Sevilla Champion of Uefa Cup 2006 / 07

[Rasputin]

Espanyol 1-0 Austria Viena

Zulte Waregem 0-3 Ajax


Fenerbahce 2-2 Eintracht Frankfurt

Palermo 1-1 Celta

[Rasputin]

Auxerre 0-1 Livorno -

Glasg. Rangers 1-0 Partizan Belgr.

B. Leverkusen 2-1 Besiktas -

Tottenham H. 3-1 Dinamo Bucar.

Sporting Braga 2-0 Grasshopper -

Sevilla 1-2 AZ

Parma 0-3 Osasuna

Heerenveen 1-0 Lens

[Rasputin]

The big drum of the UEFA behaved well with the Spanish clubs

14/15 and 22 February of 2007):

Zulte Waregem - Newcastle

Braga - Parma

Lens - Panathinaikos

Leverkusen - Blackburn Rivers

Hapoel Tel Aviv - Rangers

Livorno - RCD Espanyol

Feyenoord - Tottenham

Fenerbahce - AZ Werder

Bremen - Ajax

Spartak Moscú - Celta de Vigo

CSKA Moscú - M.Haifa

AEK Atenas - PSG

Benfica - Dinamo de Bucarest

Steaua Bucarest - Sevilla

Shakhtar Donestk - Nancy

Girondins - Osasuna

[Rasputin]

The Livorno-Espanyol will gamble behind closed doors

The away game of the dieciseisavos of end of the Glass of the UEFA that will dispute to the Livorno and the Espanyol, will be disputed definitively behind closed doors in the stage Arming Pichi of the toscana city, once it has not prospered the request of the Italian club of which it gambled with reduced gauging.

The refusal to the intention of the Livorno and the city council of the city to less reduce the gauging to of loas 10,000 localities, with the intention of avoiding the application of the new norms of security in the stages, has been given to last night by the Observatory of Monitoring of the Stages. Observatory of Department of the Interior of recent creation and that is the one in charge of guarding so that the stages recently fulfill the norm approved in cabinet, as well as saying in that facilities are due to play with or without public.

During the meeting of this Tuesday maintained in the seat of the mentioned ministry in Rome, the president and proprietor of the Livorno, Aldo Spinelli, one of the four delegates of the Series To engaging in a dialog with the mentioned commission, tried at all costs that the permission occurred to reduce the gauging him of the stage for this party or, at least, who will enter the people with ticket already (about 4,000, of them a hundred of españolistas). But the Observatory refused to it, because to reduce the capacity of the gauging to be able to play avoiding the application of the norms gathered in the decree law it could be a route to be taken in the future by other clubs with stages that do not fulfill them.

The reduction in less than 10,000 localities is a picaresque one in which already they have take refugen in the past several Italian clubs, to avoid the denominated Pisanu decree, approved in the 2005 but that until the last week you had not been applied in its totality to the being granted several prorogations. Even, the past Saturday six of the parties of the day in the Second right division could be played to have those stages inferior gaugings to the 10,000 localities.

[Rasputin]

0 - 0 GIRONDINS B.- OSASUNA

0 - 0 CSKA MOSCÚ- MACCABI HAIFA

1 - 1 SHAKHTAR D.- NANCY

3 - 2 B. LEVERKUSEN- BLACKBURN ROV.

3 - 3 FENERBAHCE- AZ

2 - 1 HAPOEL TEL AVIV- GLASG. RANGERS

3 - 0 WERDER B.- AJAX

1 - 2 LIVORNO- ESPANYOL

0 - 2 AEK ATENAS- PSG

1 - 0 BENFICA- DINAMO BUCAR.

[Rasputin]

1 - 1 SPARTAK M.- CELTA

0 - 2 STEAUA B.- SEVILLA

1 - 0 SPORTING BRAGA- PARMA

1 - 3 ZULTE WAREGEM- NEWCASTLE UTD.

3 - 1 LENS- PANATHINAIKOS

[Rasputin]

0-0 Girondins B. (Francia)-Osasuna (España) 0-1

0-0 CSKA Moscú (Rusia)-Maccabi Haifa (Israel) 0-1

1-1 Shakhtar D. (Ucrania)-Nancy (Francia) 1-0

3-2 B. Leverkusen (Alemania)-Blackburn Rov. (Inglaterra) 0-0

3-3 Fenerbahce (Turquía)-AZ (Holanda) 2-2

2-1 Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)-Glasg. Rangers (Escocia) 0-4

3-0 Werder B. (Alemania)-Ajax (Holanda) 1-3

1-2 Livorno (Italia)-Espanyol (España) 0-2

0-2 AEK Atenas (Grecia)-PSG (Francia) 0-2

1-0 Benfica (Portugal)-Dinamo Bucar. (Rumanía) 2-1

1-1 Spartak M. (Rusia)-Celta (España) 1-2

0-2 Steaua B. (Rumanía)-Sevilla (España) 0-1

1-0 Sporting Braga (Portugal)-Parma (Italia) 1-0

0-0 Feyenoord (Holanda)-Tottenham H. (Inglaterra) -

1-3 Zulte Waregem (Bélgica)-Newcastle Utd. (Inglaterra) 0-1

3-1 Lens (Francia)-Panathinaikos (Grecia) 0-0

[Rasputin]

08/03/2007 NEWCASTLE UTD.- AZ 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 MACCABI HAIFA- ESPANYOL 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 GLASG. RANGERS- OSASUNA 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 SPORTING BRAGA- TOTTENHAM H. 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 SEVILLA- SHAKHTAR D. 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 LENS- B. LEVERKUSEN 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 PSG- BENFICA 15/03/2007

08/03/2007 CELTA- WERDER B. 15/03/2007

[Rasputin]

4 - 2 NEWCASTLE- AZ 15/03/2007

0 - 0 MACCABI HAIFA- ESPANYOL 15/03/2007

1 - 1 G. RANGERS- OSASUNA 15/03/2007

2 - 3 S. BRAGA- TOTTENHAM 15/03/2007

2 - 2 SEVILLA- SHAKHTAR D. 15/03/2007

2 - 1 LENS- LEVERKUSEN 15/03/2007

2 - 1 PSG- BENFICA 15/03/2007

0 - 1 CELTA- WERDER B. 15/03/2007

[Rasputin]

Sevilla lead Spanish trio into UEFA semis

Holders Sevilla led a trio of Spanish clubs into the UEFA Cup semi-finals on Thursday, mirroring the three-pronged success story for English Premier League sides in the Champions League this week.

Sevilla drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in another pulsating quarter-final second leg that put the Primera Liga title challengers through 4-3 on aggregate.

Their reward is an all-Spanish semi-final with Osasuna after the Pamplona side eased past Bayer Leverkusen, completing a 4-0 success over Bayer Leverkusen after winning 1-0 at the Estadio Reyno de Navarra.

"It says a lot about the strength of Spanish football that we have three clubs in the semi-finals," said Sevilla coach Juande Ramos.

"It's going to be tough for us to get to the final again."

Espanyol, losing finalists in 1988, reached the last four after preserving their 3-2 first-leg lead over Benfica by keeping out the Portuguese in Lisbon.

Germany's Werder Bremen await the Spaniards, striker Miroslav Klose netting twice in a 4-1 home victory over AZ Alkmaar that ended the Dutch side's hopes of reaching the UEFA Cup semis for the second time in three seasons.

Only Real Madrid, winners in 1985 and 1986, have successfully defended the UEFA Cup but Sevilla remain on course to emulate their more esteemed compatriots after surviving a touch of the jitters in London.

Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Sevilla stunned Spurs with two goals in the opening eight minutes to take control of the tie and leave the hosts needing to score four times.

Steed Malbranque had gifted Sevilla the lead inside three minutes after slicing into his own net and then Frederic Kanoute, once a crowd favorite in his two seasons with Spurs, doubled the lead.

Spurs, who have lost only once in 56 home European matches at White Hart Lane since 1961, mounted a second-half fightback.

In a sustained onslaught, substitute Jermain Defoe got one back with a cheeky close-range finish and from their next attack Aaron Lennon levelled.

With 23 minutes remaining Spurs sniffed more goals but despite a number of chances, could not break through again.

"We went out with our heads held high," Spurs coach Martin Jol told ITV. "The two early goals rocked us. At halftime I said we had to go out with pride."

PARTY TIME

Osasuna fans were in party mood in Pamplona as their side never looked likely to relinquish their three-goal first leg advantage against a lacklustre Bayer Leverkusen.

Midfielder Juanlu gave the Navarrans a deserved win when he steered in past Rene Adler from close range just after the hour.

"Although we wanted to play Tottenham, playing the holders Sevilla will still be a great game and if we do get to the final it will be an historic achievement," Osasuna defender Carlos Cuellar told Spanish TV station Canal Plus.

After a goalless draw in the first leg in the Netherlands, Werder Bremen found their scoring touch with ruthless precision against Alkmaar to remain in contention for their first European success since securing the 1992 Cup Winner's Cup.

Tim Borowski, back after a two-month absence, set Werder on their way after 16 minutes and, although Moussa Dembele equalised, Germany's World Cup striker Klose netted twice before Diego slipped in a fourth.

A solid defensive display and some inspired saves from keeper Gorka Iraizoz secured Espanyol their place in the last four.

"For a club like ours to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup represents an historic moment," said coach Ernesto Valverde, whose side will be at home to Werder in the first leg on April 26.

The final is in Glasgow on May 16.

[Rasputin]

Spaniards dominate UEFA Cup

THREE Spanish teams advanced to the UEFA Cup semifinals today, with defending champion Sevilla leading the way.

Osasuna and Espanyol also reached the last four, while Werder Bremen claimed the final spot.

Sevilla scored twice in the first eight minutes to hold two-time champion Tottenham to a 2-2 draw and advance 4-3 on aggregate. Steed Malbranque scored an own-goal and former Tottenham forward Frederic Kanoute added the second for Sevilla.

Osasuna beat visiting Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 and advanced 4-0 on aggregate, while Espanyol held host Benfica to a 0-0 draw to advance 3-2. Miroslav Klose scored two goals to help Bremen beat AZ Alkmaar 4-1 and advance by the same score after a 0-0 draw in the Netherlands.

In the first leg of the semifinals on April 26, Osasuna will host Sevilla and Espanyol will host Bremen. The second legs are scheduled for May 3.

Sevilla is trying to become the first team since Real Madrid in 1986 to win consecutive UEFA Cup titles.

Sevilla, in second place in the Spanish league, took the lead in the third minute when Jose Luis Marti's corner was headed toward net by Christian Poulsen and Malbranque knocked it in his own net while trying to clear.

Kanoute then exchanged passes with Alexander Kerzhakov in the eighth before beating Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson with his left foot.

Tottenham rallied in the second half, getting quick goals from Jermaine Defoe and Aaron Lennon. Defoe deflected in a shot from Robbie Keane in the 65th, and Lennon knocked in a loose ball in the 67th after Keane's attempt was blocked.

Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Dawson both had late chances for Tottenham.

"They were the team of the year last year but I still feel we would've had a bigger chances if we don't give away goals like we did for the first one," Tottenham manager Martin Jol said.

"We tend to give away this season cheap goals."



The three Spanish teams in the UEFA Cup semifinals isn't a record. Four German teams reached the last four in 1980 – Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Stuttgart. Frankfurt beat Moenchengladbach in the final.

Three teams from the same country – England's Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United – have reached the semifinals of the Champions League this season.

[Rasputin]

Werder Bremen make UEFA Cup semifinals

Miroslav Klose scored twice to help Werder Bremen of Germanmy beat AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands 4-1 and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

After a goalless away draw in the first leg, Werder moved ahead in the 16th minute when Tim Borowski beat the offside trap and swept a shot past Alkmaar keeper Boy Waterman.

The Dutch side equalised in the 32nd minute with a shot from Moussa Dembele from the edge of the area.

Klose, top scorer at the 2006 World Cup, got his first goal when he slid in to make it 2-1 four minutes later, and headed in the third for Werder in the 62nd minute before Diego made the fourth eight minutes from time.

Werder, the only non-Spanish team in the semi-finals

[abadani69]

Espanyol took a giant step towards a UEFA Cup final place after securing a 3-0 first leg win over Werder Bremen in their semi-final on Thursday.

Moises Hurtado headed Espanyol in front in the first half, and soon after the break Walter Pandiani added a second.

Werder were forced to play most of the second half with 10 men after goalkeeper Tim Wiese was sent off for a professional foul outside the area in the 58th minute, and Espanyol stole a third at the end through Ferran Corominas.

Werder, riding high in second place in the Bundesliga, were widely tipped as a favourites for the trophy, but had little answer to the pace of Espanyol's counter-attacks and threat from set pieces.

"We played some very good football and it is a great result which we would have settled for before the match," Espanyol coach Ernesto Valverde told Canal Plus television.

"But they are a very good team and we must keep our feet on the ground. We have some important players missing through suspension for the next game."

There was little to separate the sides before Espanyol took charge from a corner in the 20th minute.

Ivan de la Pena played the ball short to Francisco Rufete who swung in a cross which Hurtado headed into the top corner over a static defence.

Five minutes later, Hurtado picked up a yellow card which ruled him out of the return leg in Bremen on May 3.

Werder, who dropped into the UEFA Cup after finishing third in their Champions League group behind Barcelona and Chelsea, had fleeting chances.

WIESE RED

Torsten Frings forced Gorka Iraizoz into a flying save with a shot from outside the area, and lanky Brazilian defender Naldo headed straight at Iraizoz from a corner, before the break.

But Werder fell further behind in the 50th minute when De la Pena's nearpost corner was diverted in off the head of Uruguayan striker Pandiani, the tournament's leading scorer with 11 goals.

Like Hurtado, however, he quickly picked up a yellow card soon after to rule him out of the return leg.

Werder lost Wiese to a straight red card for bringing down Raul Tamudo outside the area as the striker bore down on goal on a swift break.

Espanyol snatched a third with two minutes remaining as Albert Riera broke down the left and crossed for substitute Corominas to score.

In injury time, Werder almost grabbed a valuable away goal as Petri Pasanen fired in a low shot which Iraizoz turned round the post one-handed.

[Rasputin]

Osasuna claimed the upper hand in their UEFA Cup semi-final against holders Sevilla after recording a deserved 1-0 victory in Thursday's first leg.

Roberto Soldado scored the only goal of the all-Spanish clash in the 55th minute as hosts Osasuna, playing in their first-ever semi-final, built a narrow lead to take to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for next week's second leg.

Meanwhile Espanyol moved a step closer to their second ever UEFA final appearance with an impressive 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen in their clash.

Moises Hurtado, Walter Pandiani and substitute Fernando Corominas scored the goals for the Catalans - finalists back in 1988 - as Werder finished the game with 10 men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Tim Wiese after 57 minutes.

[Rasputin]

Espanyol take advantage in the UEFA Cup

Espanyol put three goals past Werder Bremen

Goals from Moisés, Pandiani and Caro have Espanyol a 3-0 win last night against Werder Bremen in the UEFA cup.

The chance of an all Spanish final remains with Osasuna beating Sevilla in the Reyno de Navarra stadium 1-0.

The Andalucian side have their work cut out at home in the return game next week if they want to keep the UEFA title.