UFO Info Week-End

Manchester United v Bayern Munich replays the 1999 final which the Germans still cannot quite believe they lost while Arsenal v Valencia recalls

Manchester United v Bayern Munich replays the 1999 final, which the Germans still cannot quite believe they lost, while Arsenal v Valencia recalls the 1980 Cup-Winners’ Cup final in which Liam Brady and Graham Rix both missed penalties and ensured that the Gunners would lose two finals in a week. The 1-0 defeat by West Ham in the FA Cup had come a few days before.In addition, Real Madrid and Galatasaray, the European and Uefa Cup champions, have been paired together, while Leeds received the team they wanted, Deportivo La Coruña; not a well-known club, but one who happen to be champions of Spain. “We have been dealing with champions throughout this competition,” said the Leeds manager, David O’Leary, whose side were the only one of the three English qualifiers to progress to the knock-out stages with real confidence.”We have played the champions of Europe and of Italy and now we face the champions of Spain. They may not bear the name of Real Madrid or Barcelona but every time I have seen them they have had quality players on show who work hard for each other. I don’t know if other sides wanted to avoid us but we are not this little club any more.”Little is not an adjective that can be applied to Manchester United or Bayern Munich. After the 3-0 victory over Sturm Graz had sealed United’s passage into the quarter-finals for the fifth successive time, Ferguson said he was glad he would not be playing another English team. “The competition is all about going to the Bernabeu and taking in the atmosphere of a match against Real Madrid as a break from the humdrum of the Premiership,” said the United manager.Since the draw for the semi-finals was made at the same time, United are scheduled to go to the Bernabeu but only if they overcome Bayern and Real beat Galatasaray.

The winners of Arsenal v Valencia will play Leeds or Deportivo.For a United side that have largely disappointed in Europe this season, the first hurdle will take some clearing, especially since the Germans, who believed that they were mugged by Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Nou Camp, will hardly need much motivating. However, when the treble-winning season is discussed, it is often forgotten that United would have beaten Bayern in the group stages but for an utterly uncharacteristic error by Peter Schmeichel which allowed Giovane Elber a late equaliser in the Olympic stadium.Since Bayern responded to their final-minute defeat by doing the double in Germany and reaching the European Cup semi-final, which they lost to Real Madrid, it would be hard to argue that the club are still suffering a hangover. Their president, Franz Beckenbauer, said: “This match with Manchester United is the pinnacle of European football and is one that should have been the final.”His general secretary, Karl Hopfer, disagreed “Most of our players wanted United in the quarter-finals. Nobody has forgotten the 1999 final and now we have the chance to emerge as the luckier side.”Luck is a quality traditionally associated with Arsenal and one which has carried them through to a quarter-final with Valencia.

Since last year’s beaten finalists have not lost a European tie in the Mestalla in eight years, the first leg at Highbury will be crucial. “We have done well to reach the quarter-finals,” the Gunners’ manager, Arsÿne Wenger, said. “Although we did not do well against Bayern, we have shown quality and character earlier in the competition, especially when we had to go to Lyon and win. But we have to look at ourselves in the mirror and admit we did not do well in Munich.”. Five days after leading his team into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, George Graham is out of work. Five days after leading his team into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, George Graham is out of work.
Yesterday, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, a hero of last weekend’s victory over West Ham , was dismissed for alleged breach of contract. The action by Tottenham’s new owners Enic took most people by surprise, three weeks before Spurs play their greatest rivals, Arsenal, in the Cup semi-finals.David Buchler, Tottenham’s executive vice-chairman, summoned Mr Graham to explain remarks he had made on Thursday about Enic making only “a limited amount” of money available for new players.