Barcelona and AS Roma made their own entries into the history books of the Champions League on Tuesday, although it was the defending champions who penned the most interesting reading.
Frank Rijkaard’s Spanish giants calmed the nerves of their anxious fans with a 2-0 victory over Werder Bremen at the Nou Camp which secured entry to the last 16 after a second place finish in Group A behind winners Chelsea.
Roma, missing talismanic skipper Francesco Totti, beat Group D winners Valencia 1-0 at home to finish second in their group and enter the knockout phase for the first time in its current format.
However Barcelona’s win, for Champions League posterity, had a little more significance: it meant they avoided becoming the first defending champions to exit the competition at the group stages.
Galatasaray’s 3-2 defeat of Liverpool in Istanbul was also remarkable, but so was Robbie Fowler’s two goals in a match in which the Reds had little to lose having already secured top spot in Group C ahead of PSV Eindhoven.
Reds manager Rafael Benitez fielded a makeshift team, but said it had been difficult to motivate his troops.
”If you know you have already qualified and then concede two early goals, it is difficult to get back into the game because it is not like a final or playing for three points,” he said.
”We simply paid for too many mistakes.”
Sporting Lisbon meanwhile had a night to forget. Sitting third in Group B behind leaders Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, both already qualified, Paulo Bento’s side suffered a 3-1 hammering at home to Spartak Moscow, who stole third place to enter the UEFA Cup’s last 32.
PSV Eindhoven also suffered a morale-sapping setback on the night going down 3-1 at home to Bordeaux.
Despite qualifying in second behind Liverpool the Dutch side’s coach Ronald Koeman was aghast at a performance which they will be keen to erase from their memories.
”We forgot to play, and let Bordeaux do what they want,” said Koeman, who scored the winning goal for Barcelona when they won the Champions League for the first time, in 1992.
He added: ”You can afford to be slack in the Dutch league, but not in the Champions League. No-one forgives you here.”
At Barcelona, where Rijkaard’s side faced an embarrassing dilemma, it took only 13 minutes for the script to begin to take shape.
Ronaldinho, rested for Barca’s 1-1 draw with Levante on Saturday, set the tone for the rest of the evening when he stepped up to take a free kick after being fouled by Pierre Wome.
The Brazilian majestically fooled the defending wall with a strike from the edge of the area which rolled under their feet as they jumped in anticipation of a high, curling effort.
Five minutes later Icelandic striker Gudjohnsen slotted home a close-range effort, and, despite both teams missing chances Barcelona held on to preserve an unbeaten home record in the competition going back to 2003, when they slid out to Juventus.
Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf admitted that his side, who will now play among the last 32 in the UEFA Cup, were outplayed in a vibrant first half.
”We just weren’t at the races early on, we didn’t find our game as well as we had hoped,” said Schaaf, whose men had only needed to draw to go through to the last 16.
”Barca were into their stride faster and although we played much better in the second half we reacted too late.”
Rijkaard saluted Barca’s first half performance, but admitted they had been lucky to escape as the Germans rebounded in the second half.
”I think we played very well in the first half, which was very important, and took the chances which came our way,” said the Dutchman, who is unbeaten in European competition at home since taking the job in mid-2003.
Meanwhile, a header from stand-in skipper Christian Panucci after 13 minutes secured Roma’s spot in the next round at their Olympic Stadium.
The Italians had needed just a point from the tie to secure their place in the next round behind Valencia.
”It’s an important win for us,” said Roma coach Luciano Spalletti.
”We’d prepared well for this match and it paid off. We were also lucky because Valencia were already through. The team worked well and we’re savouring our qualification.” – AFP
