|
Barcelona champions of Europe
18/05/2006 07:09 - (SA)
Paris - Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard
heaped praise on losers Arsenal after the Champions League final and was not surprised they were such a hard nut to crack.
"Arsenal did a great job and played a great game," the
Dutchman told a news conference after Barca claimed their second European Cup in the 50th anniversary final in Paris.
Barca's 2-1 victory at the Stade de France completed an
unprecedented week of success for Spanish teams after fellow
Primera Liga side Sevilla crushed Middlesbrough 4-0 in another
Anglo-Spanish duel to win the Uefa Cup last Wednesday.
"It wasn't easy and it didn't surprise me that they were so
hard to beat," said Rijkaard. "Before the game I said there were no favourites in a final and that this would be a special,
one-off experience and it was just that."
Arsenal dominated the opening exchanges and recovered from
the 18th-minute dismissal of goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to take the lead before halftime with a Sol Campbell header.
"Arsenal started really well and it seems that when a player
is sent off it is even more difficult to break down a side,"
said Rijkaard. "When they scored the goal it helped them even
more and boosted their team spirit.
"The fact that a player was sent off changed the game
dramatically. It was a shame but we have to live with it and it
was a pity for the fans."
The north London side looked as though they might hold on to
win their first European Cup but Barca striker Samuel Eto'o
eventually found a way through the miserly Arsenal defence to
level the game 14 minutes from time.
Special game
With fatigue starting to play a part, the Catalans unlocked
the Arsenal back four once again five minutes later, this time
Juliano Belletti blasted the ball under goalkeeper Manuel Almunia after some great work by fellow substitute Henrik Larsson.
"The equaliser was very important and broke something
mentally for Arsenal," said Rijkaard. "After that we were in
control and it was great to win such a special game.
Rijkaard, a three-times European Cup winner as a defender
with AC Milan and Ajax Amsterdam, became the fifth man to win
the competition as player and coach.
Only Real Madrid coach Miguel Munoz, Dutchman Johan Cruyff,
and Italians Giovanni Trapattoni and Carlo Ancelotti have
achieved the feat before.
Cruyff won three European Cups with Ajax and then steered
Barcelona to their only previous triumph as coach in the 1992
final against Sampdoria.
"I can't really remember how I felt as a player, but I'm
certainly enjoying this now," said Rijkaard.
"The best thing is that the trophy says 2006 Champions
League winners - Barcelona and that is what means most to me,
the players and the club."
|
Rugby
