Barcelona, Juventus advance in Champions League (AP) Updated: 2006-03-08 08:32
"I don't think so," Mourinho said. "We played against them four matches in
two seasons — and 11 against 11 they never beat us. That's the reality."
Juventus' Patrick
Vieira (R) challenges Tim Borowski of Werder Bremen during their Champions
League first knockout round second leg soccer match at Delle Alpi stadium
in Turin, northern Italy, March 7, 2006.
[Reuters] | Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard had a
different view.
"I think we deserved to get through," he said.
Chelsea ousted Barcelona 5-4 a year ago at the same stage, a series in which
Mourinho suggested Rijkaard tried to cheat. Two weeks ago in the first leg — won
by Barcelona 2-1 in London — Mourinho contended that Barca forward Lionel Messi
faked an injury to get Chelsea defender Asier del Horno sent off.
Chelsea officials accused Barcelona fans of spitting at Mourinho when he
arrived Sunday in Barcelona. Mourinho, once an assistant coach at Barcelona,
said the anger focused at him took pressure off his players.
He took the same approach at Camp Nou on Tuesday, taking the field long
before his team in a bid to deflect the pressure off his players.
Barcelona has won Europe's top club prize only once — in 1992. Chelsea has
never won it.
In the wake of the Turin Olympics, Juventus slipped into quarterfinals on an
88th-minute error by Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese. It allowed the Italian
champions to win the second leg 2-1, and they advanced on away goals with a 4-4
aggregate score.
Juventus was trailing on aggregate when Wiese lost control of the ball inside
the area, and Emerson drove the ball home for an easy goal.
Midfielder Johan Micoud gave Bremen the lead in the 13th minute and David
Trezeguet equalized in the 65th.
Villarreal delighted the 22,500 fans at its stadium by tying Rangers to
advance on away goals. Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands scored the first goal
in the 12th minute after a mistake by Villarreal goalkeeper Sebastian Viera. But
Arruabarrena scored the deciding goal in the 49th.
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