Red Devil
Apr 11 2002, 10:57 PM
United's 3-2 win over Deportivo and Liverpools' 4-2 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen means it's the Germans that the Reds will face in the Champions League semi-finals. Leverkusen aren't as high-profile as Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich, but that doesn't mean they'll be a pushover. Just ask Liverpool! Bayer Leverkusen, who United have never before played competitively, were established as a football club in 1907 and, unlike Bayern Munich who take their first name from the region in which they are based, Leverkusen are named after Bayer - the pharmaceutical company who invented the Aspirin. They've pumped millions into the club and as a result Leverkusen's success is resented as they are seen to have bought it. Bayer were promoted to the First Division in 1979 and haven't left since. They established themselves as a mid-table team until the arrival in 1985 of Erich Ribbeck. The future German national team manager led Leverkusen into Europe in 1986 and 1987, and in 1988 they pulled back a 3-0 first leg defecit to beat Espanol and win the UEFA Cup.
Since then they've only won the German Cup - in 1993 - but Christoph Daum took over in 1996 and helped them finish runners-up to Bayern Munich in his first season. They qualified for the Champions League in 1997, 1998 and 1999, reaching the quarters in '99 only to be knocked out by Real Madrid. Daum was expected to become national coach, but was sacked by Leverkusen after a drugs scandal in October 2000. Berti Vogts took over as caretaker manager until Klaus Topmoller took his place at Leverkusen in June 2001. He is in charge of a talented squad boasting the likes of Hans-Jorg Butt, Jens Nowotny, Michael Ballack and Lucio, who scored the late goal that put Gerard Houllier's men out of Europe.
The BayArena, where they play their home games, holds 25,050. United should beware - the last time they played a German side in the Champions League semi-finals was in 1997, when they crashed out to Ottmar Hitzfeld's Borussia Dortmund. The other semi-final will be contested between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona after Madrid beat Bayern Munich 2-0 on Wednesday to win their quarter-final 2-1 on aggregate.
Since then they've only won the German Cup - in 1993 - but Christoph Daum took over in 1996 and helped them finish runners-up to Bayern Munich in his first season. They qualified for the Champions League in 1997, 1998 and 1999, reaching the quarters in '99 only to be knocked out by Real Madrid. Daum was expected to become national coach, but was sacked by Leverkusen after a drugs scandal in October 2000. Berti Vogts took over as caretaker manager until Klaus Topmoller took his place at Leverkusen in June 2001. He is in charge of a talented squad boasting the likes of Hans-Jorg Butt, Jens Nowotny, Michael Ballack and Lucio, who scored the late goal that put Gerard Houllier's men out of Europe.
The BayArena, where they play their home games, holds 25,050. United should beware - the last time they played a German side in the Champions League semi-finals was in 1997, when they crashed out to Ottmar Hitzfeld's Borussia Dortmund. The other semi-final will be contested between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona after Madrid beat Bayern Munich 2-0 on Wednesday to win their quarter-final 2-1 on aggregate.