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1.09.2024Bayer 04

Match of the month: 20 years ago – Bayer play the Galacticos off the park

‘Los Galacticos’ were a collection of world famous players at Real Madrid. Names like Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Raul and Iker Casillas are still familiar to every football fan today.

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The first Champions League game of the 2004/05 season is on 15 September 2004. The Werkself had just lost 2-0 away to newly promoted Mainz 05 four days before although they did win the last Bundesliga home game almost three weeks before that with an impressive 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich. Within seven minutes, between minutes 52 and 59, Franca with a brace and Dimitar Berbatov increased the half-time lead of 1-0 from a goal scored by the Bulgarian centre forward to an incredible 4-0. Michael Ballack scored a consolation goal for FC Bayern on 84 minutes.

The Werkself are on the front foot from the start on Wednesday night in front of a full house of 22,500 spectators at the BayArena. The team led by coach Klaus Augenthaler had three chances in the first ten minutes with a whipped-in cross from Paul Freier turned onto the post by Dimitar Berbatov as Madrid are pushed back into their own half.

Then the lead on 39 minutes. Jacek Krzynowek shoots from distance from a corner and the ball bounces off the left-hand post and the hand of goalkeeper Casillas into the back of the net.

 

Sieg gegen Real Madrid 2004

The half-time lead is doubled on 50 minutes with a wonder goal from Franca and Dimitar Berbatov makes it 3-0 five minutes later. The BayArena goes wild. The Werkself work themselves into a frenzy and dominate the Spaniards at will.

At the end of 90 minutes, Bayer 04 celebrate a sensational start to the Champions League campaign 2004/05 that ends with the Werkself losing out to Liverpool in the Round of 16.

Here are the two teams for the nostalgic:

Bayer 04: Butt – Schneider, Juan, Roque Junior, Placente, Ramelow, Freier (Bierofka 84’), Ponte (Balitsch 80’), Krzynowek, Franca (Babic 69’), Berbatov

Real Madrid: Casillas – Salgado, Pavon, Samuel, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, Helguera, Figo (Celades 58’), Zidane (Morientes 46’), Raul, Ronaldo (Solari 58’)

 

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