Kahn: Pressure was 'unbelievable'

By Andy Hooper

Goalkeeper Oliver Kahn described the excrutiating pressure of the penalty shoot-out that ended with Champions League glory for Bayern Munich against Valencia at Milan's San Siro stadium.

I'll have that ball... Kahn celebrates in the shoot-out
(StuForster/Allsport)
Germany captain Kahn, who saved three spot-kicks to condemn the Spaniards to a second successive final defeat, said: 'The pressure was unbelievable. I can't explain it but I think it was a combination of luck, intuition and thank God!'

Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and club president Franz Beckenbauer lavished praise on the 31-year-old.

'It is great to be able to take the cup back to Munich. The champions league is something unique for any club... Oliver Kahn was the absolute star and we have him to thank,' said Hitzfeld.

Beckenbauer said Kahn was the reason why Bayern had won the Champions League.

'We were the more active and better side over 120 minutes,' said Beckenbauer. 'Naturally you have to be lucky to win in a penalty shoot-out but this team deserved it.

'Three times we nearly did it and today it finally happened.' Bayern have lost three finals since last winning the trophy in 1976.

'Oliver Kahn has been fantastic in the Champions League. He is the main reason that we won the Cup,' said Beckenbauer.

Valencia coach Hector Cuper lamented another lost opportunity following his side's heartbreaking defeat.

It made a hat-trick of European final defeats for the Argentinian - after last year's 3-0 reverse against Real Madrid and the 1999 Cup-winners Cup Final in which he coached Real Mallorca in a 2-1 loss to Lazio.


Ottmar Hitzfeld leads the Bayern party
(AlexLivesey/Allsport)
'Another one has passed us by,' Cuper sighed in an interview with Spanish state television after the game. 'It's a very painful moment but we'll have to bear it.'

French defender Jocelyn Angloma apologised to the Valencia fans for denying them a party.

'It's bad luck, but that's football,' he said. 'The fans won't be able to celebrate again. I'm sorry.

'We did everything we could to win and so did Bayern
but it was very difficult. We've lost again. We just have to play our remaining league games and try to qualify for the competition again.'




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