Barcelona 0 - Real Madrid 2

Barcelona: Bonano; Reiziger (Geovanni 59'), Frank De Boer, Abelardo (Christanval 73'), Motta (Gabri 82'); Luis Enrique, Rochemback, Cocu; Saviola, Kluivert, Overmars. 4-3-3.
Real Madrid: César; Michel Salgado, Hierro, Pavón, Roberto Carlos; Iván Helguera, Makelele; Zidane, Raúl, Solari (Flavio Conceiçao 89'); Guti (McManaman 80'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 55. Zidane. Ran on to through ball from Raúl to chip over Bonano into net.
0-2. 92. McManaman. Took pass from Flavio on right of goal to lob keeper.

Report by C.P.Rune

With the season coming to a climax and issues in the league starting to unfold this was a crunch match for both sides. The prize was a place in the final of Europe's premier club competition and, for the fans, gaining this at the expense of heartbreak for your bitterest rivals made this match more important than winning the final. For the rest of Europe this was a massive game between two giant clubs, but in Spain it was a lot more than that.

The Nou Camp was packed with 98,000 partisan fans, as the Bernabeu would be on the first Wednesday in May for the return leg, and the split could not be described as even. Madrid were in for a rough ride from the fanatical Catalans whose whole season could turn on this game.

With everything to gain and so much to lose Barça started the match well and poured forward in search of the advantage they would need to take to the capital. Madrid defended deep and strong and Rexach had decided that rather than try and go round this back line they would rely on people arriving deep from midfield to try and cut through. An early Kluivert shot set the tone and with Barça passing well and Madrid on the back foot the home fans started to raise the volume. Kluivert nearly opened the scoring with a lovely shimmy following a lucky break. As the ball pinged between several players on both sides just outside the box it fell nicely into the path of the Dutch striker arriving from midfield. He took the ball beautifully and danced round Helguera and into the penalty area. His low left-foot shot was somehow kept out by Cesar's legs and the ball cannoned away to safety.

Barça came even closer a few minutes later when a corner from the right found Luis Enrique leaping ahead of Hierro but his brilliant header crashed back from the bar with everyone beaten.

As the home fans whipped themselves to a frenzy they were reminded of the danger this multi talented Madrid side can offer with Raśl sliding effortlessly onto a through ball and beyond the defence. Bonano gambled and won charging to the edge of his area and saving brilliantly with his outstretched left hand.

Barcelona continued to pepper the Madrid goal with shots from distance. Kluivert again sending a shot goalwards but high from Saviola's chipped pass and Rochemback cracking a curling drive just over after Luis Enrique's had cushioned a lovely pass into his path. It was Rochemback again surging from the middle who nearly opened up a Madrid defence under constant pressure but as he took a return pass his first touch was too heavy and the alert Cesar rushed out to collect the ball at his feet. Things nearly went horribly wrong for the keeper as Makelele, tracking Rochemback's run, failed to clear the keeper and nearly knocked him into the next tie, and possibly out of it. But Cesar, like his fellow defenders, picked himself up and although a little groggy was able to enjoy the half time cuppa all square.

The second half started in similar fashion with Barça continuing to drive forward but a long shot from Motta failed to trouble the keeper and Madrid would accept efforts from this distance.

As the world of football knows, pressure counts for nothing if it doesn't produce goals and as is so often the case when it looked as though Barça should be ahead they fell behind. For once the Madrid defence managed to feed the ball clear quickly and accurately and when the ball fell to Raśl in an innocuous position on the halfway line, surrounded by defenders, all seemed under control but a superbly timed run by Zidane beyond the covering defenders was found with an even better ball from Raśl. As Zidane raced clear his first touch at pace was immaculate and the big man held his nerve as Cocu tried desperately to close him down, finishing with a chip from just inside the box that found its way into the goal despite Bonano reaching it with what seemed like a firm hand, but which turned out to be an illusion. The goal was greeted with a roar of silence.

Barça were stunned but redoubled their efforts coming forward and were all but level almost straight away. For the umpteenth time Overmars cut back onto his right foot and his cross was perfection itself as Luis Enrique found half a year between the Madrid central defenders and as everyone looked on helplessly his firm downward header shot agonisingly beyond the post.

With Barça committing more and more forward Guti should have put the tie beyond hope as he raced into the box and met a low cross from Roberto Carlos with a firm side foot that shot the wrong side of the post from eight yards out. The ball that had been threaded to the Brazilian full back from Raśl was one of the passes of the night on a night when good passing was on full display.

With Geovanni on for Reiziger trying to offer some width on the right he managed to produce one of the crosses of the night. His wicked curling cross beat everyone and was perfect for Kluivert arriving unmarked at the far post. The Dutchman closed his eyes as the ball met his head to nestle into the unguarded net but when he opened them again Helguera, who had been brilliant all night, had somehow managed to stretch out a toe and flick the ball away from Kluivert's forehead and a certain equaliser. Overmars tried to wriggle through and when his run went down a cul-de-sac Saviola continued it to better effect skipping past the last of the white line and his firm shot was well saved by Cesar.

Nerves started to jangle both on and off the pitch but the Madrid back line held firm. Anguish in the crowd boiled over and Cesar, being hailed, was booked for taking his time with a goal kick.

Barcelona were tiring and gaps opened up at the other end with Madrid looking dangerous on the break. Solari charging into the box and under pressure from Christanval hit a shot that would have scored had it not been straight into Bonano's midriff. The keeper knew nothing about this but gathered gratefully. He should also have had no chance from Guti who did everything right bursting into the area on the right except show the composure that he often does in front of goal. Bonano was again lucky not to be troubled and as if in punishment, Guti gave way to McManaman for the last ten minutes.

Geovanni shivered the timbers with a dipping drive from outside the box that had Cesar beaten but not the top of the bar. With the seconds ticking away it was about as close as Barça got all evening. One goal was going to be a mountain for the Catalans to climb and deep into injury time the task got harder. Once again Madrid broke free and as Raśl was hauled down by tired legs outside the box the referee Anders Fisk, who had been excellent all night, played a good advantage as the ball fell to McManaman all alone on the right corner of the penalty area. As the crowd staring on in disbelief he controlled the ball and with Bonano advancing towards him he held his nerve and with a classy calm amid the mayhem chipped Madrid half way to Glasgow.