Valencia 2 - Inter Milan 1

Valencia: Cañizares; Revellèire, Ayala, Marchena, Carboni (Fabio Aurelio 80'); Angulo, Baraja, Aimar (Mista 84'), Vicente; Juan Sánchez, Carew (Rufete 71'). 4-4-2.
Inter Milan: Toldo; Javier Zanetti, Materazzi, Gamarra, Córdoba, Pasquale (Adani 46'); Cristian Zanetti, Di Baggio (Okan 74'), Dalmat; Vieri (Recoba 31'), Crespo. 5-3-2.

Goals:
0-1. 05. Vieri. Beat Cañizares at second attempt after keeper palmed out first shot.
1-1. 07. Aimar. Picked up loose ball and rounded defender before beating keeper.
2-1. 51. Baraja. Header down past keeper following Aimar corner.

History repeated itself at the Mestalla stadium, where Inter Milan knocked Valencia out of a European competition for the second year in a row. Last season Héctor Cúper's side beat the league champions in the quarter final of the UEFA cup, and this year they did the same in this Champions League fixture thanks to the away goal rule. Cristian Vieri did the damage in only the fifth minute of the game after Ayala let a soft pass through his legs, the Italo-Australian striker finding the net at the second attempt after Cañizares palmed away his first effort.

Two minutes later Aimar levelled the scores though, picking up a loose ball after Carew was tackled to round a defender and hit an angled shot past Toldo. Game on, and only a series of great saves from Toldo kept the scores level at the break. In particular the Italian keeper kept out Carew on the half hour mark, and on the stroke of half time made a triple stop, twice from Vicente and then from Aimar on the follow up.

Five minutes in to the second half Toldo wass there again to tip another shot from Baraja over the bar, but from the resulting Aimar corner the Spanish international got his revenge, leaving Di Biagio behind to head unmarked down into the net. Two minutes later Juan Sánchez was brought down in the area by Materazzi and the crowd bayed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on. That took the wind out of their sails, and although Aimar and Juan Sánchez went close, they could not break down Cúper's defence in the end.

Inter could even have scored again when Cañizares stuck out a foot to stop a shot from Recoba, who had replaced the injured Vieri in the first half, but it wasn't necessary and the Italians go on to possible semi-final with city rivals AC Milan. Valencia now have to get their act back together, and have to win back fourth place in the league if they want to try again next year. At least they will have no distractions from now on.