SPORTS

Juventus beat Real Madrid in extra-time

March 10, 2005

Champions League pre-quarter-finals

Ronaldo was sent off as Real Madrid went out of the Champions League when they were beaten 2-0 by Juventus after extra time in the second leg of their first knockout round tie on Wednesday.

Juve won 2-1 on aggregate at the Stadio Delle Alpi with Marcelo Zalayeta's winner in the 116th minute coming three minutes after Ronaldo and Alessio Tacchinardi were sent off after clashing as they chased a loose ball.

Ronaldo whacked Tacchinardi with a retaliatory kick to the shins after the Juventus defender appeared to grab the Brazilian round the neck as he bore down on the Italian goal.

"It was a piece of stupidity on my part," Ronaldo told reporters. "I got annoyed because Tacchinardi grabbed me round the neck and I kicked out at him -- I shouldn't have done it."

Substitute David Trezeguet had forced extra time for Juve with an acrobatic bicycle kick after 75 minutes.

Also Read


Bayern through despite loss to Arsenal

Liverpool ease past Leverkusen

PSV romp into quarter-finals

Real Madrid, Arsenal out


"It is never an easy business defeating Real Madrid and so that was a special feeling," said Juve coach Fabio Capello. "I think it's the first time I have celebrated like that but now I've done it I'd like to try it again," he said.

Juve joined other former European champions Bayern Munich, Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven, who all showed their European vintage on Wednesday by sealing places in the quarter-finals.

They advanced along with Chelsea, former champions AC Milan and aspiring Olympique Lyon who all qualified on Tuesday with wins over Barcelona, Manchester United and Werder Bremen respectively.

Tuesday's defeat of Barcelona by Chelsea means Spain will have no representatives in the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since this stage of the competition was introduced in the 1994-95 season.

The eighth name to go into the draw at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon on March 18 will be known next Tuesday after Inter Milan and European champions Porto meet in the second leg of their tie. They are level at 1-1 after the first leg in Portugal.

Compared to Tuesday when 16 goals were scored in three matches, Wednesday's fare was altogether tamer until the late drama in Turin where over 50,000 fans, nearly three times Juve's usual Champions League crowds, came out to see Real's stars.

The Spanish side, held their slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg until 15 minutes from the end of normal time when Trezeguet scored with a stunning effort.

Then just as it seemed the match was destined to become the first in the knockout stages of the competition ever to be decided on penalties, Zalayeta slammed home the winner giving Real keeper Iker Casillas no chance from 10 metres.

ARSENAL OUT

Bayern also lived dangerously in London but finally saw off fading English champions Arsenal despite losing 1-0 at Highbury.

A superb 66th minute Thierry Henry goal was not enough to turn the tie the London side's way after their 3-1 first leg loss in Germany two weeks ago.

The defeat will be especially painful for Arsenal who watched city rivals Chelsea advance in style with a momentous win over Barcelona on Tuesday, yet have never got past the last eight in seven Champions League appearances themselves.

"I never thought that we wouldn't win," said delighted Bayern coach Felix Magath. "Even when it was clear that (our injured top scorer) Roy Makaay would not be playing.

"We're far too strong anyway. We've shown in the last few games that we're very solid in defence and I was sure we could do it."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted the better team won.

"It's frustrating, of course, but I feel we lost against a good side who are a strong team and full of confidence at the moment," said the dejected Frenchman.

"They slowly took over. We scored at the right moment but we never got in there and got the chance to score the second goal.

LIVERPOOL THROUGH

Liverpool, though, got the better of German opponents by winning 3-1 at Bayer Leverkusen to sail into the quarter-finals on a 6-2 aggregate.

Spaniard Luis Garcia scored twice and Milan Baros grabbed the other before Leverkusen got a consolation goal two minutes from time.

PSV, European champions in 1988 but without any previous success in the Champions League before this season, made sure of their place in the last eight with a 2-0 win at last season's beaten finalists AS Monaco for a 3-0 aggregate success.

Striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink headed the Dutch League leaders in front from Mark van Bommel's corner after 27 minutes and American substitute DaMarcus Beasley wrapped up the win with a close range goal 20 minutes from time.

Monaco, who lost to Porto in last season's final, suffered more woe after 76 minutes when defender Gael Givet was shown a straight red card for a wild lunge on Peruvian striker Jefferson Farfan.

Dutch international Van Bommel said PSV's victory and progress to the quarter-finals was all the more impressive after the club sold three key players this season.

"When you think we lost (Mateja) Kezman, (Arjen) Robben and (Dennis) Rommedahl, all to English clubs, we have done very well," said the influential midfielder.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email