NK Varteks - Aston Villa 0-1 (0-0)
Hadji 90.
3-3 on aggregate. NK Varteks win the round on the away goal rule.
Team details
| NK Varteks: |
Madaric, Hrman (Andricevic 90), Kristic, Rezic, Mukaj, Karic (Drobne 90), Mumlek (Balajic 58), Bjelanovic, Granic, Sabolcki, Kastel |
| Substitutes not used: |
Borovic, Rumbak, Sklepic, Safaric |
| Booked: |
Karic |
 |
|
| Aston Villa: |
Schmeichel, Delaney, Alpay, Mellberg (Stone 45), Wright, Kachloul (Dublin 63), Hendrie, Boateng, Ginola, Hadji, Balaban (Angel 46) |
| Substitutes not used: |
Staunton, Enckelman, Barry, Samuel |
| Booked: |
Ginola, Boateng |
|
|
|
| Attendance: |
12,100 |
| Referee: |
N. Vollquartz (Denmark) |
Webmaster match report
Aston Villa showed the world what has made the championship elude them for the past two decades. It's all about the will to win, of which the team who travelled to Croatia had none whatsoever. It was embarrasingly evident, that our players thought the UEFA Cup round was decided in Birmingham.
When the final whistle went, the overwhelming sensation was irritation, because of the appalling display from the boys in claret and blue, with one exception: Monsieur Ginola. He showed the determination and creativity that Aston Villa needs to push it up the final steps of the Premier League. However, until the attitude of the other players changes, Aston Villa will keep producing scandalous performances like the one shown at Varteks tonight from time to time.
I will never be embarrased about wearing claret and blue, but this is the closest I'll get, I'm sure. Sure, David Ginola was a pleasure to observe, as he toyed around with the Croatian players, and Peter Schmeichel performed beautifully the few times he was tested. However, in Ginola's case, being surrounded by 9 virtually non-existent players, whose pace could be rivalled by a cow with metabolic problems, it matters little how much genious you produce in the course of 90 minutes.
Everybody was just standing idle or jogging gently about, expecting to lose their pursuers with the most miniscule of efforts. The passes were made in a way that forced the receiver to accept the ball turned away from the goal every single time. The balls in the air were even worse, because with a lack of willpower and ambition, the opponents will always win the balls in the air every time, and this was exactly what happened tonight.
In fact, I can't recall when I last saw such a pathetic performance by Aston Villa. How this team could travel to Liverpool and Southampton and win 3-1 on both occasions, is beyond me. These boys are paid an average salary of 15 grand a week, and still they're not even professional enough to realise that an away victory in the UEFA cup will never come until they puke their guts out and run like crazy for the entire course of the game. Rather unsurprisingly, hardly any of the Villa jerseys had sweat on them as the final whistle went.
Hadji's fantastic goal in the 92nd minute did little to change the overall impression. Serious changes will have to be made in the approach to the game, if our club is ever to win any silverware again. I can't believe that Gregory could remain that calm. If I was in charge of those 9 lazy gits, I'd be tossing heavy objects at them from the sidelines in pure frustration. Once again, David Ginola (and Peter Schmeichel, by the way), this broadside is not aimed at you but at everybody else. None of you are worthy of putting on our jersey. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!
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