February 20, 2003	Thursday	Zul Hijjah 18, 1423

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PARIS, Feb 19: Barcelona’s contrasting fortunes this season continued Tuesday as they beat the previous Champions League record for successive victories downing Inter Milan 3-0 in their Group A match for their 11th triumph in a row.

Barca’s victory lifted them above AC Milan’s record of 10 set back in 1992/93 and need to beat Inter next week to overhaul Ajax’s all-time European competition record of 11 set in the Cup Winners Cup campaigns of 1986/87 and 87/88.

It was a red letter night for one of their former manager’s Bobby Robson as he celebrated his 70th birthday with a 3-1 victory away at last season’s demoralised finalists Bayer Leverkusen in the other Group A clash.

Barcelona lead the group by three points from Inter — whose Uruguayan international striker Alvaro Recoba will be missing the return fixture after being sent off — while Newcastle have three and Bayer none.

Like Leverkusen Roma have no points after three matches and with Valencia joining Arsenal and Ajax — who drew 1-1 in London — on five points in Group B, Capello’s learning of German may come in handy sooner than he thought.

Collated second group phase results:

Group A

In Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona 3 Inter Milan 0

In Leverkusen, Germany

Bayer Leverkusen 1 Newcastle 3

Group B

In London

Arsenal 1 Ajax 1

In Rome

AS Roma 0 Valencia 1

—AFP