev keeper Shovkovski who saved from the Madrid forward. Four minutes from half time Dynamo were level, the home defence caught ball watching as Rebrov headed on a corner for Katskevitch to head home a simple goal with no defender even close. Ten minutes into the second half Kiev moved into the lead after Hierro turned Demetradze's cross past his own keeper, and Madrid were mathematically out of the competition. Del Bosque decided to put on another forward, and with Anelka suspended without pay for six weeks after refusing to train, Meca was given another chance, coming on for McManaman on the hour mark. Casillas made another great save from Rebrov before Roberto Carlos saved the day, his free kick from outside of the area spinning out of Shovkovski's hands and bouncing past him in to the net. Del Bosque put on Helguera for Geremi, knowing that a draw would keep them in the competition, and Lobanosky took off Rebrov for the same reason. Madrid and Kiev are now level on seven points, six behind Bayern Munich and six ahead of Rosenborg. Everything now depends on the last match, with Madrid's worst enemy probably being the possible cold weather in Trondheim against a Rosenborg team who are already out of the competition. A victory will see them through, but a similar result to the Dynamo Kiev versus Bayern Munich game on the same day will suffice. If they get through, there is a 33% chance that they could meet Barcelona in the quarter finals. The mind boggles.


Barcelona 3 - Hertha Berlin 1

Barcelona: Hesp; Frank De Boer, Abelardo (Déhu 52'); Puyol, Xavi, Bogarde; Ronald De Boer (Litmanen 70'), Gabri; Figo (Simao 46'), Kluivert, Rivaldo. 2-3-2-3.

Barcelona came back from behind to beat a Berlin side whose only remaining interest in the competition was pride and the lucrative prize money for winning points. Van Gaal brought in two of his youngsters, Xavi and Gabri in place of Guardiola and Cocu, both injured, and they got a goal apiece to turn the game around after Brazilian striker Alves had given the visitors the lead with a header in the sixth minute. Xavi's goal came in the tenth minute, his shot taking a deflection off a defender, and Gabri scored just after half time with a solo run which began on the halfway line. Earlier Hertha's Hungarian goalkeeper Kiraly had kept out efforts from Figo, Ronaldo De Boer, Rivaldo and Kluivert. Figo and Abelardo both picked up yellow cards around half time which means that they will miss their next match against Sparta Prague, but more importantly will be available for the quarter finals without fear of losing another game. Abelardo's hand ball was more subtle, but Figo's blatant obstruction may be construed by UEFA as a deliberate attempt to get a card, and could get him into trouble. With one eye on Saturday's vital game with Deportivo Van Gaal took off Figo, Abelardo and Ronald De Boer in the second half, with Simao and Litmanen returning from injury to get a brief run out, and Déhu coming on to appease the French television audience. Hertha only managed one attempt at goal in the second half, and eight minutes from time Kluivert got a well-merited goal after Litmanen's shot fell to him in the penalty area. Barcelona head their group with 13 points, with Oporto on 7, Sparta Prague on 5 and Hertha on 2. Barcelona are top scorers in the Champions League with 34 goals to their name so far.


Girondins Bordeaux 1 - Valencia 4

Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Mendieta (Björklund 55'), Farinós, Gerard, Kily González (Oscar 85'); Ilie (Angulo 72'),Sánchez. 4-4-2.

Valencia followed up their victory last week against Fiorentina with another good win at Bordeaux which moves them up to second place in their group. A point now at home to Manchester United will put them through to the quarter finals as runners up, and they could even end up as group winners if they can beat the English champions by 3-0 or better. Héctor Cúper was without the suspended Claudio López, with Juan Sánchez an able substitute for the Argentinian striker. The rest of the side was unchanged. Needing a victory, Valencia went on the attack from the start, with Ilie, Gerard and Mendieta going close in the early minutes. Bordeaux came back, and could have snatched a goal through Wiltford and then Feindouno if Cañizares had not been on top form. Four minutes from half time Valencia took the lead through Djukic following a corner from Ilie, and just after the break they got their second after the Austrian referee Stuclik awarded a penalty for a foul by Saveljic on Sánchez. Mendieta scored from the spot kick, and Saveljic received a red card, leaving his side struggling two down and with ten men. However Bordeaux's most effective forward Wiltford pulled one back a few minutes later, and matters got worse for the visitors when their captain Gaizka Mendieta went off with a knee injury, defender Björklund coming on in his place. Mendieta is likely to be out for three or four weeks, and will miss the next match and possibly the quarter finals as well. Valencia wrapped it up twenty minutes from time through on form Kily González, his powerful shot entering the net off the crossbar. Cúper immediately took off Ilie and brought on Angulo, an extra man in midfield, but they continued to attack and Juan Sánchez added a fourth in injury time. Valencia are now two points ahead of Fiorentina on 9 points, with Manchester United on 12 and Bordeaux out of it on one. With Beckham suspended and Alex Ferguson likely to rest some players, Valencia should get the point they need to see them through.

European Champions League