Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
APOEL Nicosia and Jovanovic could prompt further Cinderella stories
The Champions League is heading for another spectacular climax after the quarter-final clashes produced expected winners in holders Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, who must be relishing the prospect of taking centre stage in the final in their own stadium on May 19.
But rather than the usual suspects who predictably reach the latter stages of the money-spinning competition every season, it was the highly unheralded outfit of APOEL Nicosia that lit up the scene this time.
The Cypriots defied the odds to reach even the group stage of the competition and then stunned one rival after another, punching way above their weight until they finally succumbed to Real 8-2 on aggregate.
They bowed out with their heads high and their Serbian coach Ivan Jovanovic, who had emerged from complete obscurity very much like the Champions League surprise package personified by his team, was graceful after the incredible ride ended.
“We re very proud to have bid the Champions League farewell in a stadium like the Santiago Bernabeu and against a team like Real Madrid,” the 49-year old said after APOEL’s 5-2 defeat in the second leg where two goals in such a famous arena were also remarkable.
The soft-spoken Jovanovic became the first Serbian manager to reach the competition’s last eight, having never coached in his home country.
He played for unfancied Serbian side Rad Belgrade in the 1980s and drew hardly any attention at home even after he won his first Cypriot league title with APOEL in 2004.
Barca tired? Not on this evidence
Men tuning in for lots of action in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg ties would have rued the decision to stay in front of the TV on Valentines’ Night when Barcelona v Bayer Leverkusen and Olympique Lyon against APOEL Nicosia reached the 40-minute mark.
Both were 0-0. APOEL had not registered a shot on goal. Barcelona had dominated their German opposition with 78 per cent of possession, yet no opening score.
There have been reports of a tired Barcelona recently, justifiably. The La Liga and Champions League holders have slipped to 10 points behind arch rivals Real Madrid, who are about the strongest outfit left in Europe’s premier competition on current form.
Perhaps this woke Barcelona up as Alexis Sanchez netted a 41st-minute opener. Coach Pep Guardiola said afterwards: “I think for the spectators the second half was more fun to watch than the first.”
Barcelona scored two more goals, Lionel Messi came alive, and the Catalans conceded just one in a hugely improved second-half display, that led Leverkusen defender Vedran Corluka to say the tie was over. Few would argue with him.
More in the balance is Lyon’s tie with unheralded APOEL, who will head back to Cyprus with just a one-goal deficit. Can the Nicosia side make more history and reach the quarters?
In action on Wednesday will be Arsenal’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry when the London-club travel to the San Siro for their AC Milan clash, while Zenit St Petersburg host Benfica. Valentine’s Day will be over so let’s hope for romance on the pitch in the first halves.
Soccer team of the year?…APOEL Nicosia
Alright, alright I know most of you will be screaming “what about Barcelona?” right now but they get so many plaudits that I thought I could argue a contrarion position.
Yes World, European and Spanish champions Barca have been brilliant and in time we may say they were the greatest ever club side to play the game.
But given they have Lionel Messi — who also in time may be viewed as the world’s greatest ever player — the biggest stadium in Europe, vast finances, the bedrock of the team of world champions Spain and an organisation which calls itself “more than a club”, Barca should be one of the world’s top teams.
They ought to have won more than their four European Cups, three of which have come in the last five years. Barca are also not actually top of La Liga at the mid-season break with Real Madrid three points ahead.
APOEL Nicosia meanwhile have no high expectations.
APOEL weren’t even Cypriot champions in 2010 and had to battle past three other Nicosia sides — that is a lot of derbies — to win the national championship in May.
They were then thrilled just to make the Champions League group stages after three rounds of qualifiers.
Apoel fans voted in apoel.net. thay consider Ailton Almeida to be the top player for the CH. L. games with 51%. Second comes Pinto 16%, Manduka 13%
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Resident Left Field Expert
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