PARIS (Reuters)
- Real Madrid swept to an imperious 3-0 victory over Valencia in the Champions
League final at the
Stade de France to lift the European Cup for an unprecedented eighth time.
Real, who won with goals from Fernando Morientes, Steve McManaman and Raul,
recorded the biggest victory in the
final since AC Milan defeated Barcelona 4-0 in 1994.
Morientes opened the scoring with a header after 39 minutes, an audacious
volley from McManaman made it two after
67 minutes and Raul wrapped it up with a brilliant solo effort eight minutes
later, running more than half the length of the
pitch.
Real became European champions for the second time in three seasons winning
in the French capital where they won
the first ever European Cup final in 1956.
On the way they beat both of last seasons finalists, Manchester United and
Bayern Munich, before hammering in-form
Valencia in the first ever European Cup final between two teams from the
same country.
After soaking up some early Valencia pressure, McManaman, Raul and Real skipper
Fernando Redondo gradually took
a grip of midfield.
It was no surprise when Real took the lead after 39 minutes with Morientes
heading home his sixth Champions League
goal of the season.
He escaped from his marker Miroslav Djukic to head in powerfully at the far
post, beating ex-Real goalkeeper Santiago
Canizares.
Valencia had failed to clear a fiercely struck 35-metre free kick from Roberto
Carlos. The ball eventually ran to Nicolas
Anelka and then Michel Salgado, who crossed for Morientes to score.
The opening half was played at a ferocious pace with the play swinging from
one goalmouth to the other as both teams
searched for an early breakthrough.
Although the tempo dropped in the second half, Real's domination of the game
did not.
McManaman made victory virtually certain when he struck home a superbly executed
volley after 67 minutes. Raul
sealed the victory with his 10th Champions League goal of the season eight
minutes later.
After collecting a pass from substitute Savio inside his own half, Raul kept
close control of the ball on a 60-metre run
on goal wich ended with him rounding Canizares before scoring.
