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'Inconsolable' Valencia faces long road to recovery after defeat
MADRID (Reuters) -- Valencia coach Hector Cuper has admitted that it may take some time to heal the scars inflicted by his side's second successive Champions League final loss. "This defeat hurts even more than last year because the team was so near to taking the title," said Cuper after he saw his team lose a nerve-wracking penalty shootout to Bayern Munich. The German side won 5-4 on penalties after Wednesday's final finished in a 1-1 draw and extra time failed to produce a golden goal winner at Milan's San Siro stadium. It was the first time a European Cup final had been decided on penalties since Juventus beat Ajax in 1996. Valencia became only the second team after Juventus (1997 and 1998) to lose two consecutive finals in the competition's 46-year history. "We prepared well and there is no consolation for a defeat like this. For me this is the third time that I have seen the chance of victory in a European final slip through my fingers." Cuper took Real Mallorca to the final of the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1998, which they lost 2-1 to Lazio. "We now have to bear the pain over the next few days, do our best to recover and then try to focus on the league so that we can qualify for the next season's Champions League." Valencia is third in the first division behind Real Madrid and Deportivo Coruna but level on points with Real Mallorca and only three ahead of Barcelona with three matches left. The top three teams qualify for next season's Champions League. Heart-brokenThe Valencia players admitted they were heart-broken after failing to capitalize on the lead they were given by Gaizka Mendieta who scored with a penalty after just three minutes. "The team is devastated because we have now lost out two years in succession and it all seemed to be going so well in the early stages," said forward Juan Sanchez. The pocket-size striker had scored twice in the 3-0 semifinal victory against Leeds United but was closed out by Bayern's fortress-like defense. He acknowledged, however, that his team never managed to take control of a game that was dominated by Bayern, who celebrated their third consecutive German title at the weekend. "After Mendieta's goal Bayern upped the pressure and started to use the wings to great effect and we couldn't match them. It was a real shame for the team and the fans." For veteran defender Amedeo Carboni, who was one of three Valencia players to miss penalties in the shootout, the final was probably his last opportunity to taste European glory with the Mediterranean club. "At 36 years old, I have experienced a number of blows like this. I have learned to bear them, but it doesn't get any easier and I am particularly disappointed for the fans and the city." Carboni's defensive partner Mauricio Pellegrino, whose final penalty miss gave Bayern victory, pointed to the fine line between victory and defeat. "It is a massive disappointment to see our hopes dashed once more. I am devastated, but it just shows how success and failure depend on small details and today our penalty-taking let us down," said the Argentine. RestructuringWith Cuper admitting he is almost certain to leave Valencia at the end of the season, the club will have to begin restructuring almost immediately and the recruitment of a new coach is top of the agenda. Alaves coach Mane has already rejected an offer and it has been reported that Deportivo Coruna's Javier Irureta is next on the wish list of Valencia president Pedro Cortes. But what the fans really fear is that with a second successive Champions League defeat and a place in next season's competition not yet assured there may be another exodus of players from the club. After last season's defeat by Real Madrid the deadly Argentine striker Claudio Lopez was sold to Lazio, and the talented midfield duo of Javier Farinos and Gerard were snapped up by Inter Milan and Barcelona. Reports have already surfaced that AC Milan are pushing hard to secure the services of inspirational skipper Gaizka Mendieta. His departure really would be a body blow to a club trying to prepare for a renewed assault on European football's elite competition. Spanish press sympathizes with ValenciaMADRID, Spain -- Spanish newspapers gushed sympathy for Valencia Thursday after its dramatic 5-4 loss in a penalty shoot-out to Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Wednesday's match, which ended 1-1 after extra time and saw a total of 17 spot-kicks, was described by sports daily As as "World penalty day." "What a shame! Penalties proved fatal for Valencia," ran the headline of another sports paper, Marca. Both goals in the first 90 minutes came from spot-kicks. Valencia's Gaizka Mendieta slotted the first home in the 2nd minute for the quickest goal in the 45-year history of finals in Europe's principal competition. After Bayern's Mehmet Scholl had also missed the second penalty of the game in the 7th minute, his teammate Stefan Effenberg equalized with another in the 50th minute. "Accursed penalties," As blazed. Valencia's disappointment found its focus in its goalkeeper Santiago Canizares whose disconsolate sobbing after the match was captured on the front pages of most Spanish newspapers. "Don't cry, guys" implored Marca's headline. "Inconsolable" ran another As headline, accompanied by a photograph of a tearful Canizares. Having also lost last year's final to Real Madrid in Paris, Valencia was described by Marca as being "jinxed in this competition." The papers also concentrated on Valencia coach Hector Cuper who has led his teams to defeats in three consecutive European finals. Prior to the two Champions League finals the Argentine took Mallorca to the Cup Winners Cup Final in 1999 where it lost 2-1 to Lazio at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. "Penalties have denied him the chance of a glorious exit," Marca said of the 45-year-old Cuper, who is expected to leave the club next month when his two-year contract expires. Valencia's central defender Mauricio Pellegrino, whose crucial penalty miss handed Bayern the trophy for the first time in 25 years, was also singled out for sympathy. The Argentine confessed after the match that it was only the second penalty he had taken in all his career. "It will be extremely hard for Pellegrino to forget the cruelty he had to endure around 11 o'clock last night," El Pais wrote. However, some criticism was reserved for Valencia's display which El Pais described as "sterile." "Hector Cuper's side was unable to take advantage of its early advantage and paid for its lack of play," it remarked. "A long, slow agony, which began as early as the first minute when Valencia scored, reached its logical conclusion in the penalty shootout," it added. Despite the dramatic finale, several of the country's newspapers also observed that the overall quality of the match was lacking. "The game had physical effort, tension, emotion and intensity. What it didn't have was football," the daily El Mundo remarked. Valencia deny reports of Mendieta move to AC MilanMADRID -- Valencia president Pedro Cortes has denied reports that the club's inspirational midfielder Gaizka Mendieta is on the verge of joining Italy's AC Milan. "Mendieta has not signed any deal with any club," Cortes told reporters after he was asked to comment on reports in the Italian press that the Valencia skipper had agreed to join the Serie A club. "Whoever said this has no idea of what he is talking about. No deal has been done with Mendieta, it is just a rumor." The Italian press reports suggested that AC Milan were prepared to pay between $35 and $40 million for the Spanish international.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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