3/03/2004
Busy blog day...
...for me, anyway. I don't know where the political guys find the motivation and time to put up as much stuff as they do.
Anyway, Celtic is through to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Cup, although they lost to FK Teplice 1-0. Thankfully, they won the first leg of the tie 3-0 at Paradise, so there wasn't much danger of them failing to go through. Interestingly, Martin O'Neill didn't rest many of his first-choice 11, only Joos Valgaraen finding himself on the bench. So, 3-1 on aggregate then, but there was one worrying moment...Chris Sutton had to leave with an injury, and with John Hartson, Ulrik Laursen, and Shaun Maloney already out for the season, that could be a little worrying -- especially because this Saturday is the big Old Firm clash with the Huns. We'll have to see.
The rest of the 3rd Round results (in aggregate):
(ITA) Parma 0-4 Gencerbirligi (TUR)
(FRA) Marseille 1-0 Dnipro (UKR)
(ITA) AS Roma 2-1 Gaziantepspor (TUR)
(SCO) Celtic 3-1 FK Teplice (CZH)
(FRA) Bordeaux 5-1 Groclin Dyskobolia (POL)
(BEL) Club Brugge 1-0 Debrecen Epona (HUN)
(SPA) Valencia 5-2 Besikitas (TUR)
(ENG) Liverpool 6-2 Levski Sofia (BUL)
(FRA) Auxerre 1-0 Panathinaikos (GRE)
(HOL) PSV Eindhoven 3-1 Perugia (ITA)
(ITA) Inter Milan 2-2 Sochaux (FRA) (Inter wins on the silly Away Goals Rule)
(ENG) Newcastle 4-2 Valarenga (NOR)
(POR) Benfica 2-2 Rosenberg (NOR) (Benfica wins on the silly Away Goals Rule)
(SPA) Mallorca 3-1 Spartak Moscow (RUS)
(SPA) Barcelona 3-1 Brondby (DEN)
(SPA) Villareal 5-2 Galatasaray (TUR)
Some observations:
-- Say what you want about Gencerberligi, but there were no upsets of any kind here. Parma is NOT the side they were last season.
-- That said, Gencer is definitely beatable, and if that does happen, that'll be no more Turkish sides alive in Europe, unless I miss my guess. Wouldn't THAT just be a tragedy? ::smirk::
-- You have to think Barcelona, Valencia, and Roma are the favorites at this point. Celtic would have an outside shot if they weren't decimated with injury.
-- Spain has 4 teams still alive in the competition, and at the moment, Real Madrid, Celta Vigo (and am I forgetting anyone) still alive in the Champions' League. Not a bad showing, by any means.
Anyway, Celtic is through to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Cup, although they lost to FK Teplice 1-0. Thankfully, they won the first leg of the tie 3-0 at Paradise, so there wasn't much danger of them failing to go through. Interestingly, Martin O'Neill didn't rest many of his first-choice 11, only Joos Valgaraen finding himself on the bench. So, 3-1 on aggregate then, but there was one worrying moment...Chris Sutton had to leave with an injury, and with John Hartson, Ulrik Laursen, and Shaun Maloney already out for the season, that could be a little worrying -- especially because this Saturday is the big Old Firm clash with the Huns. We'll have to see.
The rest of the 3rd Round results (in aggregate):
(ITA) Parma 0-4 Gencerbirligi (TUR)
(FRA) Marseille 1-0 Dnipro (UKR)
(ITA) AS Roma 2-1 Gaziantepspor (TUR)
(SCO) Celtic 3-1 FK Teplice (CZH)
(FRA) Bordeaux 5-1 Groclin Dyskobolia (POL)
(BEL) Club Brugge 1-0 Debrecen Epona (HUN)
(SPA) Valencia 5-2 Besikitas (TUR)
(ENG) Liverpool 6-2 Levski Sofia (BUL)
(FRA) Auxerre 1-0 Panathinaikos (GRE)
(HOL) PSV Eindhoven 3-1 Perugia (ITA)
(ITA) Inter Milan 2-2 Sochaux (FRA) (Inter wins on the silly Away Goals Rule)
(ENG) Newcastle 4-2 Valarenga (NOR)
(POR) Benfica 2-2 Rosenberg (NOR) (Benfica wins on the silly Away Goals Rule)
(SPA) Mallorca 3-1 Spartak Moscow (RUS)
(SPA) Barcelona 3-1 Brondby (DEN)
(SPA) Villareal 5-2 Galatasaray (TUR)
Some observations:
-- Say what you want about Gencerberligi, but there were no upsets of any kind here. Parma is NOT the side they were last season.
-- That said, Gencer is definitely beatable, and if that does happen, that'll be no more Turkish sides alive in Europe, unless I miss my guess. Wouldn't THAT just be a tragedy? ::smirk::
-- You have to think Barcelona, Valencia, and Roma are the favorites at this point. Celtic would have an outside shot if they weren't decimated with injury.
-- Spain has 4 teams still alive in the competition, and at the moment, Real Madrid, Celta Vigo (and am I forgetting anyone) still alive in the Champions' League. Not a bad showing, by any means.
