PARIS, April 3: Sudden death matches in the European Champions League bring an added tension to the competition with the tirst two quarterfinals. between Real Madrid and Manchester United and Porto and Bayern Munich, on Tuesday, reports AFP.
Pride for club and country are both at stake with Manchester United and Bayern out to prove last year's final appearances were no fluke yet Real Madrid and Porto will be putting the emphasis on European competition after domestic setbacks.
Madrid could only draw 1 -1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday night, leaving them in fourth Slace, and Porto fell 1-0 at Ben-ca in a crunch match between two of the three biggest clubs in the country.
Champions Manchester United had no such blips with a 7-1 thrashing of West Ham to move 10 points clear at the top in the English Premiership and virtually seal their sixth title in eight seasons.
Paul Scholes was the hero of the day, scoring his first hat-trick for the club and his second came from a superb backheel.
Of course West Ham are not in the same league as Real Madrid but the words of their coach Harryr Redknapp should make Real Madrid take heed in the run-up to their Santiago-Bemabeu stadium clash.
They are the team to beat in Europe." Redknapp said. "Their movement and their passing was what you would expect from the European champions. They were absolutely different class."
Munich, perhaps with one eye on their match in Portugal, could only draw l-l with VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga to drop their Ursi ever points against the UEFA Cup hopefuls.
Bayer Leverkusen are the new leaders at the top of the Bundesliga after beating 1860 Munich 2-1.
Worse news for Bayern was that they may be without skipper Stefan Effenberg, who has a bruised calf and was clearly missed against Wolfsburg, and Alexander Zickler who has a thigh injury.
^Both are uncertain," coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said. "Both will have a late fitness test in Portugal.
Shoulder victim Mehmet Scholl should be fit enough though having trained on Sunday. Hitzfeld added.
Porto have their own problems with keeper Vitor Bala, a key figure in their qualification for the last eight, out of action for a month after aggravating an injury to a right knee which was operated on in December.
The club are also without left back Rubens Junior and coach Fernando Santos is set to wait till after training early on Monday before announcing his list of players for the match.
United are set to be at full strength for the Madrid game as Ryan Giggs, out of the West Ham match because of a hamstring injury’, should be back to full fitness.
United manager Alex Ferguson said however: "It will be a different game altogether, but we re ready for it. We know we ll have to perform at the highest level and what you saw today you won't see on Tuesday.
"But we re going there with confidence and we're going there looking strong and fresh.'"
As for Madrid. Fernando
Morlentes, who pulled his right hamstring the day before the final match of the second phase of European Champions League matches against Rosenborg, may possibly return, according to club sources.
Madrid, who appear to have won their battle with French striker Nicolas Anelka after he apologized to his teammates for refusing to train for three days, are of course still without the Frenchman.
Anelka, who has a history of temperamental outbursts, was suspended for 45 days without pay on March 13 and was subsequently ostracized and forced to train alone following his stand.
Brazilian striker Savio, however, who hadn’t played since January 26 because of injury. celebrated hjs return with the goal against Real Sociedad and is set to be in the starting line-up.
Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque said: "We are playing a lot better than at the start of the season. We are very optimistic about the quarter-final because we are getting better and better with each match."
No Russian or French teams are still flying their country’s flags in this competition, but Nikolai Levnikov of Russia will be the referee in Portugal and Frenchman Gilles Veissiere will be officiating in the Span-ish capital.