Champions League

Deportivo 1 - Bayer Leverkusen 3

Deportivo: Nuno;Héctor (Diego Tristán 68'), César, Naybet, Capdevila; Mauro Silva, Duscher (Sergio 60'); Pandiani (Valerón 60'), Djalminha, Amavisca; Makaay. 4-2-3-1.
Leverkusen: Butt; Sebescen, Lucio, Nowotny, Placente; Schneider (Zivkovic 92'), Basturk (Vranjes 87'); Ramelow, Ballack, Zé Roberto; Brdaric (Neuville 63'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 34. Ballack. Headed in off crossbar after Brdaric centred in from left wing.
0-2. 54. Schneider. Turned ball in on far post after corner headed on.
1-2. 75. Diego Tristán. Shot across goal which span in off Nowotny past Butt.
1-3. 85. Neuville. Angled header down past Nuno after cross in from right.

Group D final league table:
Bayer Leverkusen.... 10 points
Deportivo..................... 10 points
Arsenal........................... 7 points
Juventus................... .... 7 points

Deportivo La Coruña put in a disappointing performance at the Riazor stadium, missing out on the chance to finish group champions after losing 1-3 to Bayer Leverkusen. With qualification for the quarter finals effectively in the bag, Irureta left Molina, Sergio, Valerón and Diego Tristán on the bench, with Nuno making a rare appearance in goal and Pandiani playing on the right wing. They were missing the inspiration of their top players though, and allowed themselves to be dominated by a German side who needed a win to be sure of classifying for the next round. Brdaric, Schneider and Basturk all missed good opportunities to open the scoring, but shortly before half time it was Ballack who finally beat Nuno with a powerful header in off the bar from Brdaric's cross. Brdaric hit the bar before half time, and César was lucky not to give away a penalty after he brought the striker down in the area a minute or two later.

Depor seemed to improve after the break, but a lapse of concentration let in Schneider to score from close range following a corner. Depor brought on the big guns, with Valerón and Sergio coming on fifteen minutes in to the second half and Diego Tristán a few minutes later, but even so Nuno was forced to make a spectacular save from substitute Neuville a few minutes later. Diego Tristán did pull a fortunate goal back, his shot taking a wicked deflection off Nowotny to wrong-foot Butt, and for ten minutes or so there was hope of an equaliser. However Neuville put the result beyond doubt heading down past the Portuguese keeper a few minutes later, and Zé Roberto could even have made it four in the last minute. Having beaten Depor in both group games the German side finish group champions, and although the Gallicians go through to the quarter finals as runners up, they could now meet Real Madrid or Barcelona in next round.