Juve triumphant as Real crash out
 | |
| |
| | QUARTERFINALISTS | AC Milan (Italy)
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Chelsea (England)
Juventus (Italy)
Liverpool (England)
Lyon (France)
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
*Inter Milan (Italy) or Porto (Portugal)
*Second leg to be played March 15 in Milan. First leg 1-1
|
|
TURIN, Italy -- Marcelo Zalayeta's goal four minutes from the end of extra time gave Juventus a 2-0 win over Real Madrid and a place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
The goal followed red cards for Real's Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Juve defender Alessio Tacchinardi after the paid clashed when Ronaldo was hauled down as he raced through on goal.
Juve had forced the match into the extra period when David Trezeguet pulled them level at 1-1 on aggregate 15 minutes from the end of normal time.
The substitute French striker scored with an acrobatic overhead strike from six meters.
Uruguayan striker Zalayeta then beat Madrid keeper Iker Casillas with a half-volley from 20 meters as the match seemed to be heading for penalties.
"We played with great humility, never giving up the hope to beat Real. I was overjoyed after scoring such a decisive goal," said Zalayeta.
Juventus coach Fabio Capello, normally one of the most reserved coaches in Serie A, raced to the tunnel screaming with delight after seeing his current side defeat his former club.
"It is never an easy business defeating Real Madrid and so that was a special feeling," said Capello.
"I think it is the first time I have celebrated like that but now I've done it, I'd like to try it again. It was a very tough game for both teams. We played well and gave them very few chances. It was really an excellent performance from us. We gave away little and were also dangerous, which hasn't always been the case of late.
"It's a great result for us, to come back from a 1-0 defeat in Madrid and turn it around here was always going to be difficult. But we played with intelligence, spirit and quality."
Ronaldo had come closest to scoring for Real when he clipped the post in the 50th minute.
A burst of speed took the Brazil striker past the defense from the halfway line before his low cross-shot was diverted on to the woodwork by Gianluigi Buffon.
"We had our chances, but in the end Juve took theirs and went through," said Madrid striker Raul.
"Now we'll have to try to go for the league and give our fans something to cheer about."
Real coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo said there had been little to choose between the teams.
"It was tight throughout and it was the kind of match that we could have won and gone through," he said.
The Brazilian defended his decision to take off Zinedine Zidane late in the second half, leaving Real without the former Juve man who had been their main threat.
"Zidane had a problem at the start of the game and it got progressively worse but it was a tactical decision," said Luxemburgo who brought Guti on shortly before Trezeguet's goal.
Ronaldo was dismissed when he kicked out at Tacchinardi after the Juventus defender appeared to grab the Brazilian round the neck as he bore down on the Italian goal.
"It was a piece of stupidity on my part," Ronaldo told reporters.
"I got annoyed because Tacchinardi grabbed me round the neck and I kicked out at him -- I shouldn't have done it."
