Man Utd and Lazio aim for Champions League group stage

Image
AFP Paris
Last Updated : Aug 25 2015 | 10:42 AM IST
Manchester United are looking to complete the job over Club Brugge in their Champions League play-off second leg tomorrow 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 after the victory last Tuesday.
Brugge boss Michel Preud'homme, on the other hand, was less optimistic after conceding the third goal in Manchester.
"This last goal was very bad for the confidence," said former Belgian international Preud'homme.
"It's a pity we let this one in," added the 56-year-old, who guided Brugge to the Belgian Cup last season.
Manchester United -- winners in 1968, 1999 and 2008 -- didn't 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.
Runners-up in 2002, Leverkusen have won two out of two domestically, while Lazio also got off to a winning start in Serie A on Saturday with a 2-1 home win over Bologna.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 25 2015 | 10:42 AM IST

Next Story