German flavour to Round of 16
Friday, February 22, 2008
Article summary
Four German sides have made it through to the UEFA Cup last 16 and Bundesliga rivals Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Hamburger SV will meet in one of the eight ties.
Article top media content
Article body
German hopes of a first UEFA Cup success since FC Schalke 04 in 1997 have been boosted by four sides making it through to the Round of 16, and Bundesliga rivals Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Hamburger SV will meet in one of the eight ties.
Bundesliga quartet
Leverkusen produced one of the results of Thursday night to defeat Galatasaray AS 5-1 following a goalless first leg in Turkey, while Hamburg, now the sole UEFA Intertoto Cup survivors, completed a 3-1 aggregate success against FC Zürich. FC Bayern München matched Leverkusen's scoreline to secure a 7-3 overall defeat of Aberdeen FC and now face RSC Anderlecht, who pipped FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Werder Bremen overcame SC Braga and have Scottish opposition themselves in the shape of Rangers FC, away-goal victors against Panathinaikos FC.
Lisbon duo
However, 1. FC Nürnberg looked like joining their compatriots but fell to two injury-time SL Benfica strikes. They earn a meeting with European debutants Getafe CF, fresh from knocking out AEK Athens FC. Sporting Clube de Portugal emulated their Lisbon neighbours as they defeated FC Basel 1893 5-0 overall, and meet Bolton Wanderers FC, who successfully defended a 1-0 first-leg advantage at Club Atlético de Madrid. Bolton are the only team other than Hamburg to have remained from the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Spain also lost Villarreal CF, beaten on away goals by a FC Zenit St. Petersburg side now aiming to repeat their 2005/06 last-16 victory against Olympique de Marseille, though the former European champions did eliminate Russian representatives in FC Spartak Moskva.
Former holders through
Everton FC and ACF Fiorentina will meet after beating Norwegian clubs SK Brann and Rosenborg BK, while England's other representatives Tottenham Hotspur FC pipped SK Slavia Praha 3-2 on aggregate after a tense 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane and now face PSV Eindhoven, more comfortable victors against Helsingborgs IF. Spurs and PSV are among five former UEFA Cup holders still in contention along with Leverkusen, Bayern and Anderlecht.
|