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Cuper Urges One Final Push From Players
By Kevin Fylan VALENCIA, Spain, May 8 – Valencia coach Hector Cuper urged his players to go on and finish the job after reaching a second successive Champions League final with a brilliant 3-0 victory over Leeds United on Tuesday. Two goals from Juan Sanchez and one from Gaizka Mendieta saw the Spaniards demonstrate their superiority after a goalless first leg at Elland Road. The team will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final in Milan on May 23 and Cuper is anxious for them to atone for a 3-0 defeat to Real in last year's final in Paris. "Experience will teach us that we can't afford to repeat the mistakes of last season," said Cuper, whose side appeared to be overwhelmed by the occasion last year. "The players will know they can't let this opportunity slip by. It depends on them and they must give it everything to bring home the title for the Valencia fans. "Evidently, it's going to be difficult, though." For Cuper it will be a third successive European final, after his Real Mallorca side were beaten by Lazio in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1999 and last year's disappointing defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. THIRD TIME LUCKY "Maybe it will be third time lucky for me," said Cuper. "I'm not exactly surprised to have reached the final again but I wouldn't have predicted it at the start of the season. "As you go through the year, coming past better and better teams, then little by little the feeling grows that you might be able to do it. "Now it's a reality." Asked about his preference for his team's opponents in the final, he declined to choose between Real and Bayern. "In the final we have to believe that success or failure will depend on ourselves," said the Argentine. "An all-Spanish final would make everyone here happy and would give us a chance of revenge but I have no real preference over our opponents." Cuper put Tuesday's superb victory over Leeds down to the ability of his players to temper their enthusiasm with the right tactics. "I wouldn't claim credit for the result," he said. "The players understood our strategy, which was to keep the ball and play it around a lot more. "They also played with the right spirit and desire. "I'm happy just to take whatever credit is left over for me."
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Soccer
