The 1998 UEFA Cup final was a football match played at Parc des Princes in Paris, France on 6 May 1998 as the conclusion to the 1997âÂÂ98 UEFA Cup. It was the first time that the UEFA Cup final was played as a single leg at a neutral venue.
The match was played between two Italian teams â Lazio and Internazionale, commonly known as Inter. Inter won the match 3âÂÂ0 to win the UEFA Cup for the third time â a joint record with Juventus at the time.
Internazionale were one of the most successful Italian football teams. They had won the European Cup twice in 1964 and 1965 and the UEFA Cup twice in 1991 and 1994.
Lazio had never played in a European final before. Their previous best run was to the quarter-finals of the 1994âÂÂ95 UEFA Cup.
Since the inaugural edition in 1971âÂÂ72, the UEFA Cup final had been played over two legs on a home and away basis. From the 1997âÂÂ98 season, the final would be played as a single leg at a neutral venue.
Lazio qualified for the 1997âÂÂ98 UEFA Cup by finishing fourth in the 1996âÂÂ97 Serie A.
In the first round, Lazio faced Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães. They won 4âÂÂ0 in the first leg at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães on 16 September 1997 and 2âÂÂ1 in the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome two weeks later to progress 6âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Lazio faced Russian side Rotor Volgograd in the second round. After a 0âÂÂ0 draw in the first leg at the Central Stadium in Volgograd on 21 October 1997, Lazio progressed with a 3âÂÂ0 win (3âÂÂ0 on aggregate) in the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico two weeks later.
In round three, Lazio faced Austrian side Rapid Wien. Lazio won the first leg 2âÂÂ0 at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna on 25 November 1997 and progressed to the quarter-finals 3âÂÂ0 on aggregate after winning the second leg 1âÂÂ0 at the Stadio Olimpico two weeks later.
French club AJ Auxerre were Lazio's opponents in the quarter-finals. After winning the first leg 1âÂÂ0 at the Stadio Olimpico on 3 March 1998, Lazio advanced to the semi-finals following a 2âÂÂ2 draw (3âÂÂ2 on aggregate) in the second leg at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps in Auxerre two weeks later.
Lazio faced Atlético Madrid of Spain in the semi-finals. Lazio won the first leg 1âÂÂ0 at the Vicente Calderón Stadium in Madrid on 31 March 1998 and progressed to the final after a goalless draw (1âÂÂ0 on aggregate) in the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico two weeks later.
Internazionale qualified for the 1997âÂÂ98 UEFA Cup by finishing third in the 1996âÂÂ97 Serie A.
Neuchâtel Xamax of Switzerland were Inter's opponents in the first round. Inter won the first leg at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan 2âÂÂ0 on 16 September 1997 before winning the second leg at the Stade de la Maladière in Neuchâtel two weeks later by the same scoreline (4âÂÂ0 on aggregate).
In the second round, Inter faced French club Lyon. After losing the first leg 2âÂÂ1 at the Giuseppe Meazza on 21 October 1997, Inter came back to win the second leg 3âÂÂ1 at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon two weeks later to progress 4âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
They would return to France in the third round to play Strasbourg. Again, Inter lost the first leg â 2âÂÂ0 at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg on 25 November 1997 â and again they came back to win the second leg at the Giuseppe Meazza 3âÂÂ0 (3âÂÂ2 on aggregate) two weeks later to progress to the quarter-finals.
In the quarter-finals, Inter faced German club Schalke 04. After winning the first leg 1âÂÂ0 at the Giuseppe Meazza on 3 March 1998, the second leg at Parkstadion in Gelsenkirchen two weeks later went to extra time after finishing 1âÂÂ0 to Schalke 04 (1âÂÂ1 on aggregate) in 90 minutes. Inter scored the only goal of extra time to progress to the semi-finals 2âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Russian side Spartak Moscow were Inter's opponents in the semi-finals. After winning the first leg at the Giuseppe Meazza 2âÂÂ1 on 31 March 1998, Inter won the second leg at the Central Dynamo Stadium in Moscow two weeks later by the same scoreline (4âÂÂ2 on aggregate) to reach the final.
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