European Competitions

The two surviving Spanish teams struggled in the first leg of the quarter finals, with Mallorca being virtually eliminated against Galatasaray and Celta only drawing at home against Lens. Results were as follows:

UEFA Cup quarter-final, first leg

Mallorca 1 - Galatasaray 4

Mallorca: Leo Franco; Olaizola (Armando 60'), Nadal, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Engonga, Chichi Soler (Ibagaza 60'), Lauren, Stankovic; Carlos (Novo 88'), Diego Tristán. 4-4-2.

After eliminating the Dutch and French league leaders Ajax and Monaco, Mallorca were expected to have no troubles with the Turkish side. However in football things are not always so obvious. Galatasaray had themselves knocked out top clubs in this competition, including Borussia Dortmund in the last round, and their team oozed experience, with Hagi, Taffarel and Turkish top striker Sukur amongst others in their line up. Stankovic came back in to the Mallorca line up in place of Armando, a full strength line up with the possible exception of Biagini, still injured. Mallorca had the best of the first half, but a minute before the break Arif took a ball from Sukur and chipped a glorious shot over Leo Franco and into the net. Three minutes into the second half Emre produced a carbon copy of the first goal, once again catching Leo Franco off his line, and when Siviero failed to connect with a long clearance from Taffarel ten minutes later, Sukur raced through to lob over Franco again for the third. Mallorca were all but out, and Vázquez was forced to throw everyone to try and get back in to the game. Armando and Ibagaza replaced Olaizola and Chichi Soler, but it only left more holes at the back, and Okan latched on to a good crossed pass from Arif to take the ball past the unfortunate keeper and score. Lauren did eventually get a consolation goal for the home side after Taffarel had saved from Diego Tristán, but short of a miracle in Istanbul next week, Mallorca can say goodbye to Europe this year.


Celta 0 - Lens 0

Celta: Pinto; Celades, Sergio, Cáceres, Juanfran; Makelele, Giovanella (Velasco 63'); Karpin, Revivo (Hoogendorp 63'), Gustavo López; McCarthy. 4-2-3-1.

Celta were unable to penetrate the defensive wall that French side Lens constructed around their goal, and left themselves with a lot to do if they are to reach the semi-finals again this year. The absence of the 'Tzar', Alexander Mostovoi, in midfield was fundamental, and Revivo was no substitute for the Russian star. Celta did most of the attacking in the first half, but shots from Karpin and Gustavo López could only find the side netting. Víctor Fernández brought on Velasco and Hoogendorp in the second half, with Celades switching to midfield, and the attacks continued. One by one the Celta forwards tried their luck, but they either shot wide or were blocked by Warmuz and his defence. Makelele, Sergio and Celades saw their efforts go over the bar, and Warmuz saved twice from McCarthy. Hoogendorp, Makelele and McCarthy all had penalty appeals turned down by Swedish referee Nilsson, but the official favoured the Gallician side four minutes from time, when he disallowed a goal from Nouma for a dubious offside. In injury time Juanfran was forced to clear from Job who was closing on the Pinto's goal. Celta now need at least a score draw in France next week if they are not to suffer the same fate as Atlético Madrid, who Lens eliminated in the last round.

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