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No naked Valencia, only triumphant Real Real kick off with both teams wearing their change strips, Real in black and Valencia in bright orange. Underdogs Valencia immediately win a corner, but Mendieta's kick is headed harmlessly over Casillas' goalframe. As the teams size eachother up early on, McManaman wins a corner after 5 minutes. The former Liverpool mifielder also strikes it and and Morientes twice goes close with right-foted shots - both efforts being blocked by Pellegrino (to dubious claims of handball from Real). Mendieta makes his first contribution on nine minutes. After being fed in central midfield by Farinos, the Valencia captain fires over from distance with a wasteful right-footed shot. After ten minutes, little pattern has emerged in play with both midfields busying themsleves with rather English and disruptive work. Redondo attempts to assert himself with a dribbling run down the Valencia right, but the Argentinian is outnumbered when he reaches the edge of the box. McManaman makes a similar run from a Real throw in on 14 minutes, but his chipped pass into the box for Anelka is cut out for a corner. This sets up Real's first sustained pressure, with Anelka heading a Morientes cross onl;y to be spectacularly tipped over by Canizares. Valencia force a break from the ensuing corner, but with a 3-on-3 Mendieta can only shoot from just outside the box, to bring a low save from Casillas on 17 minutes. With the game opening up McManaman, and Raul combine on 19 minutes to put Anelka through, but the French striker's shot is weak from an acute angle to the right of goal. Midway through the first half and both sides look well capable of scoring, Real's appraoch more measured while Valencia are using the pace of midfielders like Gerard to break at pace. For watching England fans, Steve McManaman's industry and passing is one of the most prominent features of the opening period, outshining even Fernando Redondo. One of the beneficiaries has been Slagado, who on 28 minutes, makes a weaving run down the right but his shot is blocked for a corner. On 31 minutes, a steep corner from Roberto Carlos falls to McManaman whose right-footed shot, although mishit, forces a desperate save from Canizares diving low to his right. Although still scoreless, Valncia's Spanish international keeper will be the more concerned with his team's attacking power being stemmed for the last five-ten minutes by Real possession and pressure. Jocelyn Angloma attmepts to remedy this with a surge from right-back towards the Real box, but the Frenchman is rapidly closed down. Kily Gonzalez makes a rare impact on the game with a rapier-like drive that drifts to the Casillas' right post. Moments later the first bookings of the evening. Salgado for a late challenge an striker Angulo and then Gerardo for pulling back Anelka. The latter sets up a Carlos drive from the free-kick, but Valencia fail to clear. Salgado crosses from the right for Morientes to head the opening goal at the far post. 1-0 Real Madrid. For the first time in the knock-out stages, Valencia find themselves trailing and, as a strong counter-attacking side, they will need to discover an ability to work the ball better than they have in this first-half. In the only minute of injury-time Kily Gonzalez has a shot deflected for a corner, but Casillas palms the ball out of the box, and before Valencia have time to reform their attack the whistle blows for half-time with favourites Real Madrid leading by a goal to nil. After 45 minutes of bold, attcking football from both sides, Real's superior passing and support play gives them the upper hand. Valencia kicked off the second half knowing that they will have to take the game to Real Madrid, if they were to register any kind of success in their first outing in a Champions League Final. Valencia get a chance within the first three minutes of the second half to put pressure on Real with a corner, but Claudio Lopez's deep cross is well taken by Madrid's keeper Casillas. At the other end Anelka breaks quickly and shoots firmly at Canizares, who can only deflect the ball for a corner. Real can only waste the dead ball kick. Madrid, though are attempting to settle into the same rhythm that saw them take the lead in the first half. McManaman's distribution to either wing proving the key so far to Real's ball retention. Roberto Carlos, who has proved a thorn in Valencia's side thus far, hits the deck from a heavy challenge by Mendieta, as rain begins to fall at the Stade de France. With 53 minutes Anelka almost manages to dispossess Miroslav Djukic who dallies in his own penalty box. The Yugoslav defender is lucky enough to get a second bite at clearing the ball as Anelka is joined by goalscorer Morientes. Valencia are still trying to play the counter-attack game and, with ten minutes of the second half gone, Real are happy to dictate the play in the middle and final third of the park. Redondo and Mendieta clash - with both players seemingly going in late - and Redondo retaliates and is lucky that the referee saw the Valencia player dive (rather over dramatically). Moments later Mendieta shows a far less cynical side as he rises quickly after Carlos dumps him during an attack and almost manages to dribble through the Real defence. Carlos is booked for his challenge on Mendieta when play finally breaks down. With an hour gone Valencia begin to pick up the pace in midfield and we have the cat-and-mouse game an early goal always brings. Valencia press but Real Madrid are sharp on the break and twice in a minute Real go close to doubling their score. First Raul attempted to chip the Valencian keeper and moments later Morientes charges down a lazy clearance from Canizares. The keeper earns a yellow card for his absurd gesticulations. Real manage to pile on a bit of pressure and as Valencia fail to clear the ball on 67 minutes McManaman volleys the ball back across Canizares and into the bottom corner to put Real Madrid 2-0 in front. Valencia look shattered, but there is still a fair percentage of the match to go and they have the firepower to strike back. It doesn't take them long to fire a warning shot across Madrid's bows. On 70 minutes Claudio Lopez almost manages to get on the end of a dipping cross. Savio comes on for the first goalscorer Morientes, who receives a standing ovation from the still celebrating Real Madrid fans. Valencia have a corner on 74 minutes, but Real clear and Raul is completely in the clear inside his own half. He races in on Canizares' goal with the Valencia defence chasing frantically behind. Raul rounds the keeper and slots home Real Madrid's third goal. That surely must be it with only 13 minutes to go, but Valencia continue to press and win a corner in an attempt to regain a little pride. Madrid continue to defend resolutely and the ball falls comfortably to Casillas. Anelka retires to be replaced by Sanchis in what could be the last appearance for the French youngster. The air of the match changes as Madrid begin to show off their party tricks and a frustrating challenge by Farinas, who was being teased by McManaman, earns the Valencia defender a yellow card. At the other end nothing is falling for Valencia and Real mop up another attack with the help of a couple of ricochets. Fernando Hierro, is brought on for Real Madrid for the last couple of minutes, to cap what has been a nightmare season for the Real Madrid legend. He replaces Salgado on 87 minutes. As the clock begins to run down and the noise, on at least one side of the Stade de France, begins to rise to a crescendo, Madrid have left just Raul up front and are playing keep-ball. Madrid win a free-kick midway inside the Valencia ball and again Real search out McManaman on the right. The ball comes inside and Valencia dive in on the edge of the area. Real free-kick just outside the box. Its in Carlos country, but the Brazilian is suffering from a groin injury (which looks like keeping him out against England at Wembley on Saturday) and Hierro steps up to take it. The veteran blasts the ball over, though. There is just time for one more Valencia yellow card, before the final whistle goes and Real Madrid are crowned European champions for the eighth time in their history. The European Cup is going home again as Real become the first team to win the Champions League twice since its inception.
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