Hitzfeld savours qualification

Ottmar Hitzfeld was pleased to see his FC Bayern München side reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after their 0-0 draw at Manchester United FC.

Defensive performance
The Bayern coach watched his team produce an exceptional defensive performance at Old Trafford to earn a point which sees both sides earn a place in the knockout stages of the competition with a game left to play.

'A fair result'
"I think a 0-0 draw was a fair result and we're both through to the quarter-finals which is the main thing," he said. "Both teams showed respect for each other and there were only a few chances in the first half because of that. The first half was more a question of tactics but United put a lot more pressure on us in the second half and were dangerous. Oliver Kahn made many saves and we have to be thankful to him for that."

Praise for Giggs
For Hitzfeld's opposite number, Sir Alex Ferguson, winger Ryan Giggs was the key player of the evening and it was his shot early in the second half that produced a superb save from Kahn to keep Bayern in the game. "Ryan Giggs on these nights is marvellous - there are 22 players on the field and none of them can produce what he does," said Sir Alex. "Both teams wanted to win that game tonight but the only time they looked dangerous was at set-pieces because Stefan Effenberg can deliver some great free-kicks."

'A predictable game'
The Scot believed that a 0-0 draw was almost inevitable with two sides of such quality and was not unhappy about the final outcome. "It was a predictable result and a predictable game," Sir Alex added. "There were two good teams and I don't think we could complain about the result."

'It was tight'
United's Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooij agreed with his manager's assessment of the game: "It was tight - both defences and goalkeepers played very well and I would say the teams were equal. We could maybe have done a little better but we have made the quarter-finals. We are very positive here - we want to win the competition - I won't say we will but you have always got a good chance."

Decisive final game
With United and Bayern level on points at the top of Group A, the final games of the second stage will now be crucial in deciding which of the two teams progresses to the next stage as group winners. United are away at Boavista FC on Matchday Twelve while Bayern host FC Nantes Atlantique. Whichever side gets the best result will finish as the top side in the group, but if both achieve the same result, United's away goal in their 1-1 draw at the Olympiastadion would see them named as overall winners.

Ferguson fears Spanish
For Ferguson the priority is to take first place in the group to avoid the risk of meeting Spanish opposition in the last eight. "We can still win the group but so can Bayern so next week's games against Boavista and Nantes are very important for us both," he said. "I think it's important to win the group simply because with teams like Real Madrid [CF] - and I think Real Madrid are always going to be the favourites - and [RC] Deportivo La Coruña the sensible attitude is you want to avoid them. We would rather avoid the Spanish teams because the standard there is so high at the moment."