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UEFA CUP: UEFA Cup challengers to give no quarter

/noticias.info/ A semi-final place will be the prize at stake for the eight teams in UEFA Cup contention when the quarter-finals begin this evening.

History lesson
Rangers FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal may not be on the list of former winners hoping for a repeat success in Manchester on 14 May, yet both sides boast a proud European pedigree and are the only last-eight pairing to have met before. Their previous jousts came in the second round of the 1971/72 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, with the Scottish club advancing on away goals before eventually claiming the trophy. "Let's hope history will be repeated," said Rangers manager Walter Smith, who goes into the opening game in Glasgow full of confidence after eliminating Werder Bremen in the Round of 16.

Hungry for glory
The victors in that tie will face either ACF Fiorentina or PSV Eindhoven, who get their rivalry started at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Both teams were taken to penalties by English opposition last time out, with Fiorentina overcoming Everton FC and PSV knocking out Tottenham Hotspur FC to suggest high hunger levels in the two camps. The Dutch title-holders are also aiming to add a second UEFA Cup crown to the one collected in 1978, yet their Italian opponents refuse to be intimidated. "PSV are more experienced than us in European competition but I still think we have a good chance of progress," said Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli.

Favourites in action
In the other half of the draw, favourites FC Bayern München welcome tournament newcomers Getafe CF, Spain's last surviving representatives and only hope of a fourth UEFA Cup triumph in five years. Many are backing Bayern to lift the trophy they landed in 1995/96 – and none will be keener for them to do that than coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who has two UEFA Champions League victories to his name but no glory in this competition. His opposite number Michael Laudrup has never won in Germany and is under no illusions about the size of the task: "We are talking about the best team in the tournament with great players."

Home advantage
Success for Bayern would set up the possibility of an all-German semi-final, with Bayer 04 Leverkusen tackling FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the other quarter-final. Leverkusen, who took this title in 1988, stage the first instalment at the BayArena and will be keen to establish an advantage given the Russian champions' strong home form. "We would rather have played the first leg away," said Leverkusen coach Michael Skibbe, rightly wary after Zenit recovered from a 3-1 first-leg loss at Olympique de Marseille in the last round. notas_de_prensa_archivo