Valencia draw Inter's sting

Valencia 0 Inter Milan 0/(Agg: 2-2) Valencia win on away goals rule: Valencia clinched a place in the quarter-finals with a …

Valencia 0 Inter Milan 0/(Agg: 2-2) Valencia win on away goals rule:Valencia clinched a place in the quarter-finals with a classic catenaccio performance at the Mestalla last night. Having drawn 2-2 in the first leg at the San Siro, the result was enough to put the Spaniards, who reached back-to-back finals in 2000 and 2001, through on the away goals rule.

Victory gave Valencia some measure of revenge for defeats at the hands of the Italians who knocked them out of the Uefa Cup in 2002 and the Champions League the following season.

The Italians came into the match on a 32-match unbeaten run.

Scoring chances were few and far between in a game that developed into a tactical battle in midfield and was dominated by two well organised defences, with Valencia centrehalves Roberto Ayala and Raul Albiol outstanding.

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Tempers flared at the final whistle when Valencia midfielder Carlos Marchena kicked out at Inter's Nicolas Burdisso, sparking a mass brawl in the middle of the pitch.

Valencia substitute David Navarro then ran on to the pitch and threw a punch at Burdisso while the scuffles continued in the tunnel.

VALENCIA:Canizares, Miguel, Ayala, Albiol, Moretti, Angulo (Joaquin 77), Baraja (Hugo Viana 36), Marchena, Silva, Morientes (Vicente 67), Villa. Subs not used:Butelle, Del Horno, Navarro, Curro Torres. Booked:Canizares, Angulo.

INTER MILAN:Julio Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Materazzi, Maxwell (Grosso 75), Zanetti, Burdisso, Dacourt (Figo 64), Stankovic, Crespo (Cruz 58), Ibrahimovic. Subs not used:Toldo, Solari, Samuel, Gonzalez. Booked:Ibrahimovic, Materazzi, Cordoba, Maicon.

Referee: Wolfgang Stark(Germany).