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'We will attack' Spain's superiority in doubt in Champions League
LONDON (AP) -- Attack, attack, attack. That will be the strategy for Spanish sides in their second-leg quarterfinals of the European Champions League, where all three trail despite claims that Spain has the world's top soccer league. Going into Tuesday and Wednesday matches, it doesn't look that way. Defending champion Real Madrid trails Turkey's Galatasaray 3-2. Valencia, the runner-up a year ago to Real, is down to England's Arsenal 2-1. And defending Spanish champion Deportivo is all but eliminated, trailing England's Leeds 3-0. By the end of Wednesday, England could be boasting the world's top league if Arsenal and Leeds reach the semifinals and are joined there by Manchester United, which goes to Bayern Munich trailing 1-0. All three Spanish teams are at home, which should mean a compelling two days of attacking soccer. "We're capable of putting three or four goals past any team," said Valencia's Argentine coach Hector Cuper. "Our stadium is very intimidating. We will attack from start to finish." Tuesday's matches are all Spanish vs. English with the winners meeting in the semifinals, which guarantees a Spanish or English team will reach the May 23 final in Milan, Italy. Arsenal, always a top European side but just a notch below the powers, has never won the continent's top prize. This may be Gunners' best chance under French manager Arsene Wenger. Hardcore Arsenal fans will remember the 1980 loss to Valencia on penalties in the finals of the Cup Winner Cup. Arsenal will be without striker Dennis Bergkamp, but will have its usual French connection with strikers Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord, and creative midfielder Patrick Vieira. The Gunners will also have Nigerian forward Kanu and Cameroon's Lauren available despite World Cup games in Africa this weekend. Left back Silvinho is doubtful with a calf injury. "If we only try to defend against them it will put us under too much pressure," said Lauren, who played in Spain. "But if we attack them we have a good chance. We must score at least one goal, but that could be enough." Valencia, unbeaten at home in 16 straight Champions League games, has some injury problems. Spanish international teen-ager Vicente Rodriguez, who was expected to replace the injured Argentine international Kily Gonzalez, is doubtful with a groin injury. Miguel Angel Angulo is on standby. Leeds is up 3-0, but manager David O'Leary is still playing down his team's chances. "I'm nearer the semifinal of this competition than I might ever be again," he said. Leeds lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in 1975 in its only Champions Cup final. "But I know it could be the most disappointing night as well." Deportivo is healthy and will hold nothing back. "We need all-out attack against Leeds. We must be looking for goals at all times. We can't be worrying about conceding a goal," said coach Javier Irureta, who is likely to double his strike force by teaming Uruguayan Walter Pandiani up front with Dutchman Roy Makaay. "We must be prepared to give our lives on the pitch," said playmaking midfielder Mauro Silva. "Leeds is a very good side and at first we've got to move the ball around calmly and find gaps in its defense. If we can be ahead at halftime, then the second half is when we can go all out." The two early favorites -- Real Madrid and '99 champion Man Utd -- are in action Wednesday, and both could be ousted. Real Madrid, the record eight-time champion, could be without captain Fernando Hierro. The Spanish international defender has a thigh injury and may be replaced by Ivan Helguera with Albert Celades or Flavio Conceicao moving in at midfield. Star striker Raul Gonzalez, who came on as a second-half substitute in a 4-0 league victory Saturday, will play. But doubt surrounds striker Fernando Morientes. Coach Vicente del Bosque may replace him with Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez, who scored a hat trick Saturday. "We haven't won anything yet," said Del Bosque, whose team blew a 2-0 lead in Istanbul. "A club of Madrid's standing ... must prove Wednesday that we can go even further." Galatasaray, which has never been this far in the Champions League, will rely on Brazilian striker Mario Jardel, who scored the winner two weeks ago. "I am ready," said Jardel, who has a nagging leg injury. "We need to score against Madrid to get to the next round -- in fact we need to win." In a country gripped by an economic crisis, reaching the semifinals might restore some national pride. "We will make sure that the whole country will once again experience joy," said midfielder Okan Buruk. Three-time champion Bayern Munich is on the verge of getting revenge for the '99 final in Barcelona, where Man United scored two injury-time goals to rob the Germans of the trophy with a 2-1 victory. Bayern, which used an under-strength side and suffered a shock loss over the weekend to Schalke, will be without French international defender Bixente Lizarazu and Hasan Salihamidzic, both of whom were shown the yellow card in the opening leg. "We must go full throttle from the start and try to go ahead in the first half," said Bayern's Brazilian striker Giovane Elber. "We mustn't be afraid. It's extremely important for us to progress in the Champions League, because the fate of (German) championship is no longer in our own hands." Man Utd, which won its third straight Premier League title Saturday -- its seventh in nine seasons -- needs at least two goals with Bayern holding a precious away goal from the first leg. The Reds will be without midfielder David Beckham, who sits out a suspension from the first leg. "It's not as bad as everyone is making out, but obviously there has to be a performance from us," said defender Gary Neville. "We must ... perform because they are resilient and good defensively. We need to make sure in this game that we go on all-out attack. There must be no worries and no negative thoughts. We must think let's score two goals and we'll go through." Attack, attack, attack.
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