Red card may stop Hagi facing Rangers

Friday 15 September 2000 00:00 BST
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Gheorghe Hagi, the Galatasaray midfielder, could miss the Turkish side's Champions' League home game against Rangers.

Gheorghe Hagi, the Galatasaray midfielder, could miss the Turkish side's Champions' League home game against Rangers.

The temperamental Romanian playmaker, whose international career came to an end with a red card at Euro 2000, was sent off in Galatasaray's game against Monaco on Tuesday and could be given a two-match ban for using his elbow. The absence of Hagi would be help the Scottish champions their Group D game in Istanbul on 27 September and a decision will be made by Uefa, football's European governing body, today.

A Uefa spokesman said: "If the elbowing incident is in the referee's report, then there is the likelihood that [he] would be suspended for two games."

Bayern Munich's Sammy Kuffour has been suspended for one match by Uefa following his red card in the Champions' League match against Helsingborg on Wednesday. The Ghanaian tripped the Brazilian forward, Alvaro Santos, inside the penalty area in the 38th minute in Bayern's 3-1 victory against the Swedish club.

Hamburg's return to Europe's premier club competition heralded a goal glut on Wednesday as they drew 4-4 with Juventus. It was the highlight of a night when 36 goals were scored in the eight games played. As well as Bayern Munich beating Helsingborg 3-1, Milan put four past Turkey's Besiktas, who had surprisingly taken the lead. The only minor upset came in Trondheim where the Norwegians, Rosenborg, beat Paris St-Germain 3-1.

Hamburg recovered from 3-1 down to lead 4-3 before Filippo Inzaghi completed his hat-trick with an 88th-minute penalty to save Juventus from defeat in a pulsating Group E game.

Frank Pagelsdorf, the Hamburg coach, was convinced Inzaghi had won the penalty unfairly but said: "It's not often you're in a position to overturn a 3-1 scoreline against a club like Juventus, but the players put in a great performance and they won't forget it in a hurry."

The Germans went behind against Juventus after five minutes when Igor Tudor scored. The former Leeds striker, Tony Yeboah, soon levelled for the Germans but Inzaghi restored Juve's lead just before the interval. Inzaghi made it 3-1 on 53 minutes and the Turin club seemed home and dry before Mehdi Mahdavikia pulled one back for Hamburg after 65 minutes and the home side's goalkeeper, Hans-Jörg Butt, levelled seven minutes later with a penalty.

With eight minutes left Niko Kovac looked to have won it for Hamburg, but Inzaghi had the final word when he fell in the area and scored the equaliser from the spot.

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