Skibbe stays calm as Leverkusen progress
by Victoria Schneider from Cologne
Thursday 13 March 2008
Bayer 04 Leverkusen are a club who know all about missing out when the prizes are handed out, so it was of little surprise to hear coach Michael Skibbe urge caution after the Ruhr club progressed to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup at the expense of Bundesliga rivals Hamburger SV last night. "If you celebrate for too long about things which you are yet to accomplish then things can become dangerous very quickly," he said.
Mixed emotions
Leverkusen laid the platform for success by winning their home leg 1-0, and that clean sheet was to prove vital as they sneaked through to the last eight on away goals despite a 3-2 defeat in Hamburg. It was a night of mixed emotions for Sergej Barbarez, a former Hamburg stalwart who scored the opening goal 19 minutes into the second leg. "It's a shame only one team can advance," said the 36-year-old Bosnian. Skibbe, whose side survived a late onslaught after Rafael van der Vaart struck Hamburg's third on 81 minutes, added: "We're fortunate to go through. I'm not very happy about our defence, but I'm happy we're through."
Smaller goals
Leverkusen appear to be profiting from a policy of setting smaller goals this term. Before their UEFA Cup campaign had begun, sporting director Rudi Völler said reaching the group stage was the only target; once there, Leverkusen topped a testing section featuring FC Spartak Moskva, FC Zürich, AC Sparta Praha and Toulouse FC. Galatasaray AS were then dispatched in emphatic style, and Leverkusen are a team to be feared in Friday's draw. Progress has also been steady in the Bundesliga, where Skibbe's team sit fourth – two points behind second-placed Werder Bremen – and firmly in the hunt for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Zidane brilliance
Were it not for the brilliance of Zinédine Zidane at Hampden Park, Leverkusen may have lifted club football's greatest prize in 2001/02 – a season which promised so much but ultimately delivered only disappointment. That was a vintage featuring the likes of Michael Ballack, Zé Roberto and Bernd Schneider, while Skibbe has a "close-knit squad" where the talent is more evenly shared. It was the same in 1987/88 when Leverkusen won the UEFA Cup, and could yet prove enough to finally lay the ghosts of six years ago this season.
Quelle:
uefa com
