2Slick
04-12-2006, 21:23
AS Roma go into their final Group D match against Valencia CF requiring just a point to guarantee their place in the UEFA Champions League's knockout stage. With Valencia already qualified as group winners, the spotlight is on Luciano Spalletti's men as they seek to secure their progress from this stage of the competition for the first time since 2002/03, when they reached the second group phase. With a two-point lead over third-placed FC Shakhtar Donetsk, either a win or draw would carry Roma through. With a point, Roma would move out of reach for Shakhtar as even if the Ukrainain team won their final match at Olympiacos CFP to join their rivals on eight points, they would lose out on the head-to-head rule.
Still open
• Roma's 1-0 defeat at Shakhtar on 22 November ensured the race for second place would go to the wire. Ciprian Marica headed the only goal after 61 minutes.
• On the same night, Valencia secured top spot by defeating Olympiacos CFP 2-0 through goals from Miguel Ãngel Angulo and Fernando Morientes.
• It was Valencia's fourth win in five group matches. They opened with three straight victories – 4-2 at Olympiacos, 2-1 against Roma and 2-0 against Shakhtar – before a 2-2 draw in Donetsk on Matchday 4.
• When Valencia overcame Roma at the Mestalla in September, all three goals came in a 16-minute spell in the first half. Miguel Ãngel Angulo opened the scoring after 13 minutes and although Francesco Totti levelled from the penalty spot five minutes later, David Villa got the winner in the 29th minute.
• Roma's campaign began with a 4-0 victory against Shakhtar and they took their other points from their fixtures against Olympiacos, winning 1-0 in Greece on Matchday 3 prior to a 1-1 home draw.
Patchy record
• Roma's home record against Spanish opposition is unlikely to inspire confidence given their nine previous matches have produced more defeats (five) than victories (four).
• Valencia's solitary success in eight matches on Italian soil came against Roma in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League second group stage. John Carew struck the only goal in the 78th minute. Vincenzo Montella and Christian Panucci are the only survivors from the Roma lineup that night. Five of Valencia's starting XI remain - Santiago Cañizares, Roberto Ayala, David Albelda, Rubén Baraja and Vicente RodrÃ*guez. Valencia's sporting director Amedeo Carboni also appeared for the Spanish side in that match but earlier in his career he played for Roma.
• Overall Roma have got the better of the teams' past encounters. They triumphed 3-2 on aggregate in a 1990/91 UEFA Cup second-round tie - winning 2-1 in Italy after a 1-1 away draw – and then made up for their 1-0 home loss in 2002/03 with a 3-0 victory in Spain.
• Valencia coach Quique Sánchez Flores played in both legs of that UEFA Cup defeat in October 1990.
http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=2357/match=1116401/index.html
Still open
• Roma's 1-0 defeat at Shakhtar on 22 November ensured the race for second place would go to the wire. Ciprian Marica headed the only goal after 61 minutes.
• On the same night, Valencia secured top spot by defeating Olympiacos CFP 2-0 through goals from Miguel Ãngel Angulo and Fernando Morientes.
• It was Valencia's fourth win in five group matches. They opened with three straight victories – 4-2 at Olympiacos, 2-1 against Roma and 2-0 against Shakhtar – before a 2-2 draw in Donetsk on Matchday 4.
• When Valencia overcame Roma at the Mestalla in September, all three goals came in a 16-minute spell in the first half. Miguel Ãngel Angulo opened the scoring after 13 minutes and although Francesco Totti levelled from the penalty spot five minutes later, David Villa got the winner in the 29th minute.
• Roma's campaign began with a 4-0 victory against Shakhtar and they took their other points from their fixtures against Olympiacos, winning 1-0 in Greece on Matchday 3 prior to a 1-1 home draw.
Patchy record
• Roma's home record against Spanish opposition is unlikely to inspire confidence given their nine previous matches have produced more defeats (five) than victories (four).
• Valencia's solitary success in eight matches on Italian soil came against Roma in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League second group stage. John Carew struck the only goal in the 78th minute. Vincenzo Montella and Christian Panucci are the only survivors from the Roma lineup that night. Five of Valencia's starting XI remain - Santiago Cañizares, Roberto Ayala, David Albelda, Rubén Baraja and Vicente RodrÃ*guez. Valencia's sporting director Amedeo Carboni also appeared for the Spanish side in that match but earlier in his career he played for Roma.
• Overall Roma have got the better of the teams' past encounters. They triumphed 3-2 on aggregate in a 1990/91 UEFA Cup second-round tie - winning 2-1 in Italy after a 1-1 away draw – and then made up for their 1-0 home loss in 2002/03 with a 3-0 victory in Spain.
• Valencia coach Quique Sánchez Flores played in both legs of that UEFA Cup defeat in October 1990.
http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/UCL/FixturesResults/Round=2357/match=1116401/index.html