2004 UEFA Cup Final - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 2004 UEFA Cup Final was played on May 19, 2004 at Gothenburg

Gothenburg

Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...

, between Valencia CF

Valencia CF

Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...

of Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

and Olympique de Marseille

Olympique de Marseille

Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...

of France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. Valencia won the match 2-0 thanks to goals from Vicente

Vicente Rodríguez

Vicente Rodríguez Guillén , simply Vicente, nicknamed El puñal de Benicalap , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in England....

and Mista. This game was to be the last in which Rafael Benítez

Rafael Benítez

Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....

was in charge of Valencia before he took over at Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool F.C.

Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

Match Summary

Valencia CF

had been on a 14-match unbeaten run previous to this match, which had only ended the previous week to Villarreal CF

Villarreal CF

Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...

, the side they beat in the semi-final to reach the final, due to a weakened lineup, after securing the La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...

title. Whilst, Olympique de Marseille

Olympique de Marseille

had lost four of their last five matches in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....

.

The start of the match was conservative due to the wind, however Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba

Didier Yves Drogba Tébily is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. He currently plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is deputy vice-captain, and is the captain and all-time top scorer of the Côte d'Ivoire national football team...

threatened early on, and was sent tumbling by a robust challenge from Roberto Ayala

Roberto Ayala

Roberto Fabián Ayala , nicknamed el Ratón , is a former Argentine football centre back.Regarded as one of the best central defenders of his generation, Ayala captained the Argentine national team for more matches than anyone else...

, which lead to a free kick, in which the resulting shot was cleared off the line by Carlos Marchena

Carlos Marchena

Carlos Marchena López is a Spanish footballer who plays for Villarreal CF and the Spanish national team.Mainly a central defender with an aggressive approach, he can also pitch in as a defensive midfielder...

. This sparked Valencia into life and David Albelda

David Albelda

David Albelda Aliqués is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF as a defensive midfielder.He played mainly for local Valencia during his extensive professional career, being team captain for over a decade....

produced a brilliant save from Fabien Barthez

Fabien Barthez

Fabien Alain Barthez is a former French footballer goalkeeper who won honours with Manchester United and the French national team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 World Cup. He shares the record for the most World Cup finals clean sheets...

, after pouncing on Mista's rebounded shot.

Valencia had Marseille running round in circles, and this led to frustration, which saw Steve Marlet

Steve Marlet

Steve Marlet is a French footballer who is currently playing for amateur club CM Aubervilliers. The forward was capped 23 times and scored six goals for the French national team....

, get booked on 10 minutes. Marseille's first meaningful attempt at goal came in the 16th minute when Steve Marlet headed over from Camel Meriem

Camel Meriem

Camel Meriem is a French footballer of Algerian origin who currently plays for French club OGC Nice in Ligue 1.- Club career :Meriem began his career with Sochaux where he played 82 games and scored eight goals in five years. After the end of the 2001/2002 season, he signed for Bordeaux...

's cross. Monutes later Meriem himself had a chance to give Marseille the lead, but he shot wide from the edge of the area. Marseille had another chance when Habib Beye

Habib Beye

Habib Beye is a French born Senegalese footballer who plays for Doncaster Rovers on loan from Aston Villa and for the Senegal national team...

got on the end of Drogba's free kick, but he headed wide. The definitive moment in the match cam on the stroke of half time, when Barthez brought down Mista in the area after a great cross by Curro Torres

Curro Torres

Cristóbal Emilio Torres Ruiz, aka Curro Torres , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a right defender....

, Barthez was sent off and Valencia were awarded a penalty. Jérémy Gavanon

Jérémy Gavanon

Jérémy Gavanon is a French footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for AS Cannes.-Career:He signed a professional contract with Olympique Marseille in the summer of 2003, and made his first start for the club in a UEFA Champions League group match against FK Partizan, which resulted in a 1-1...

replaced Barthez with Camel Meriem making way for him. Vicente

Vicente Rodríguez

Vicente Rodríguez Guillén , simply Vicente, nicknamed El puñal de Benicalap , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in England....

dispatched the penalty to give Valencia a 1-0 lead going into half time.

The second half started off with Valencia in total ascendancy, and after 13 minutes of near total possession, Valencia doubled their lead. Vicente had cut the ball in from the left for Mista who finished the chance with ease to record his fifth goal of the competition. Marseille's heads inevitably dropped, however they came forward in flourishes in the last remnants of the game, when Drogba's free kick was stopped by Santiago Cañizares

Santiago Cañizares

José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.After playing with Real Madrid, mostly as a backup, he finished his career at Valencia CF, where he appeared in more than 400 official games since 1998.In his prime, he was regarded as one of the best...

, and then he nearly played Steve Marlet but it was intercepted. Marseille almost found a way back into the match n 80 minutes but Sylvain N'Diaye

Sylvain N'Diaye

Sylvain N'Diayé is a French-born Senegalese footballer, currently a defensive midfielder for AS Cannes.-Club career:During his career, N'Diayé played for FC Girondins de Bordeaux , Belgian First Division's KAA Gent, Toulouse FC, Lille OSC and Olympique de Marseille...

's shot was saved by Cañizares.

After this, the match descended into a stoic affair, and Valencia ran out winners to win their first major European trophy in 24 years, and victory after 2 UEFA Champions League

UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

final defeats, in 2000

2000 UEFA Champions League Final

The 2000 UEFA Champions League Final took place at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France on 24 May 2000. The match pitted Spanish rivals Real Madrid and Valencia...

and 2001

2001 UEFA Champions League Final

The 2001 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place at San Siro in Milan, Italy, on 23 May 2001, to decide the winner of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League. The match pitted Bayern Munich against Valencia. The match finished in a 1–1 draw, but Bayern clinched their fourth...

. The victory also meant that Amedeo Carboni

Amedeo Carboni

Amedeo Carboni is a retired Italian footballer who played as a left defender.In a professional career which spanned 22 years and saw him appear in nearly 700 official games, he played mainly for Roma and Valencia , winning eight major titles for the two clubs combined.Carboni was capped 18 times...

became the oldest player to win a European final at 39 years and 43 days old.

Match details


style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">	VALENCIA:
GK	1	Santiago Cañizares Santiago Cañizares José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.After playing with Real Madrid, mostly as a backup, he finished his career at Valencia CF, where he appeared in more than 400 official games since 1998.In his prime, he was regarded as one of the best...
RB	23	Curro Torres Curro Torres Cristóbal Emilio Torres Ruiz, aka Curro Torres , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a right defender....
CB	4	Roberto Ayala Roberto Ayala Roberto Fabián Ayala , nicknamed el Ratón , is a former Argentine football centre back.Regarded as one of the best central defenders of his generation, Ayala captained the Argentine national team for more matches than anyone else...
CB	5	Carlos Marchena Carlos Marchena Carlos Marchena López is a Spanish footballer who plays for Villarreal CF and the Spanish national team.Mainly a central defender with an aggressive approach, he can also pitch in as a defensive midfielder...
LB	15	Amedeo Carboni Amedeo Carboni Amedeo Carboni is a retired Italian footballer who played as a left defender.In a professional career which spanned 22 years and saw him appear in nearly 700 official games, he played mainly for Roma and Valencia , winning eight major titles for the two clubs combined.Carboni was capped 18 times...
RM	19	Francisco Rufete Francisco Rufete Francisco Joaquín Pérez Rufete is a Spanish footballer who plays for Hércules CF....
CM	6	David Albelda David Albelda David Albelda Aliqués is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF as a defensive midfielder.He played mainly for local Valencia during his extensive professional career, being team captain for over a decade.... (c)
CM	8	Rubén Baraja
LM	14	Vicente Vicente Rodríguez Vicente Rodríguez Guillén , simply Vicente, nicknamed El puñal de Benicalap , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in England....
CF	20	Mista
CF	10	Miguel Ángel Angulo
Substitutes:
GK	35	David Rangel David Rangel Pastor David Rangel Pastor is a Spanish footballer who plays for Deportivo Alavés as a goalkeeper.-Football career:Rangel was signed in 2000 by Valencia CF from neighbours Burjassot CF, spending his first two years with the B team...
DF	2	Mauricio Pellegrino Mauricio Pellegrino Mauricio Andrés Pellegrino is a former Argentine footballer, who played as a central defender, and who also spent time as a coach.-Early career:...
DF	12	Javier Garrido Ramírez
MF	21	Pablo Aimar Pablo Aimar Pablo César Aimar Giordano is a Argentine professional footballer who plays for Sport Lisboa e Benfica in the Portuguese first division. An attacking midfielder with a vast array of skills, he also holds a Spanish passport....
MF	25	Mohamed Sissoko Mohamed Sissoko Mohamed Lamine Sissoko Gillan is a French-born Malian footballer who is currently playing for the French Ligue 1 team Paris-Saint Germain and the Malian national team. Although he could have elected to play for France internationally, he chose to play for the country of his descent, Mali...
FW	11	Juan Sánchez
FW	24	Xisco
Manager:
Rafael Benítez Rafael Benítez Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....

style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center> MARSEILLE: | GK 16

Fabien Barthez

RB 23

Habib Beye

Habib Beye is a French born Senegalese footballer who plays for Doncaster Rovers on loan from Aston Villa and for the Senegal national team...

CB 12

Abdoulaye Méïté

Abdoulaye Méïté is a French born Ivorian footballer who plays for Dijon FCO. He represents Côte d'Ivoire internationally and has been awarded 48 caps.-Career:...

CB 25

Demetrius Ferreira

Demetrius Ferreira is a Brazilian footballer.Efficient from his beginnings, the Brazilian knew his technical qualities shown notably in offensive stages. While he was traced by number of English clubs, the ex-Bastia defender chose to sign with Olympique de Marseille for two years in June 2004,...

LB 3

Manuel dos Santos

Manuel dos Santos Fernandes

Manuel dos Santos Fernandes , known as Dos Santos, is a retired Cape Verdean-born French footballer who played as a left defender.-Football career:...

DM 4

Mathieu Flamini

Mathieu Flamini is a French professional footballer of Italian descent who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Milan..-Marseille:...

CM 6

Brahim Hemdani

Brahim Hemdani is a French-born Algerian professional footballer. He is currently on a 4 week trial with newly formed Senegalese side Rowl-N-Phrita.-Club career:...

CM 7

AM 18

CF 11

CF 20

Steve Marlet is a French footballer who is currently playing for amateur club CM Aubervilliers. The forward was capped 23 times and scored six goals for the French national team....

Substitutes: GK 30

Jérémy Gavanon

DF 5

Philippe Christanval

Philippe Charles Lucien Christanval is a retired French footballer of Guadeloupian origin who most recently played for Fulham as a centre back.-Club career:...

DF 21

Johnny Ecker

Johnny Ecker is a French football defender currently playing for Stade Beaucairois.His previous clubs include OSC Lille, Olympique Marseille and Guingamp.-External links:* at l'Equipe...

MF 26

Laurent Batlles

Laurent Batlles is a French footballer who plays for AS Saint-Étienne as a midfielder.-Club career:In 1993–94, Batlles emerged from the Toulouse FC academy into the senior squad, playing his first game in the top division against Olympique Lyonnais, on 2 April 1994, a 0–1 defeat.In 1999, Batlles...

MF 29

Fabio Celestini

Fabio Celestini is a retired Swiss footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.Having started and finished his 15-year professional career with Lausanne, he also played one full decade combined in France and Spain, representing four teams.Celestini appeared with the Swiss national team at Euro...

MF 33

Nicolas Cicut FW 14

Štěpán Vachoušek

Štepán Vachoušek

Štěpán Vachoušek is a Czech footballer who is contracted to FK Teplice.He played for Olympique de Marseille in 2004 before moving to FK Austria Wien and then onto FK Teplice...

Manager:

José Anigo

José Anigo is a French former football defender, currently sporting director for Olympique de Marseille.-References:*...

Man of the Match:

Roberto Ayala

(Valencia)

Assistant referees:

Marco Ivaldi

Narciso Pisacreta

Fourth official:

Roberto Rosetti

Roberto Rosetti is a former Italian football referee. He is fluent in Italian, English and French. He started refereeing in 1983, and took charge of his first match in the Italian Serie A in 1996. He received his FIFA Badge in 2002...

Match Summary

Match details

See also