Leeds United boss David O'Leary fears emotion could ultimately prove his side's downfall in tonight's tension-packed conclusion of what has been a tragic and tumultuous UEFA Cup semi-final.

Just two weeks ago the world reverberated to the sickening news surrounding the horrific murders of Leeds fans Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul on the eve of the first leg with Galatasaray.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale has even issued an impassioned plea against the "futility of violence" ahead of the tie.

The Yorkshire club placed full-page advertisements in national newspapers calling for fans to support their team in a "proper manner".

The advertisement also carried the chairman's plea in Turkish.

With the headline "Tonight must be all about football", the publicity campaign will have cost the club tens of thousands of pounds.

Tonight will bring to an end not only the biggest game the club has been involved in for 25 years, but also the saddest period in United's history.

The grief experienced has been felt by the whole of British soccer, and especially by those at Leeds, never more so than in the Premiership matches at Aston Villa and at home to Arsenal.

The Leeds players have clearly struggled to come to terms with the events of the past 14 days, and no-one will vilify them should they fail to reach the final in Copenhagen on May 17.

But, despite a run of six successive defeats - the worst under O'Leary and the worst for four years - this is a game they are desperate to win for so many reasons.

While O'Leary can formulate a game-plan and the tactics and field a team he feels is good enough for the job, what he cannot legislate for is the feelings of his players on the night.

O'Leary revealed: "I've got to contend with and guard against players getting carried away with emotion.

"I just think they've been so saddened with what happened in Istanbul and with the funerals over the last couple of days.

"But the whole city has become a gloomy place, and the players feel that. They've been upset and they feel why should they be smiling when everybody is down - and you also feel how lucky you are."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.