Champions League qualifying: Manchester United, Lazio aim for group stage
English side command 3-1 lead over Club Brugge from first leg.
Manchester United — winners in 1968, 1999 and 2008 — did not feature in the competition last season and would want to make amends by reaching the group stages of Europe’s elite competition. PHOTO: AFP
PARIS:
Manchester United are looking to complete the job over Club Brugge in their Champions League play-off second leg on Wednesday while Italy’s Lazio may have slightly more to do to secure a place in the group stages.
The English Premier League giants have a two-goal lead to take to Belgium after a 3-1 win at Old Trafford last Tuesday, while Lazio have a slender 1-0 advantage for their second leg against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
A 2-0 win for Brugge at the Jan Breydelstadion would be enough to take them through at United’s expense (on the away goals rule), but United — three-time winners of the Champions League — are confident after Marouane Fellaini’s late third goal in the first leg.
“It [Fellaini’s goal] makes a difference because 2-1 is a very difficult result,” said United boss Louis van Gaal.
Club Brugge coach Michel Preud’homme said that his side require a “perfect” performance if they are to achieve the “miracle” of eliminating Manchester United in the Champions League.
“It would be a great miracle,” said the former Belgium goalkeeper. “They are two goals in front and have a very professional team. If we want to have a chance, we have to be perfect.”
Manchester United — winners in 1968, 1999 and 2008 — did not feature in the competition last season but had previously reached the group stages for 18 years in succession.
Brugge, meanwhile, haven’t made the group stages since the 2005-06 season when they finished third in Group A behind Juventus and Bayern Munich.
Lazio go to Bayer Leverkusen hoping to defend a one-goal advantage and reach the main draw for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Keita Balde Diao’s second-half winner at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome was the difference between the two sides last week, but Leverkusen are seasoned campaigners who have made the round of 16 in three of the last four seasons and were only edged out on penalties by 2014 runners-up Atletico Madrid at that stage last campaign.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2015.
Manchester United are looking to complete the job over Club Brugge in their Champions League play-off second leg on Wednesday while Italy’s Lazio may have slightly more to do to secure a place in the group stages.
The English Premier League giants have a two-goal lead to take to Belgium after a 3-1 win at Old Trafford last Tuesday, while Lazio have a slender 1-0 advantage for their second leg against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
A 2-0 win for Brugge at the Jan Breydelstadion would be enough to take them through at United’s expense (on the away goals rule), but United — three-time winners of the Champions League — are confident after Marouane Fellaini’s late third goal in the first leg.
“It [Fellaini’s goal] makes a difference because 2-1 is a very difficult result,” said United boss Louis van Gaal.
Club Brugge coach Michel Preud’homme said that his side require a “perfect” performance if they are to achieve the “miracle” of eliminating Manchester United in the Champions League.
“It would be a great miracle,” said the former Belgium goalkeeper. “They are two goals in front and have a very professional team. If we want to have a chance, we have to be perfect.”
Manchester United — winners in 1968, 1999 and 2008 — did not feature in the competition last season but had previously reached the group stages for 18 years in succession.
Brugge, meanwhile, haven’t made the group stages since the 2005-06 season when they finished third in Group A behind Juventus and Bayern Munich.
Lazio go to Bayer Leverkusen hoping to defend a one-goal advantage and reach the main draw for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Keita Balde Diao’s second-half winner at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome was the difference between the two sides last week, but Leverkusen are seasoned campaigners who have made the round of 16 in three of the last four seasons and were only edged out on penalties by 2014 runners-up Atletico Madrid at that stage last campaign.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2015.