Panathinaikos 0 - Valencia 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Angloma, Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Mendieta, Albelda, Baraja, Kily González (Vicente 74'); Angulo (Ilie 75'), Carew (Diego Alonso 87'). 4-4-2.

Goals: None.

Valencia achieved a valuable away draw in Greece to stay second behind Manchester United on four points, and more importantly to take a direct advantage over their rivals. There was concern before the game about the hostile atmosphere in Athens, a fact which has weighed heavily on Spanish clubs in recent years. In fact incredibly no Spanish team has won on Greek soil since Zaragoza beat Iraklis back in 1963, although they have managed to draw half of the twenty games played since that date. Both teams were missing key midfielders, with Paulo Sousa and Galetto missing for the home side, and Deschamps and Zahovic both out with ankle injuries for Valencia. Héctor Cúper dallied with the idea of playing Mendieta in the centre and Angulo on the wing, but in the end opted to include the more defensive Albelda alongside Baraja, with Mendieta in his natural position on the right of midfield and Angulo playing behind Carew in attack.

In the first minute Baraja surprised Nikopolidis in the Panathinaikos goal, but for the rest of the first half he was untroubled as the Greeks controlled the game, although they too only really managed one clear attempt, by Liberopoulos halfway through the half. After the break Valencia got on top, and Baraja once again went close in the opening minutes of the second half. Cúper brought on Vicente and Adrian Ilie, white boots and all, and in the last ten minutes Carew could have snatched a victory if he had not shot straight at the keeper after getting clear of his marker. Cúper was happy with the result though, and they now have a two month rest before they have to think about their double header with the English champions.