Celta (1) 3 - Barcelona (2) 2

Celta: Pinto; Velasco, Cáceres, Berizzo, Juanfran (Edu 46'); Jayo, Giovanella; Karpin, Mostovoi; Gustavo López (Jesuli 70'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Reina; Reiziger, Cocu, Frank De Boer, Sergi; Guardiola, Petit; Luis Enrique, Rivaldo (Xavi 80'), Overmars (Zenden 65'); Kluivert (Gerard 90'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 28. Rivaldo. Took pass from Overmars, steadied and shot in top corner
1-1. 33. Catanha. Picked up pass from Mostovoi and shot over Reina.
1-2. 43. Rivaldo. Thirty yard free kick over wall and in off crossbar.
2-2. 63. Gustavo López (penalty). After Kluivert ruled to have fouled Mostovoi.
3-2. 92. Mostovoi. Volleyed past Reina after ball in from Edu.

Two spectacular first half goals by Rivaldo were enough to see Barcelona through to a semi-final tie with Liverpool, although they suffered in the end as Celta came back strongly towards the end of the match. The Brazilian striker missed the first leg as he was away playing for his country, but he returned to give his side the lead in this match with a strike into the top corner of the net after good work by Overmars and Guardiola. Catanha also missed that match through suspension, and he too made his mark with a well taken goal, the defence failing to close him down as he picked up a pass from Mostovoi and shot over the surprised Reina to level the scores a few minutes later.

For a while Celta were on top, with Reina making good saves from a newly blond Juanfran and from Catanha. But once again it was Rivaldo who restored the lead with a free kick which thundered in to the net off Pinto's crossbar just before the break. On the away goal rule it meant that Celta would have to score three more, but they came out after half time determined to get back in the game, pinning Barcelona back in their own half right from the start, with Edu coming on to strengthen the attack. It was a hard fought and at times bad-tempered match, with the Celta players in particular going in hard, the memory of last week's controversial refereeing decisions fresh in their minds. However just after the hour mark they got a ruling in their favour, German referee Markus Merk awarding a penalty after Kluivert and Catanha went up for a ball together in the penalty area. Gustavo López had no problem beating Reina from the spot kick and Celta were back in the game.

Five minutes from the end of normal time Mostovoi got the ball in the net but the referee disallowed the goal for a foul by Catanha. Serra Ferrer made changes, bringing on Xavi for Rivaldo and Gerard for Kluivert to pack his defence and eat up time. Reina was lucky to get away with a rough challenge on Catanha in the area, and then in the third minute of injury time Mostovoi forced the ball in the net again and this time it counted. The last couple of minutes were nerve racking, and when Merk blew the final whistle tempers exploded, Mostovoi getting mentioned in the referee's report for pushing a linesman as the players came off the field. Rivaldo's away goals had won the day and Serra Ferrer carries on a little longer in his job. The two clubs will meet again at the end of the season in the semi-final of the Spanish cup. Hopefully things will have calmed down by then.