Champions league - first phase, day 6

AC Milan 1 - Deportivo La Coruña 2

Deportivo are back! Rumours of the demise of the Gallician side proved premature as they put in an inspired performance to beat AC Milan 1-2 and qualify for the second phase. Vying with Lens for second spot in their group, and with a higher points total but a worse goal difference than the French side, Depor needed a win against the Italian giants to be absolutely sure of going through. Irureta put out a side with no recognised central defenders due to injuries, but the real surprise was up front, where he found room to include Makaay, Luque and Diego Tristán. With the team already qualified, Milan rested some of their top players, but they took the lead late in the first half when Tomasson headed Kaladze's cross down past Juanmi. Depor came back though in the second half, and Diego Tristán levelled the scores with a spectacular shot from thirty yards out which Abbiati got a hand to but could not stop. Then twenty minutes from the end Makaay ran on to a long clearance from substitute Amavisca to leave his defender for dead and strike a low shot past the keeper. Depor are still alive, and join the other three Spanish sides in Friday's second round draw. (13.11.02)

Barcelona 3 - Galatasaray 1

A depleted Barcelona side cruised to a 3-1 win against Galatasaray to end the first phase with a record six wins from six games. Van Gaal left out several of his first choice players, but the replacements came up with the goods. Dani was the first to strike, picking up a short pass from Geovanni to burst past the defence and force the ball past Mondragon in to the net. However ten minutes later the Turkish side drew level after Haspolatli took advantage of an indecision in the defence to meet a long cross from the left and head the ball down through Enke's legs. Galatasaray needed to win to have a chance of reaching the next phase, and Baljic wasted the best chance of the match when De Boer slipped and let him through. However just before the break Gerard rose to head home Motta's corner to put the Spaniards back in the lead, and ten minutes after the restart a magnificent strike from Geovanni from outside of the area made it three. With Lokomotiv winning against Club Brugge to take second place in the group, the result leaves Fatih Terim's side out of Europe this season. (13.11.02)

Valencia 3 - Spartak Moscow 0

Valencia's last match in the first phase only served to give a run out to the lesser used players and to earn them a few more Swiss Francs. With the team already assured of first place in their group, and with their opponents Spartak Moscow yet to gain a point in the competition, the match was a mere formality. Even with the reserve players the Spaniards were more than a match for the Russian side, and they ran out 3-0 winners without too much effort. Rafa Benítez put out an attacking line up with Salva, Mista and Juan Sánchez in the side, and it was Sánchez who opened the scoring before the break, heading an Angulo cross down past Levitsky. Then immediately after the restart he added a second after Mista laid the ball back from the left wing. With a quarter of an hour to go Fabio Aurelio made it three with a well struck free kick, leaving Valencia top of the pack with five wins and a draw from their six games. (12.11.02)

Genk 1 - Real Madrid 1

Real Madrid finished top of their group despite another disappointing draw. With the team already qualified for the second stage, Del Bosque decided to rest many of his key players for the visit to Genk, and César, Flavio Conceiçao and Tote all made their first appearances in the competition this season. The Belgians needed a victory to take the UEFA cup spot, and they started at a frantic pace. However the Spanish side took the lead midway through the half when Pavón headed back a corner for Tote to finish off, and despite losing Hierro to an injury they held off the home team attack without too much trouble. Genk carried on where they left off though in the second half, and eventually Sonck beat César with a header from a corner to make it 1-1. Either side could have scored in a frenetic last few minutes but time eventually ran out, and with Roma only drawing in the other group C match, Real Madrid go into Friday's draw as one of the top seeds. (12.11.02)