2001 UEFA Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 2001 UEFA Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool
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...

 of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Alavés
Deportivo Alavés
Deportivo Alavés, S.A.D., usually abbreviated to Alavés, is a Spanish football club based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the Basque Country. Founded in 1921, it plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at the 19,500-seater Estadio Mendizorrotza....

 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...

 on 16 May 2001 at the Westfalenstadion
Westfalenstadion
Westfalenstadion is an association football stadium in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the home stadium of the Borussia Dortmund football team playing in the German Bundesliga....

, Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2000–01 edition of Europe's secondary cup competition, the UEFA Cup. Liverpool were appearing in their third UEFA Cup final, after their appearances in 1973
1973 UEFA Cup Final
The 1973 UEFA Cup Final was an association football match played over two-legs between Liverpool F.C. of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of West Germany on 10 May, 1973 and 23 May, 1973 at Anfield, Liverpool and the Bökelbergstadion, Mönchengladbach. It was the final two matches of the 1972–73...

 and 1976
1976 UEFA Cup Final
The 1976 UEFA Cup Final was played on April 28, 1976 and May 19, 1976 between Liverpool F.C. of England and Club Brugge K.V. of Belgium. Liverpool won 4-3 on aggregate.-First Leg:-Second Leg:-External links:**...

. It also represented the first European final they reached since being banned from Europe following the Heysel Stadium disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...

. Alavés were appearing in their first European final.

Each team had to progress through six knockout rounds playing 12 matches in total to reach the final. Liverpool's matches were mainly close affairs, none of their ties were won by more than two goals. The fourth round and semi-final ties against Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...

 and Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....

 were won 1–0. In contrast, Alavés ties ranged from close affairs to comfortable victories. They won their first round tie against Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Gaziantep. Formed in 1969, Gaziantepspor are nicknamed the Şahinler . The club colours are black and red, and they play their home matches at Kamil Ocak Stadyumu....

 by one goal, whereas they beat Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...

 9–2 in the semi-final.

Watched by a crowd of 48,050, Liverpool took an early lead when Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel is a former international German football player, who is currently manager of German Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. He played as a defender for clubs in Germany and England.-Career:...

 scored in the fourth minute. They extended their lead in the 16th minute when Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...

 scored. Midway through the first half, Iván Alonso
Iván Alonso
Iván Daniel Alonso Vallejo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Deportivo Toluca F.C. in the Primera División Mexicana, as a striker....

 scored to bring Alavés within a goal of levelling the match. A few minutes before the end of the first half, Liverpool went 3–1 up when Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...

 scored from the penalty spot. Minutes after the start of the second half, Javi Moreno
Javi Moreno
Javier 'Javi' Moreno Valera is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.Best known for his Alavés stint, he also had short spells in Italy and England, with little impact, amassing La Liga totals of 118 games and 38 goals.-Early years / Alavés:Moreno made his professional debuts with...

 scored twice to level the match at 3–3. Liverpool went in front again in the 76th minute when Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....

 scored. With a minute remaining in the match, Alavés equalised thanks to Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...

. The match went into extra-time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...

, with the first half goalless. With the match heading for a penalty shootout, Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli i Roura is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a right defender.-Club career:...

 headed into his own net, as a result, Liverpool won on the golden goal
Golden goal
The golden goal is a method used in association football, field hockey, ice hockey and korfball to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. It is a type of sudden death. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during...

 rule. The victory meant Liverpool completed a Treble of Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 and UEFA Cup.

Liverpool

Round Opposition First leg Second leg Aggregate score
1st Rapid Bucureşti 1–0 (a) 0–0 (h) 1–0
2nd Slovan Liberec
FC Slovan Liberec
FC Slovan Liberec is a Czech football club founded in the city of Liberec. The club is one of the most successful in the Czech Republic, having won two league titles and the domestic cup since 1993. Slovan Liberec is also one of the richest clubs in the Czech league...

1–0 (h) 3–2 (a) 4–2
3rd Olympiacos 2–2 (a) 2–0 (h) 4–2
4th Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...

2–0 (a) 0–1 (h) 2–1
Quarter-final Porto 0–0 (a) 2–0 (h) 2–0
Semi-final Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....

0–0 (a) 1–0 (h) 1–0

Liverpool qualified for the UEFA Cup by finishing fourth in the 1999–2000 FA Premier League. Their opposition in the first round were Rapid Bucureşti of Romania
Football in Romania
Football is the most popular sport in Romania. The Romanian Football Federation , a member of UEFA, is the sport's national governing body.-League system:...

. The first leg was held at Rapid's home ground Stadionul Giuleşti-Valentin Stănescu, Liverpool won 1–0, Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby
Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001...

 scored the winning goal. The second leg at Liverpool's home ground Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...

 finished 0–0, which meant that Liverpool won the tie 1–0 on aggregate to progress to the second round. Liverpool's opposition in the second round was Slovan Liberec
FC Slovan Liberec
FC Slovan Liberec is a Czech football club founded in the city of Liberec. The club is one of the most successful in the Czech Republic, having won two league titles and the domestic cup since 1993. Slovan Liberec is also one of the richest clubs in the Czech league...

 of the Czech Republic. The first leg at Anfield was heading for a 0–0 draw, until the 87th minute when Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...

 scored to give Liverpool a 1–0 victory. The second leg was at Liberec's home ground, the Stadion u Nisy. Liberec took the lead in the first half to level the tie at 1–1. Midway through the first half, Liverpool equalised to make it 1–1 on the night and 2–1 in their favour in aggregate. Two further goals in the second half by Barmby and Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...

, before a late Liberec goal ensured Liverpool won the match 3–2 to progress to the third round after a 4–2 aggregate victory. Liverpool's opponents in the third round were Olympiacos of Greece
Football in Greece
Football is the national sport of Greece.-League system:The first league of professional football in Greece was officially established as the Panhellenic Championship in 1927...

. The first leg was held at Olympiacos' home ground, the Karaiskakis Stadium
Karaiskakis Stadium
Karaiskakis Stadium is in the Neo Faliro area of Piraeus, Greece. It is the home ground of Olympiacos F.C. and is named after Georgios Karaiskakis , hero of the Greek War of Independence, who was mortally wounded near the area....

. Liverpool were heading for a 2–1 victory courtesy of goals from Barmby and Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...

, until Olympiacos equalised in the last minute to earn a 2–2 draw. The second leg at Anfield was won 2–0 by Liverpool, with a goal scored in each half by Barmby and Heskey respectively. The victory ensured Liverpool won the tie 4–2 on aggregate to progress to the fourth round.

Liverpool's opposition in the fourth round were Italian side Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...

. The first leg was held at Roma's home ground the Stadio Olimpico
Stadio Olimpico
The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football...

, where Liverpool had won the European Cup
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...

 twice in 1977
1977 European Cup Final
The 1977 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of Germany on 25 May 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The showpiece event was the final match of the 1976–77 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup...

 and 1984
1984 European Cup Final
The 1984 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Roma of Italy on 30 May 1984 at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. It was the final match of the 1983–84 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool were appearing in...

. Incidentally, Roma were the team Liverpool beat to win the European Cup in 1984. Liverpool were once again successful at the Stadio Olimpico, as they won 2–0 courtesy of two Michael Owen second half goals. The second leg at Anfield was a close affair. Roma scored in the 70th minute to take the lead, they now needed to score another goal to take the match into extra-time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...

. They looked like they had the opportunity to do so, when the referee awarded a penalty towards the end of the match after he had adjudged that Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel is a former international German football player, who is currently manager of German Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. He played as a defender for clubs in Germany and England.-Career:...

 had handled the ball. However, moments later, he reversed his decision and instead awarded Roma a corner-kick. Roma were unable to score the necessary goal following the incident and Liverpool progressed to the quarter-finals courtesy of a 2–1 aggregate victory. Portuguese side Porto were the opposition in the quarter-finals. The first leg in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 ended 0–0. Liverpool won the second leg at Anfield 2–0 with Danny Murphy and Michael Owen scoring in the first half to progress to the semi-finals courtesy of a 2–0 aggregate victory. Liverpool were drawn against Spanish side Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....

 in the semi-finals. Liverpool defended resolutely during the first leg at Barcelona's ground the Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....

 to earn a 0–0 draw. The second leg at Anfield was equally close, until the 44th minute when Liverpool were awarded a penalty. Gary McAllister scored the subsequent penalty to put Liverpool 1–0 up in the match and the tie. However, a Barcelona goal would see them progress as a result of the away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...

. Liverpool managed to see out the 90 minutes without conceding a goal to progress to their first European final, since they were banned from participating in Europe following the Heysel Stadium disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...

 at the 1985 European Cup Final
1985 European Cup Final
The 1985 European Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium on 29 May 1985....

.

Alavés

Round Opposition First leg Second leg Aggregate score
1st Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Gaziantep. Formed in 1969, Gaziantepspor are nicknamed the Şahinler . The club colours are black and red, and they play their home matches at Kamil Ocak Stadyumu....

0–0 (h) 4–3 (a) 4–3
2nd Lillestrøm 3–1 (a) 2–2 (h) 5–3
3rd Rosenborg 1–1 (a) 3–1 (h) 4–2
4th Internazionale 3–3 (h) 2–0 (a) 5–3
Quarter-final Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...

3–0 (h) 1–2 (a) 4–2
Semi-final Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

5–1 (h) 4–1 (a) 9–2

Alavés qualified for the UEFA Cup by finishing sixth during the 1999–2000 La Liga. They were drawn against Turkish team Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Gaziantep. Formed in 1969, Gaziantepspor are nicknamed the Şahinler . The club colours are black and red, and they play their home matches at Kamil Ocak Stadyumu....

 in the first round. The first leg at Alavés' home ground the Estadio Mendizorrotza
Estadio Mendizorrotza
Estadio Mendizorroza is a football stadium in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. The stadium is the home ground of Deportivo Alavés.- References :...

 finished 0–0. However, the second leg was more entertaining. The match contained seven goals, Alavés won the match 4–3 to progress to the second round. Alavés' opposition in the second round were Lillestrøm of Norway
Football in Norway
Football is the most popular sport in Norway in terms of active membership . The Football Association of Norway was founded in 1902 and the first international match was played in 1908. There are 1,822 registered football clubs and about 25,000 teams...

. The first leg was at Lillestrøm's home ground the Åråsen Stadion
Åråsen Stadion
Åråsen Stadion is an all-seater football stadium located in Lillestrøm, a suburb of Oslo, in Skedsmo, Norway. With a capacity 12,250 spectators, the venue is the home of Norwegian Premier League side Lillestrøm SK . The venue has four stands, of which the western stand has luxury boxes and club...

. Alavés won the match 3–1 with goals from Begona, Óscar Téllez
Óscar Téllez
Óscar Téllez Gómez is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a central defender.A rugged player with strength and heading ability, he was mostly known for his Deportivo Alavés spell.-Club career:...

 and Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Marius Contra is a retired Romanian footballer who played mainly as a right defender.Offensive-minded, he could also appear as a midfielder, and played professionally in four countries , mainly in Spain, where he appeared for three clubs, mainly Getafe CF, which he helped consolidate in the...

. The second leg in Spain was a 2–2 draw, which ensured that Alavés won the tie 5–3 on aggregate to progress to the third round. Another Norwegian team, Rosenborg were their opposition. The first leg in 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...

 was a 1–1 draw. The second leg held at Rosenborg's ground the Lerkendal Stadion
Lerkendal stadion
Lerkendal Stadion is an all-seater football stadium located at Lerkendal in Trondheim, Norway. The home ground of the Tippeligaen side Rosenborg BK, it has a capacity for 21,116 spectators, making it the second-largest football stadium in the country....

. Alavés took an early lead when Rosenborg player Bent Inge Johnsen
Bent Inge Johnsen
Bent Inge Johnsen is the assistant manager of the Bodø/Glimt football team.A former Norwegian football player and current coach, Johnsen was versatile and could play as defender, midfielder and forward....

 scored an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....

. Alavés scored a further two goals in the second half, with Rosenborg scoring a late goal to win the match 3–1 and progress to the fourth round courtesy of a 4–2 aggregate victory.

The opposition in the fourth round were Italian team Internazionale, who had won the competition three times. The first leg in Spain saw Internazionale go ahead 3–1 midway through the second half after Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Alexander Recoba Rivero , nicknamed "El Chino", is a Uruguayan footballer currently playing for Primera División Uruguaya side Club Nacional de Football...

 scored twice and Christian Vieri
Christian Vieri
Christian Vieri is a retired Italian footballer who played as a centre forward.Vieri was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations...

 scored. Alavés fought back to equalise in the 73rd minute after goals from Óscar Téllez and Iván Alonso
Iván Alonso
Iván Daniel Alonso Vallejo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Deportivo Toluca F.C. in the Primera División Mexicana, as a striker....

 securing a 3–3 draw. The second leg at Internazionale's home ground the San Siro
San Siro
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, originally and commonly referred to as the San Siro because of its location, officially given its current name on 3 March 1980, is a football stadium located in the San Siro district in Milan, Italy. It is the home of both A.C. Milan and F.C. Internazionale Milano...

 appeared to heading for a 0–0 draw until the 78th minute when Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...

 scored. A further goal from Ivan Tomić
Ivan Tomic
Ivan Tomić is a former Serbian footballer.-Club career:He grew up with one of the teams of his city, FK Partizan....

 ensured a 2–0 victory for Alavés. This meant that they progressed to the quarter-finals at the expense of the three-time winners due to a 5–3 aggregate victory. Fellow Spanish side Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...

 were the opposition in the quarter-finals. Alavés won the first leg at home 3–0. Rayo took a 2–0 lead in the second leg at their ground the Estadio Teresa Rivero
Estadio Teresa Rivero
Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas previously known as Estadio Teresa Rivero is a multi-use stadium in Madrid, Spain. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Rayo Vallecano. The stadium holds 15,500 spectators and was opened in 1976.-External links:****...

, but a late Cruyff goal ensured that Alavés would progress to the semi-finals. Their opposition in the semi-finals were German team Kaisersalautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...

, the first leg in Spain saw four penalties awarded. Three were awarded to Alavés and one to Kaiserslautern, all were scored and a further two goals for Alavés ensured the match finished 5–1 to Alavés. The second leg at Kaisersalutern was essentially meaningless as the German team needed to score four goals to stand a chance of reaching the final. It was Alavés who scored four goals, Kaisersalutern scored a consolation goal, but Alavés won the match 4–1 to progress to the final in their first season in European courtesy of a 9–2 aggregate victory.

Background

Liverpool went into the match having already won two trophies during the 2000–01 season. Their first trophy was the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

 which they had won in February defeating Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...

 5–4 in a penalty shootout after the match had finished 1–1
2001 Football League Cup Final
The 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001...

. The second trophy was the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

, which they won 2–1. They entered the match with the opportunity to win an unprecedented Treble.

Liverpool were appearing in their third UEFA Cup final, both their previous appearances in the final in 1973
1973 UEFA Cup Final
The 1973 UEFA Cup Final was an association football match played over two-legs between Liverpool F.C. of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of West Germany on 10 May, 1973 and 23 May, 1973 at Anfield, Liverpool and the Bökelbergstadion, Mönchengladbach. It was the final two matches of the 1972–73...

 and 1976
1976 UEFA Cup Final
The 1976 UEFA Cup Final was played on April 28, 1976 and May 19, 1976 between Liverpool F.C. of England and Club Brugge K.V. of Belgium. Liverpool won 4-3 on aggregate.-First Leg:-Second Leg:-External links:**...

 had resulted in victory. They were also making their first appearance in a European final since their ban from European competition following the Heysel Stadium disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...

. Alavés on the other hand were appearing in their first European final in their first season in European competition. Remarkably, the club had been in the Fourth Division of the Spanish league system 11 years ago. As it was their first season in Europe, Alavés had commissioned a special shirt that was pink and bore the names of all their 'socios' (members) as a memento of their qualification for Europe.

Liverpool opted for a 4–4–2 formation, with the only change from their FA Cup winning team four days earlier being the inclusion of Gary McAllister at the expense of Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer is a former Czech football midfielder and forward player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several...

. Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....

 who had been disappointed to be a substitute for the FA Cup final was again on the bench. Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...

 and Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...

 were picked to spearhead Liverpool's attack. Alavés opted to play a 5–3–2 formation, with Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Marius Contra is a retired Romanian footballer who played mainly as a right defender.Offensive-minded, he could also appear as a midfielder, and played professionally in four countries , mainly in Spain, where he appeared for three clubs, mainly Getafe CF, which he helped consolidate in the...

, Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen is a Norwegian football coach and former player. He is currently coaching Kolbotn IL in the Norwegian Premier League for women. He was capped 25 times for Norway, scoring two goals.-Biography:...

, Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona Herrera is a retired Spanish football defender, best known for his Deportivo Alavés stint....

, Óscar Téllez
Óscar Téllez
Óscar Téllez Gómez is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a central defender.A rugged player with strength and heading ability, he was mostly known for his Deportivo Alavés spell.-Club career:...

 and Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli i Roura is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a right defender.-Club career:...

 in defence. In attack, Martín Astudillo
Martín Astudillo
Martín Mauricio Astudillo is an Argentine footballer who plays for Rosario Central as a defensive midfielder....

 and Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...

 were chosen to play behind lone striker Javi Moreno
Javi Moreno
Javier 'Javi' Moreno Valera is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.Best known for his Alavés stint, he also had short spells in Italy and England, with little impact, amassing La Liga totals of 118 games and 38 goals.-Early years / Alavés:Moreno made his professional debuts with...

.

First half

Liverpool won the toss and kicked-off. Within the first four minutes Liverpool had scored. Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel is a former international German football player, who is currently manager of German Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. He played as a defender for clubs in Germany and England.-Career:...

 headed in a Gary McAllister free-kick to put Liverpool 1–0 up. They nearly added to their lead minutes later when Emile Heskey was put through on goal from a McAllister pass, but Alavés goalkeeper Martín Herrera
Martín Herrera
Martín Horacio Herrera is a retired Argentine footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Football career:...

 cleared the ball with his feet. Two minutes later, Martín Astudillo
Martín Astudillo
Martín Mauricio Astudillo is an Argentine footballer who plays for Rosario Central as a defensive midfielder....

 was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Heskey. Liverpool player Gary McAllister also received a yellow card after he confronted the Alavés player over his challenge. Alavés first opportunity to score was in the 12th minute. They were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area following a challenge by Stéphane Henchoz
Stéphane Henchoz
Stéphane Henchoz is a former Swiss international footballer who last played for Blackburn Rovers as a defender. He has been capped 72 times and played for his country at Euro 1996 and Euro 2004.- Early career :...

. Oscar Téllez curled a shot towards Liverpool's goal, however, Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld
Sander Westerveld
Sander Westerveld is a Dutch professional football goalkeeper. He left Sparta Rotterdam at the end of the 2007–08 Eredivisie season to play for Monza, and is currently playing for South African Premier Soccer League club Ajax Cape Town....

 pushed the ball away from goal. Three minutes later, Michael Owen collected a Dietmar Hammann pass and played a diagonal pass to Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...

, whose shot beat the Alavés keeper Herrera to put Liverpool 2–0 ahead.

Minutes later Alavés made the first substitution of the match when Iván Alonso
Iván Alonso
Iván Daniel Alonso Vallejo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Deportivo Toluca F.C. in the Primera División Mexicana, as a striker....

 replaced defender Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen is a Norwegian football coach and former player. He is currently coaching Kolbotn IL in the Norwegian Premier League for women. He was capped 25 times for Norway, scoring two goals.-Biography:...

. The change had the desired effect as four minutes later, Alavés scored. Right wing-back Cosmin Contra put the ball into the area form the right side of the pitch and Alonso rose above Babbel to head the ball into the net to make the scoreline 2–1. Immediately afterwards, Alavés were almost level when Contra put another ball into the penalty area, however, Henchoz cleared the ball before an Alavés player could reach it. In the 35th minute, Alavés were again nearly level. Alonso's header fell to Javi Moreno
Javi Moreno
Javier 'Javi' Moreno Valera is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.Best known for his Alavés stint, he also had short spells in Italy and England, with little impact, amassing La Liga totals of 118 games and 38 goals.-Early years / Alavés:Moreno made his professional debuts with...

, who went past Henchoz his shot was saved by Westerveld after it his chest. The rebound fell to Ivan Tomić
Ivan Tomic
Ivan Tomić is a former Serbian footballer.-Club career:He grew up with one of the teams of his city, FK Partizan....

, but Westerveld again saved his shot. Five minutes later, Liverpool were awarded a penalty. Michael Owen had run into the penalty area
Penalty area
The penalty area , is an area of an association football pitch. It is rectangular and extends to each side of the goal and in front of it. Within the penalty area is the penalty spot , which is from the goal line, directly in-line with the centre of the goal...

 past the Alavés defence, he was brought down by Herrera was who was booked for the foul. Gary McAllister took the penalty and scored to put Liverpool 3–1 ahead.

Second half

In contrast to the first-half, it was Alavés who started the half the better of the two sides. Contra put a cross from the right side of the pitch into the penalty area, which was met by Moreno, whose header beat Westerveld to make the scoreline 3–2. Four minutes later Alavés had equalised. They were awarded a free-kick 25 yards away from goal and Moreno went straight through the Liverpool wall and into the goal past Westerveld. Liverpool reacted to the scoreline being levelled at 3–3 by substituting Stéphane Henchoz with Vladimír Šmicer. Steven Gerrard was placed in the right-back position as a result of the change. Three minutes later, Owen was brought down by defender Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona Herrera is a retired Spanish football defender, best known for his Deportivo Alavés stint....

, who was subsequently booked. Liverpool were awarded a free-kick, which Gary McAllister hit into the Alavés wall. In the 64th minute, both sides made substitutions. Liverpool replaced Emile Heskey with Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....

, while Alavés goalscorer Javi Moreno with Pablo.

Eight minutes later, Gary McAllister passed the ball to Fowler who moved towards the centre of the pitch from the left-hand side and hit his shot into the corner of the net to put Liverpool 4–3 up with 18 minutes of the match remaining. Two minutes later, Liverpool substituted Michael Owen for Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger is a retired Czech footballer. He has played in Czech Republic, Germany, and England. He is best remembered for his time at Liverpool....

. In the 82nd minute, Alavés had an appeal for a penalty after Hamann was adjudged to have brought Magno down, the Brazilian was subsequently booked for diving. With two minutes remaining, Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld conceded a corner. The subsequent corner is headed into the goal by Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...

 to make the scoreline 4–4. Two minutes into injury-time, Contra went down under pressure from Gerrard in the Liverpool penalty area. Again, the referee deemed that there was no penalty. Following this, the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of 90 minutes if play. The match would now go into a 30 minute extra-time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...

 period.

Extra time

The golden goal
Golden goal
The golden goal is a method used in association football, field hockey, ice hockey and korfball to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. It is a type of sudden death. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during...

 was used during extra-time, which that whatever team scored first would win. Liverpool kicked off the first half of extra-time and within three minutes, Alavés looked like they had scored a golden goal. Ivan Alonso had put the ball in the Liverpool goal, but it was ruled out as Alonso was offside. A minute later, Óscar Téllez was booked for fouling Robbie Fowler. Within four minutes, Alavés had been reduced to 10 men. Magno was shown a second yellow card for a two-footed challenge on Markus Babbel. With a minute of the first half of extra-time remaining, Fowler thought he had scored the winning goal, however it was disallowed as he was offside.

Alavés kicked off the second half of extra-time and within seconds, Babbel was booked for bringing down Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli i Roura is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a right defender.-Club career:...

 30 yards from goal. The resulting free-kick was put wide by Hermes Desio
Hermes Desio
Hermes Aldo Desio is a retired Argentine footballer who played for Renato Cesarini and Independiente in Argentina, as well as Spanish sides Celta de Vigo, UD Salamanca and Deportivo Alavés, where he played in the 2001 UEFA Cup Final.Desio also had Spanish nationality.-External links:*...

. Three minutes later, Liverpool had a chance to score, but Fowler could not reach Steven Gerrard's cross and the ball was subsequently cleared from the Alavés penalty area. In the 115th minute of the match, Alavés were reduced to nine men, when Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona Herrera is a retired Spanish football defender, best known for his Deportivo Alavés stint....

 received a second yellow card for fouling Smicer. McAllister took the resulting free-kick, which was headed into his own goal by Alavés defender Delfí Geli. As a result of the golden goal, Liverpool had won the match 5–4 to win their third UEFA Cup and complete a Treble.

Details


|
style="font-size:90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> Liverpool:
GK 1   Sander Westerveld
Sander Westerveld
Sander Westerveld is a Dutch professional football goalkeeper. He left Sparta Rotterdam at the end of the 2007–08 Eredivisie season to play for Monza, and is currently playing for South African Premier Soccer League club Ajax Cape Town....

RB 6   Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel
Markus Babbel is a former international German football player, who is currently manager of German Bundesliga club Hertha BSC. He played as a defender for clubs in Germany and England.-Career:...

 
CB 12   Sami Hyypiä
Sami Hyypiä
Sami Tuomas Hyypiä is a retired European Cup winning Finnish footballer who played in the centre back position. He last played for German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen and was the captain of the Finland national football team. He joined Leverkusen in summer 2009, ending a ten year spell at...

 (c)
CB 2   Stéphane Henchoz
Stéphane Henchoz
Stéphane Henchoz is a former Swiss international footballer who last played for Blackburn Rovers as a defender. He has been capped 72 times and played for his country at Euro 1996 and Euro 2004.- Early career :...

 
LB 23   Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher
James Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League side Liverpool...

RM 21   Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...

 
CM 16   Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar "Didi" Hamann is a German footballer who was most recently manager at Stockport County. Throughout his career, he has played for Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Manchester City primarily in a defensive midfield position. He also spent time at Milton Keynes Dons as a...

CM 17   Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...

LM 13   Danny Murphy
CF 8   Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Born in Leicester, Heskey started his career with hometown club Leicester City after progressing through their youth system, making his first team debut in 1995...

 
CF 10   Michael Owen
Michael Owen
Michael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. He progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...

 
Substitutes:
GK 19   Pegguy Arphexad
Pegguy Arphexad
Pegguy Arphexad is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. An excellent shot stopper, he gained a reputation as a spot kick saving expert.-Club career:...

DF 27   Grégory Vignal
Gregory Vignal
Grégory Vignal is a French footballer. A left full back or midfielder, he is currently a free agent, having played most recently for Premier League club Birmingham City....

DF 29   Stephen Wright
MF 7   Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer
Vladimír Šmicer is a former Czech football midfielder and forward player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1 title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several...

 
MF 20   Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby
Nicholas Jon "Nick" Barmby is an English footballer who plays for Hull City as a midfielder, where he is also caretaker manager. At his peak he earned a total of 23 caps for England between 1995 and 2001...

FW 9   Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....

 
MF 15   Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger is a retired Czech footballer. He has played in Czech Republic, Germany, and England. He is best remembered for his time at Liverpool....

 
Manager:
  Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....

style="font-size:90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center> Alavés: | GK 1   Martín Herrera
Martín Herrera
Martín Horacio Herrera is a retired Argentine footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Football career:...

  RWB 2   Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Contra
Cosmin Marius Contra is a retired Romanian footballer who played mainly as a right defender.Offensive-minded, he could also appear as a midfielder, and played professionally in four countries , mainly in Spain, where he appeared for three clubs, mainly Getafe CF, which he helped consolidate in the...

  CB 5   Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona
Antonio Karmona Herrera is a retired Spanish football defender, best known for his Deportivo Alavés stint....

 (c) CB 6   Oscar Téllez
Óscar Téllez
Óscar Téllez Gómez is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a central defender.A rugged player with strength and heading ability, he was mostly known for his Deportivo Alavés spell.-Club career:...

  CB 4   Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen is a Norwegian football coach and former player. He is currently coaching Kolbotn IL in the Norwegian Premier League for women. He was capped 25 times for Norway, scoring two goals.-Biography:...

  LWB 7   Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli
Delfí Geli i Roura is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a right defender.-Club career:...

RM 14   Jordi Cruijff
Jordi Cruyff
Johan Jordi Cruijff , anglicised as Jordi Cruyff is a Dutch former footballer and currently AEK Larnaca's Director of Football. He played from 1992 through to 2010, his clubs including Barcelona and Manchester United. He gained nine caps for the Netherlands national football team, playing in the...

CM 15 Ivan Tomić
Ivan Tomic
Ivan Tomić is a former Serbian footballer.-Club career:He grew up with one of the teams of his city, FK Partizan....

CM 16   Hermes Desio
Hermes Desio
Hermes Aldo Desio is a retired Argentine footballer who played for Renato Cesarini and Independiente in Argentina, as well as Spanish sides Celta de Vigo, UD Salamanca and Deportivo Alavés, where he played in the 2001 UEFA Cup Final.Desio also had Spanish nationality.-External links:*...

LM 18   Martín Astudillo
Martín Astudillo
Martín Mauricio Astudillo is an Argentine footballer who plays for Rosario Central as a defensive midfielder....

  CF 9   Javi Moreno
Javi Moreno
Javier 'Javi' Moreno Valera is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.Best known for his Alavés stint, he also had short spells in Italy and England, with little impact, amassing La Liga totals of 118 games and 38 goals.-Early years / Alavés:Moreno made his professional debuts with...

  Substitutes: GK 25   Kike FW 19   Iván Alonso
Iván Alonso
Iván Daniel Alonso Vallejo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Deportivo Toluca F.C. in the Primera División Mexicana, as a striker....

  FW 11   Magno Mocelin
Magno Mocelin
Magno Mocelin, known as Magno , is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a forward.His 15-year professional career, which was spent in four different countries, was mainly associated with Alavés in Spain, for which he appeared in more than 200 official games and played in one UEFA Cup...

  MF 3   Ibón Begoña MF 17   Raúl Gañán
Raúl Gañán
Raúl Gañán Bermúdez is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for SD Eibar as a right defender.-Football career:Gañán started with hometown's Athletic Bilbao, but never made it past its reserves...

MF 20   Jorge Azkoitia
Jorge Azkoitia
Jorge Azkoitia Gabiola is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.-Football career:...

FW 10   Pablo  Manager:   José Manuel Esnal
José Manuel Esnal
José Manuel Esnal Pardo , aka Mané, is a Spanish football manager.His career was mostly associated to Lleida and Alavés, coaching the latter in five La Liga seasons and taking it to the 2001 UEFA Cup Final.-Early years / Lleida:Mané started coaching in his late 20's, his first job being with his...


Man of the Match:

  Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister
Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish former professional footballer.McAllister played primarily as a midfielder, in a successful career spanning over nineteen years. He started his career at local side Motherwell before moving south of the border to Leicester City at the age of 20...

 (Liverpool)


Match Rules
  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of golden goal extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes
  • Maximum of 3 substitutions.

Post match

Liverpool's victory was their third UEFA Cup success, this put them level with Internazionale and Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...

 as the teams with the most success in the competition. Their victory also meant they completed a Treble of cup victories, as they had won the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...

 and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 earlier in the season.

The match has hailed as one of the most exciting finals in modern times, with Alan Hansen
Alan Hansen
Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland...

 declaring: "the best final ever." Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier
Gérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....

 hailed his players after the match: "When you play in a European final, you are looking for immortality. People remember who was playing and when you look at programmes from finals you just recall the facts of the game. These boys have produced a game which will be remembered for a long time — and that is thanks to Alavés too." Houllier hit back at critics that had labelled Liverpool as boring before the match: "Maybe we are a boring side — as I seem to keep reading — but I will put up with that. We must have scored 122 of our 123 goals on the counter attack, but all I know is that our total this season is the third highest in Liverpool's history."

The performance of Gary McAllister was lauded after the match with Trevor Brooking
Trevor Brooking
Sir Trevor David Brooking CBE is a football player turned manager, on-air analyst, and administrator.Brooking attended Ripple Infants School and left Ilford County High School with 11 O-levels and 2 A-levels....

 stating: "Gary McAllister was outstanding." Alan Hansen also praised McAllister's performance: "Gary McAllister was outstanding. At 36, to keep going the way he did, keep taking those free-kicks and producing it when it counted, was sensational. He fully deserved his man of the match award."

Alavés manager José Manuel Esnal
José Manuel Esnal
José Manuel Esnal Pardo , aka Mané, is a Spanish football manager.His career was mostly associated to Lleida and Alavés, coaching the latter in five La Liga seasons and taking it to the 2001 UEFA Cup Final.-Early years / Lleida:Mané started coaching in his late 20's, his first job being with his...

 praised his players despite their loss: "Dortmund has seen a great final, and it was possibly the smallest team in the competition that made it great." Esnal saluted his players for their character especially for equalising twice in the match: "We played with pride and class to get the score back to 4–4 at the end of normal time, the result of that, however, was that we were half dead going into extra-time. But we're the same team as we were two hours ago. One side always has to lose a final, just as one wins."

Despite their success, Liverpool were not celebrating immediately after the match, as they had an important match in the Premier League on the Saturday following the final. The match against Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...

 was a must-win match for Liverpool if they wanted to finish in third place in the league and claim the final 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...

 qualification place. The subsequent match was won 4–0 by Liverpool to secure their place in the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League. Winning the UEFA Cup entitled Liverpool to compete in the 2001 UEFA Super Cup
2001 UEFA Super Cup
The 2001 UEFA Super Cup was a football match between German team Bayern Munich and English team Liverpool on 24 August 2001 at Stade Louis II, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Bayern were appearing in the Super Cup for the third...

 against Champions League winners Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....

. Liverpool won the match 3–2 to secure their second Super Cup victory.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK