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Matt Smith

Where are Leeds United's squad from the 2001 Champions League semi-final vs Valencia now?

Leeds United's under-21 side face Valencia in a pre-season friendly this afternoon, with the encounter sure to bring back memories for Whites fans.

David O'Leary's side of star-studded youngsters embarked on a UEFA Champions League run that would eventually conclude in a controversial 3-0 defeat at the Mestalla, in, arguably, Leeds' greatest modern achievement.

Despite being pitted against the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Lazio, the club progressed from two group stages of immense difficulty to earn a quarter-final against Deportivo de La Coruna, once a major name in Spanish football.

Again, Leeds would come out on top via a 3-2 aggregate triumph to arrange a semi-final clash against Valencia. After a stalemate in the home leg, there was fury from the visiting camp when Juan Sanchez handled in an opener. Sanchez would make it two before Gaizka Mendieta netted.

But where do those Leeds players that started the match find themselves today? Below we explain each player's path after leaving Elland Road.

Nigel Martyn

Having been dislodged by Paul Robinson between the sticks, Martin was allowed to depart Elland Road in 2003.

He would turn down a move to Chelsea and eventually join Everton, becoming a fan favourite during his three-year stint at Goodison Park and earning the nickname 'Big Nige'.

Martyn has embraced a, somewhat, low-profile following upon retiring in 2006. He spent a short stint as goalkeeper coach at Bradford City as a favour to former United teammate David Wetherall in 2007 before turning to local cricket.

READ MORE: Leeds United get a World Cup boost for Man City visit and see the door open for a new face too

The first £1 million goalkeeper can now be seen donning wicket-keeping gloves for Knaresborough CC.

Danny Mills

Unlike Martyn, Mills maintains a significant presence within the game as a result of his media work.

Mills spent a lacklustre five years at Manchester City after leaving Leeds in 2004 and would hang up his boots in 2009.

He can now regularly be heard as a pundit for talkSPORT, whilst also appearing sporadically on Sky Sports' Premier League coverage. Equally capable in the kitchen, Mills finished as runner-up on the 2012 series of Celebrity MasterChef.

The 45-year-old continues to raise money for Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus charity Shine following the death of his son in 2002.

Rio Ferdinand

One of England's greatest-ever defenders. Ferdinand was recently eclipsed by Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha as Leeds' record sale.

Ferdinand became the most expensive British footballer in history when he joined Manchester United for more than £30 million in 2002 and would go on to make 455 appearances across all competitions at Old Trafford.

After retiring in 2015, he joined BT Sport as a pundit for their coverage of the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and UEFA Europa League. He is currently a member of BBC Sport's punditry panel for the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.

Ferdinand attempted to dip his toes into the world of professional boxing in 2017, claiming: "I've won titles and now I'm aiming for a belt." He was subsequently denied a professional boxing licence by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Dominic Matteo

Partnering Ferdinand in the centre of defence was Matteo. The Scotland international famously scored at the San Siro and would later go on to captain a talent-stripped Whites team that was eventually relegated.

Following spells with Blackburn and Stoke, Matteo retired and returned to Elland Road in a football ambassador role. Though, he would relinquish the position upon Massimo Cellino's takeover and often featured on Liverpool's in-house television channel as a pundit.

Matteo underwent surgery on a life-threatening brain tumour two years ago but thankfully appears to have made an admirable recovery and now continues media work.

The 48-year-old was the subject of a heart-warming story when he connected with his birth mother for the first time on ITV's Long Lost Family following the illness.

Ian Harte

After making 280 appearances for Leeds and notably scoring a trademark free kick in the 3-0 triumph over Deportivo, Harte made the surprising move of joining Levante in 2004.

He returned to England a few years later, embarking on stints with Sunderland, Blackpool, Carlisle United, Reading and Bournemouth. He would help both of his final clubs win promotion to the Premier League.

Since then, he has become a football agent with Sports Management International (SMI), an agency responsible for plenty of England and Scotland’s best young players.

Speaking about his passion to become an agent in 2012, Harte explained: "Nowadays players are getting so much money they don’t really get advised on what to do and where to put it. I’d like to make sure the young lads don’t make the same mistakes I did."

Eirik Bakke

Signed from Sogndal for a fee of £1.75 million, Bakke made 193 appearances across all competitions for Leeds United and became something of a fan favourite at Elland Road.

Therefore, it can be considered a shame that the latter stages of his Elland Road career were blighted with financial disagreements surrounding an exit that would, eventually, be completed in 2006 by joining SK Brann in his homeland.

Since hanging up his boots, Bakke has turned his hand to coaching, taking charge of Sogndal in 2015 following their relegation to the second tier of Norwegian football.

Bakke led his hometown club back to the Tippeligaen at the first attempt, topping the league in his first full season as a manager. He would, however, oversee a subsequent relegation and promotion near misses, before vacating his post last year.

Olivier Dacourt

Joining Leeds from Lens for an estimated fee of £7.2 million in 2000, Dacourt broke the Whites' transfer record fee at the time.

He proved to be a combative presence in the engine room for O'Leary's side and formed an effective partnership alongside David Batty during the Champions League run, winning international recognition in the process.

Terry Venable's appointment would signal a downturn in fortunes for Dacourt, who spoke out against the former England boss after being dropped. Venables added fuel to the fire by proclaiming: "If he wants to go to Italy - and if someone is interested - I will personally drive him there."

Dacourt completed a diploma in professional sports club general management following his retirement in 2010, combining studies with a career in French radio and television broadcasting.

David Batty

Every four years, Batty is a name that often springs to the minds of English football supporters. Unfortunately, not because of his two spells at Elland Road during which he made over 300 appearances.

Batty is best known for missing the decisive penalty in England's 1998 World Cup round of 16 defeat to Argentina, a moment that has become renowned for Brian Moore's words: "Quickly, yes or no?" To which, of course, Kevin Keegan answered: "Yes," predicting he would score.

So what happened to Batty following such a devastating moment? The truth is nobody really knows. He retired in 2004 upon Leeds' relegation to the Championship, preferring to keep out of the spotlight.

Batty's former agent Dave Evans told ChronicleLive of Batty's quiet life, explaining: "He's really good, We talk all the time. We see each other. He's still bombarded with requests. Obviously, when the World Cup comes up, everyone wants him on panels or to interview him but he goes even quieter during tournament times. He's just the same old, same old, really. Living life to the full, enjoying it all, and that's it.

Alan Smith

Leeds fans do not need reminding of Smith's immediate future after departing his boyhood club. Even if he joined Manchester United to prevent Leeds from entering administration, as has been claimed.

Sent off in that semi-final against Valencia, Smith, ultimately, failed to live up to the potential that he had demonstrated at Elland Road, failing to make significant impressions at Old Trafford and with Newcastle United.

His fall from grace is, possibly, summarised by a drop down to League One and Two with MK Dons and Notts County, respectively. Smith was made player-coach at the latter and enjoyed a spell in caretaker charge of the Magpies

Smith now resides in Orlando, working with male and female youngsters as a coach at the XL Soccer World Academy in the United States.

Harry Kewell

A key member of Leeds' attacking unit at that time, Kewell's legacy in Yorkshire is not what it ought to be for a man that made 264 appearances for the Whites over a largely successful period. He has himself to blame.

Firstly, Kewell's departure to join Liverpool was not without its controversies. He has since gone on record to state that he had "no choice" but to depart Elland Road in the absence of a contract offer.

Although his 2008 switch to Galatasaray particularly enraged supporters, as it was fans of the Turkish club that had killed Leeds supporters, Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus.

Kewell embarked on a managerial career following retirement but has been mostly unsuccessful in EFL spells with Crawley, Notts County, Oldham and Barnet. He is now a first-team coach, under compatriot Ange Postecoglou at Celtic.

Mark Viduka

The other Australian from that team, Viduka is held in higher than Kewell after scoring 71 goals across 165 appearances for the Whites, including efforts that, somewhat singlehandedly, helped the club survive relegation in 2003.

The former Celtic star continued his Premier League career in North-east with Newcastle and Middlesbrough before retiring upon the former's relegation in 2009.

Viduka's post-playing story is the most exciting, and unusual, however, as he returned to Zagreb where he owns and runs a coffee shop.

He turned to the quiet life in the last few years after admitting to hating all the politics that came with being involved with professional football.

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