The Offical Liverpool - Milan Champions League Final Thread (before during & afters)

LuckyLloyd

Last night was a Cup match. While you could argue that the game flowed marginally more in Liverpool's favour overall; Milan hung in there, and took their couple of chances (reality with the first goal is that when you concede a set - piece in that position bad stuff is liable to happen). I think talk of Liverpool being unlucky and Milan being dire is unfair. Yes, sometimes a team gets truly unlucky when they batter the opposition the whole game and get done by a sucker punch / bad refereeing decision. That wasn't the case last night. Milan came out on top, and they deserved to win.

It hurts though. I have to say that what we started with it isn't the team I would have wanted. And I think the substitutions came too late in the second half to really influence the game as they should have.

Zenden was very bad. Masherano was exceptional. Kuyt and Gerrard tried hard and were industrious to no avail. If Pennant had a killer final ball he would be truly dangerous. Overall, everyone gave it a lash - we can surmise what might have been if Rafa had done things differently, but it is over now.

The Referee was bad to both sides. We should have had an extra 45 seconds at the end which is irritating. But the match was lost over the previous 92 minutes.


Milan were the team of the competition. Munich, Utd, Liverpool - can't argue with the body of work built up over the course of the tournament. They added no players last summer - and there was a togetherness and toughness evident from the second leg of the quater - final on. Fair play to them.

As a Liverpool fan, I am disappointed. I think we are further down the line under Rafa though - and are a much better club for his management. I would like us to mount more of a challenge in the league next year. But I am prepared to let him clear out during the summer; fine tune next season - and do it the year after. He came in on a five year deal. It is a project. And there is more to come.

Roll on August.

fullstop

Chucky the tree wrote:

The best footballing side on the night lost. Milan were a jok and really showed the how typically negative Italian football is. They sat back and defend for the match and realied on a lucky goal to win the match. They only got the second goal due liverpool having to attack.

This is what happens when you let team who rig matches into big competitions, they provide us with ****e through out the competition and then fluke a win.

Well done UEFA.

*Clap clap clap* Brilliant post :rolleyes: It's a crying shame the hoofers couldn't break down a solid defence but hey, thats the way it goes. As for MIlan only getting the second because Liverpool were attacking, thats just a retarded statement. I hope you were really drunk when you wrote this.

And do explain the last paragraph. From my memory Milan didn't rely on 'passion' to carry them through the tournament like hooferpool did and they are a great side to watch. Did you happen to see the semi-finals?

keltoms

i said it once and i'll say it again - hooferpool badly need a top class striker like the old fowler or ian rush. All the top teams have at least one top class striker(Arsenal - Henry, Chelsea - Drogba, Man U - Rooney) where as hooferpool just had 3 average strikers.

Also will be putting my money on ac to win the champs league next year aswell, ronaldo and kaka' make a class partnership!:)

TwoShedsJackson

Pennant was hardly 'on fire' last night, he beat a couple of men and completed about two out of five crosses. Not good enough. Oddo had the beating of Riise on numerous occasions despite being seven or eight years older than him.

Zenden was an embarrassment. Kewell did **** all but even he would have been better than Zenden from the start, couldn't have been any worse anyway.

All in all a deserved win for Milan.

leninbenjamin

fullstop wrote:

As for MIlan only getting the second because Liverpool were attacking,

they only got the second because Carragher was knackered. still though, throughout the night Milan showed they were much better on the ball than liverpool, dunno how you could argue the "better footballing side" lost.

on a different note:
UEFA lump the blame on the English fans again.

*sigh*

why does every european tie involving english clubs end with some sort of aggro? still though, i dont see how UEFA can absolve themselves of full responsibility if fans without tickets were finding ways into the stadium.

BaZmO*

shane86 wrote:

Pennant was top class (wtf were RTE lads on about?)

If by "Top Class" you mean charging down the wing with the ball only to turn back onto his weaker foot and pass the ball backwards rather than put a cross in well then yeah he was "Top Class"

jackdaw

Fantastic, Fantastic , Fantastic ... Liverpool finally shown up for the
FRAUDS they are ....

Justice for 2005, this is what should have happened 2 years ago...

Liverpool win NOTHING this season

flanzer

jackdaw wrote:

Fantastic, Fantastic , Fantastic ... Liverpool finally shown up for the
FRAUDS they are ....

Justice for 2005, this is what should have happened 2 years ago...

Liverpool win NOTHING this season

Charming post :rolleyes:

jackdaw

yes i hope im not banned ??

well it's harsh but not insulting ... so ... depends if the mod is a Pool fan
...

event

leninbenjamin wrote:

on a different note:
UEFA lump the blame on the English fans again.

*sigh*

why does every european tie involving english clubs end with some sort of aggro? still though, i dont see how UEFA can absolve themselves of full responsibility if fans without tickets were finding ways into the stadium.

well uefa lumped the blame on them as it appears it was them that was causing trouble

redspider

So, now in the cold heart of daylight, how do things stack up? Well, my thoughts are the same as last night. Liverpool could have beaten this Milan team, but didnt perform to their capability and didnt play the correct personnel. I do blame Rafa for the latter. It is If's and But's but not improbable if's and but's, and that makes the defeat more difficult to take. If Liverpool would have been beaten by a vastly superior display by Milan and a lesson in football, it would have been one thing. But this was a tame and lame defeat, and Liverpool did not up their game to the intensity that they could have and should have done.

Also, its the first real defeat in the CL/European Cup for Liverpool. The only other defeat was that surreal match against Juventus at the Heysel in 1985, when several of the players just didnt want to play and they had a very understandable excuse. That defeat has always been forgiven and rightly so.

This defeat is more painful and is the first real one. Thats a blot on the record books. Gerrard mentioned last night that the team will get to more CL finals, but getting CL final chances are difficult and are to savour, and all the top teams know that it is much more difficult to get to a CL final, never mind win it, than win their own respective leagues. It is the big one, and Liverpool let it slip away all too easily I think.

I dont blame a lot of the individual players, because they tried as much as they could. Some players, I would blame, but the blame for me lies mainly with Rafa and his selections, subs, etc. He just could have and should have done better and not put some of these players on in the first place.

It wasnt a great final for the neutral. It was not end to end stuff. And midfields and defences were on top. There were only 17 attempts on goal in the whole game, 12 from Liverpool and a mere 5, yes, just 5 from Milan. Not an indication of domination, or supreme ability or getting Liverpool on the break.

As some Milan players said afterwards, after 2005, it was our turn for some luck. Milan recognise that they did not play the best, they poached this game, yet no-one will detract from their victory.

iregk wrote:

Liverpool did an Arsenal. Lots of posession, lots of passing but not really doing anything with the ball. How many chances did they have the entire game? About 5?

Milan played them tactically. Sat back when they could do and picked them off on the break. Some say thats negative, I call it tactics. Milan created the better chances and scored from two of them. .... Last night they never switched off and didn't allow Liverpool in.

Liverpool created better chances overall. They were far from a good Arsenal. But Milan didnt create much in the whole game. The free-kick goal was a freak and was not 'created' as the foul was a soft one, it wasnt as if Kaka was about to score or anything and the goal itself was a cruel deflection.

And as I've described elsewhere, the 2nd Milan goal was more a case of Liverpool switching off and the lack of Mascherno along with the lack of any defensive quality from Kewell. True, Milan can only beat who is playing and it was a nicely worked goal but this was on 82 mins and the Liverpool defence at that moment just had one of those "leave it up to the next player" moments and switched off. It wasnt a case of brilliance from Milan beating a Liverpool defence that was doing all that it could to keep them out, ala Crespo's and Milan's 3rd goal in 2005. Liverpool just switched off, Carra, Agger and Riise. Kewell, well, he's always switched off. No blame on Reina.

Its true that for all of Liverpool's 'control' of the game, and control here is in the 60%/40% category, they created few clear openings and the shots they got off were weak or from distance. Riise and Gerrard didnt get a classic shot off and on another night they could have.

But Milan did not hit Liverpool on the break. Milan created very very little. Mascherano did a good job. Alonso did okay. Carra as usual was immense and if anything burned up too much energy. His legs would have been gone by 120 mins. He did make a mistake once though leaving a Milan player to Agger and then fouling him. He is not 100% perfect. But nothing came of that free-kick.

bateman wrote:

"Money-wise" ah come on, the phrase "clutching at straws" is beginning to sounds more and more apt for Liverpool fans these days. Who appointed you judge of how many million a point is worth?

It was you who said that Liverpool were nowhere in the premier league in 2005, 2006 and 2007. I pointed out that they were 5th, 3rd and 3rd, which is not exactly nowhere. And in money terms, the difference between winning and 3rd is slight (ie: 1m) for clubs of this nature who's revenues are 150m plus.

I didn't appoint myself as judge, the money figures are from the Premier league itself and are generally well-known. You get money for your final position, not for points. (Note: perhaps the league should change it so that a club gets money for each point!)

And for Liverpool, in terms of the CL, with a win in 2005 and 2nd place in 2007, they have shown to be the most succesful team from England in the CL over those 3 years. The money differences in the CL case are even greater. If the CL had no money in it, it would be like the Carling Cup. No-one would really care. So for those that proclaim there is no link between money and football, you are only kidding yourselves!

Redspider

redspider

quarryman wrote:

Sure the first goal was a deflection but you have to be pressuring to win the free in the first place, I don't remember Liverpool getting a similar chance.

Milan are and were a class above that Liverpool side. Had Liverpool provided some actual goal scoring chances Milan would simply have upped their game and scored another.

I disagree, Milan weren't pressuring, that's the thing. That free-kick was a soft one in the first place, Kaka 'played' to win it, and then it was deflected off an upper arm in just the right way to score. Milan had a similarly placed free-kick in the 2nd half taken by Pirlo again and it didn't go in, in fact nowhere near. Pirlo is not exactly lethal at such free-kicks, so Liverpool were unlucky about that 1st goal. It did not come from Milan pressure, far from it. It was a steal and against the run of play.

But that is football. Liverpool just had to get on with it and get back into the game. They tried but they didnt create enough, although they created more than Milan, yet didnt score. Again, thats football. Gerrard's chance was the best chance and he didnt take it. Milan's 2nd goal was more a case of Liverpool switching off and just standing and letting Milan conjure a goal.

I disagree that Milan were a class above Liverpool last night, even given the poor selection of personnel Liverpool put out. The difference between the teams was slight. Yes, there was class shown and guile, and Inzaghi's finish was a better class compared with Gerrard's miss. But what with Kuyt's goal and Milans 1st goal which was a deflection, the difference overall was slight, very slight. Play the game again over another 90 mins, and the result may have been and probably would have been in Liverpool's favour. Play the game with some different Liverpool player selections, and it would have been more likely to be in Liverpool's favour. Yes, Milan have some class players, and with more class and 'technical ability' than Liverpool's, but last night they did not exhibit that and what they tried was dealt with by Liverpool.

I disagree that Milan would have been able to up their game and score more. They created sweet fanny adams in the match overall, bar the 2nd goal which as stated was a Liverpool switch off more than creative briliance. They have some very good players, that is true and I like and admire a lot of them over the years. Nesta was immense in defence but Kuyt was never going to trouble him. And Nesta was sharp enough to spot and snuff out any forays made by Gerrard.

Jimmy Magee's infamous comment "different class, different class" about Maradona, certainly didnt apply last night.

Onwards, and hopefully, upwards ....

Redspider

The Muppet

redspider wrote:

Also, its the first real defeat in the CL/European Cup for Liverpool. The only other defeat was that surreal match against Juventus at the Heysel in 1985, when several of the players just didnt want to play and they had a very understandable excuse. That defeat has always been forgiven and rightly so.

LOL so last night was Liverpools first defeat in Europe and the 1985 final somehow doesn't count. I love the flawed logic.

redspider wrote:

So for those that proclaim there is no link between money and football, you are only kidding yourselves!

Redspider

I have read the entire thread and I didn't see anyone make such a proclaimation. Could you provide a link.

To clarify my own comment earlier in the thread, Maybe the prawn sandwich brigade would measure their clubs achievements in monetary terms but for me real football fans [especially of the big clubs] will always guage it by silverware in the trophy room.

BaZmO*

redspider wrote:

Milan recognise that they did not play the best, they poached this game, yet no-one will detract from their victory.

Really?

redspider wrote:

Milan weren't pressuring, that's the thing. That free-kick was a soft one in the first place, Kaka 'played' to win it, and then it was deflected off an upper arm in just the right way to score

redspider wrote:

It was a steal and against the run of play

redspider wrote:

Milan's 2nd goal was more a case of Liverpool switching off and just standing and letting Milan conjure a goal.

redspider wrote:

They created sweet fanny adams in the match overall, bar the 2nd goal which as stated was a Liverpool switch off more than creative briliance

uberwolf

The Muppet wrote:

LOL so last night was Liverpools first defeat in Europe and the 1985 final somehow doesn't count. I love the flawed logic.

that game was scarcely contested. Akin to having to play on at hillsborough.

The Muppet

uberwolf wrote:

that game was scarcely contested. Akin to having to play on at hillsborough.

I remeber the occasion well uberwolf and I agree that match should never have went ahead but when it did surely both team were equally affected by the events that preceded it.

LuckyLloyd

The Muppet wrote:

the 1985 final somehow doesn't count

Have you ever seen footage of that game? You would agree with Redspider if you had.

Mitch Connor

The Muppet wrote:

I remeber the occasion well uberwolf and I agree that match should never have went ahead but when it did surely both team were equally affected by what the events that preceded it.

the goal scorer didn't see too affected by events.

Jazzy

as soon as we switched to 4-4-2 it allowed kaka a bit of space to do his thang and hence the 2nd goal. we also got one tho. i hate when teams start finals in 4-5-1

my mate last night said (utd supporter) : "you need 2 animal wingers and a top class foward".

I would be happy with only getting 3 players this summer, as long as they were top quality ones.

The Muppet

LuckyLloyd wrote:

Have you ever seen footage of that game? You would agree with Redspider if you had.

I'm an elder lemon I watched the whole thing live.

BTW have you considered the possibility that your recent name change put a jinx on pool last night;)

LuckyLloyd

The Muppet wrote:

I'm an elder lemon I watched the whole thing live.

BTW have you considered the possibility that your recent name change put a jinx on pool last night;)

Ssssshhhhhhh!! I know I was to blame. Let us not speak of it.

My impression of that game in 1985 is that it played out like some wierd friendly game. When Juve scored the winner they went nuts. But the reaction of the Liverpool players came across as if they were nonplussed. And after the final whistle, even the Juve players enjoyed a somewhat muted celebration.

It of course might have felt different watching live on the day. And with stuff like this there is probably little doubt that my impression of the game was clouded by what I now know.

raven136

people are saying that its rafa's fault for playing certain players.the back 4 would be everyones and the midfield 2.zenden was hopeless but so was kewell when he came on and gonzalez has been a flop so he had 3 duds to pick from.
crouch possibly should have started but he cant hassle and harry like kuyt who put the milan back 4 under pressure.the major decision would have been stevie g and pennant and imo the risk of playing gerrard behing a front man to take into account his powerful shooting was worth it.

So is it rafa's fault or did the players just not take advantage their first half dominance and let their effort slip in the 2nd half.Hard to take but two world class wingers would have made all the difference last night

The Muppet

LuckyLloyd wrote:

Ssssshhhhhhh!! I know I was to blame. Let us not speak of it.

My impression of that game in 1985 is that it played out like some wierd friendly game. When Juve scored the winner they went nuts. But the reaction of the Liverpool players came across as if they were nonplussed. And after the final whistle, even the Juve players enjoyed a somewhat muted celebration.

It of course might have felt different watching live on the day. And with stuff like this there is probably little doubt that my impression of the game was clouded by what I now know.

LOL you're secret is safe with me.


1985 is not something I like to post about for obvious reasons. The game was played in weird atmosphere but to totally discount the result is wrong IMO.

If the result in 85 had been reversed I'm pretty sure that Liverpool fans would have been celebrtating their 6th win in 2005.


lets leave it at that as really its irrelevent to this topic.

shane86

jackdaw wrote:

Fantastic, Fantastic , Fantastic ... Liverpool finally shown up for the
FRAUDS they are ....

Justice for 2005, this is what should have happened 2 years ago...

Liverpool win NOTHING this season

Oh holy jesus.

*bets 50 quid i know who he supports*



To whoever mentioned it, yeah, I agree and recant what I said, Kaka didnt wow me, he was just the most noticeable Milan player last night.

quarryman wrote:

some hilarious excuses here.

The ref didn't give us our last 30 seconds.
The best footballing sided lost.
1st goal was lucky
Negative Italian football.


Tactically perfect: credit to Ancelotti.

First four points, get off it. I think Inzaghi probably thought he had messed up the shot initially. Agree with the tactical comment, let them have majority of posession but have a rock solid defence, hit them when theyre unprepared. Not the most exciting way to play a game, but it did the job. Tactically Milan were on top (what with Rafas woeful sub decisions). Play wise, Liverpool were the more entertaining side.

Kingp35

Milan played Liverpool at thier own game last night and it worked perfectly. Its clear for all to see that Liverpool are not great going forward and rely on set pieces. Milan exploited this by letting Liverpool come on to them. How people are saying Liverpool were much the better team I'll never know. They has plenty of possesion but did nothing with it. Just because you have more of the ball does not mean that you deserve to win.

The first goal was lucky, the second was class. Milan looked solid all night and the Gerrard chance was the only chance Liverpool got. There is no way that Liverpool "deserved" to win.

copacetic

Kingp35 wrote:

the Gerrard chance was the only chance Liverpool got.

really? what about the pennant chance that Dida could only parry into the centre of the goal, luckily straight to nesta.
What about Kuyt actually scoring, does that not count as a chance?
what about the crouch shot than dida tipped over?
at least make an effort to make sense.

shatners basoon

What you're saying only really applies to the second half. In the first half i don't think Milan liked being pressurised and Liverpool were forcing them to make mistakes and they should have done better with what they were getting (e.g. pennant's set up for Gerrard which had too much air) Milan didn't look solid at all with the pressure that Liverpool were putting on them.

Milan got lucky with their goal and could now defend and hit pool on the counter attack which they did well and fair play to them, i don't have any gripes with the result but luck had alot to do with it just like luck had alot to do with Liverpool's win too years ago (and then some!)


Anyway, i'm happy with the effort and pride of the players, they were certainly worthy finalists.
Secondly congragulations to Milan on winning the biggest trophy of the season.

PHB

Liverpool created better chances overall. They were far from a good Arsenal. But Milan didnt create much in the whole game

This was pretty funny to be honest. Was that Zenden shot counted, cause I'm pretty sure it went out for a throw in it was that bad.

Liverpool create loads of chances? Generally, hitting the ball from 10 yards outside the box towards the general direction of the goal doesn't count as a chance.

The goal wasn't against the run of play. The play was not going with Liverpool. Passing the ball around the midfield then whacking it up for the long ball and getting it back doesn't count as dominating.
The goal came due to shocking defending from Carragher in clearing the ball, then Alonso with a really bad atttempt to get the ball back.

In the whole game, Liverpool had two good chances. Gerrards one on one from the side of the match. Kuyt's goal.
Milan had about 5 good chances, and scored two of them. They had another promising free kick, they had that time that Kaka got past Carragher and Carragher fouled him, and they had Seedorf's shot which was heading straight in if not for Riise, poorly placed though.

If you count Crouch's shot, you must also count Kaka's shot in the first half.

Liverpool tried to do what they always do against better teams, high tempo, nick a goal, and defend, or just defend full stop. But they couldn't do it as they got scored on, and then they had little chance of getting anything out of it.

johnnyboy4711

I watched how my Rossonieri capitulated against da pool 2 years ago and it ripped me!
Accepted that Liverpool deserved it because they played to the final whistle!momentum was with them!
Thats one thing but to hear that Inzaghi's 1st goal came off his hand,yeah right!
Sour grapes!Lucky granted but handball,please! your clutching at straws!!!
right place at the right time ,the mans a legend 58 goals in Europe !!!
Maldini has now won the CL the same amount of times that liverpool have,thats testament to the calibre of him and the milan setup!
I was not very impressed with Milans midfield especially Seedorf and Gattuso,had very quite games and seemed like they were inviting liverpool onto them!

In Summary Milan took their chances and any rub of the green that was going,the 'Pool' didnt or couldnt!
Theres always next year!!!

FORZA MILAN

leninbenjamin

johnnyboy4711 wrote:

the mans a legend 58CL goals!!!

last night he scored his 38th and 39th Champions League goals, so yer about 20 off.

still an amazing tally though.

johnnyboy4711

97 appearances in europe 58 goals,happy?
john

Thanx 4 The Fish

Not particularly, as a Liverpool fan I would have preferred him noto score them

leninbenjamin

johnnyboy4711 wrote:

97 appearances in europe 58 goals,happy?
john

much better thanks,;)

Chucky the tree

PHB wrote:

Milan were incredible through the compo, and beat United, Bayern, and just there, Liverpool.
.

You do know the competition starts before the 1/4s yea? They drew with lillie away, lost to them at home and lost to AEK away and needed extra time to beat Celtic.


I dont know about you, but i'd hardly call that incredible.

Chucky the tree

Kingp35 wrote:

Milan played Liverpool at thier own game last night and it worked perfectly. Its clear for all to see that Liverpool are not great going forward and rely on set pieces. Milan exploited this by letting Liverpool come on to them. How people are saying Liverpool were much the better team I'll never know. They has plenty of possesion but did nothing with it. Just because you have more of the ball does not mean that you deserve to win.

The first goal was lucky, the second was class. Milan looked solid all night and the Gerrard chance was the only chance Liverpool got. There is no way that Liverpool "deserved" to win.

So when liverpool won it in 2005 why werent people coming on and crediting liverpool for being tactically perfect through-out the competition? Instead they went on about how they fluked it and other such bull****.

Its probaly jealousy though.

marco_polo

Got this in an email from a gloating friend of mine rubbing it in . I must admit it is quite funny.

Are you a Liverpool fan?
Feeling depressed?
Down in the dumps?
Can't talk to your bezzie mates?

Then call the Scouse Helpline™ now on 0800 10 10 10

That's 0800 won nothing, won nothing, won nothing

leninbenjamin

if the league can do it why couldn't UEFA?

BBC wrote:

The Football League has signed a 20-year Staging Agreement with WNSL, which undertake to provide a minimum of 67,000 tickets to the League.

This entire allocation is passed on by the League to the two clubs.

LuckyLloyd

The Muppet wrote:

1985 is not something I like to post about for obvious reasons.

lets leave it at that as really its irrelevent to this topic.

That is more than fair and understandable.

scojones

marco_polo wrote:

Got this in an email from a gloating friend of mine rubbing it in . I must admit it is quite funny.

Are you a Liverpool fan?
Feeling depressed?
Down in the dumps?
Can't talk to your bezzie mates?

Then call the Scouse Helpline™ now on 0800 10 10 10

That's 0800 won nothing, won nothing, won nothing

Love it.

PHB

You do know the competition starts before the 1/4s yea? They drew with lillie away, lost to them at home and lost to AEK away and needed extra time to beat Celtic.


I dont know about you, but i'd hardly call that incredible.

I don't really care. They did enough to get through the group stages, then were outstanding in the knockout stages. For me, that's all that matters. It is a cup after all. You only have to perform in about 7 matches to win it once you get past the group. They performed in all 7 matches

Chucky the tree wrote:

So when liverpool won it in 2005 why werent people coming on and crediting liverpool for being tactically perfect through-out the competition? Instead they went on about how they fluked it and other such bull****.

Its probaly jealousy though.

Maybe, maybe

Chucky the tree wrote:

The best footballing side on the night lost. Milan were a jok and really showed the how typically negative Italian football is. They sat back and defend for the match and realied on a lucky goal to win the match. They only got the second goal due liverpool having to attack.

This is what happens when you let team who rig matches into big competitions, they provide us with ****e through out the competition and then fluke a win.

Well done UEFA.

ciaran76

Away from the actual game KI feel sorry for the many fans who did not get into the ground who had genuine tickets.

Sounds like it coyuld have potenially been a disaster there, badly organised it sounds.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=our-athens-police-hell%26method=full%26objectid=19182048%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

leninbenjamin

the point people should be making is not necessarily that Milan were/weren't increadible, but rather, who was better? nobody in my book.

Edit: i wonder could UEFA be potentially sued by the fans with genuine tickets who didn't get in? i know it would be impossible to get moneis back when a tout was paid etc., but the possibility of having to hand over a few thousand might make UEFA rethink the whole thing. they are a money hungry bunch of...

marco_polo

PHB wrote:

I don't really care. They did enough to get through the group stages, then were outstanding in the knockout stages. For me, that's all that matters. It is a cup after all. You only have to perform in about 7 matches to win it once you get past the group. They performed in all 7 matches

I see your point but to suggest that they were outstanding throughout the knockout stages is a bit of a stretch. They were definately not outstanding at home to either Bayern or Celtic.

The only standout Milan performances for me were the home game against United and away to Bayern, which were probably two of the best in the competition by any team.

Last night I don't think that they played particularly well either, but they defended well and were clinical when their chances came along. On that basis they were deserving winners of the trophy.

PHB

Edit: i wonder could UEFA be potentially sued by the fans with genuine tickets who didn't get in? i know it would be impossible to get moneis back when a tout was paid etc., but the possibility of having to hand over a few thousand might make UEFA rethink the whole thing. they are a money hungry bunch of...

If you bought from a tout, you've got nothing, cause just as it's illegal to sell, it's illegal to buy from a tout too.

---

Outstanding is perhaps too strong, the outstanding team would be more appropriate.

I don't think that they played particularly well last night either, but they defended well and were clinical when their chances came along. On that basis they were deserving winners of the trophy.

I don't think they were great, and they did defend well and were clinical. However, the difference is Liverpool didn't defend well and were not clinical. The difference is not that Liverpool attacked and were not clinical.

marco_polo

PHB wrote:

If you bought from a tout, you've got nothing, cause just as it's illegal to sell, it's illegal to buy from a tout too.

---

That is as it should be. I do hope that fans with genuine tickets sue the arse off UEFA as it is an absolute disgrace in this day and age that fans with fake tickets got in the ground let alone anywhere near it.

PHB wrote:

Outstanding is perhaps too strong, the outstanding team would be more appropriate.

I don't think they were great, and they did defend well and were clinical. However, the difference is Liverpool didn't defend well and were not clinical. The difference is not that Liverpool attacked and were not clinical.

I would agree with that most of that except that I thought that both teams defended very well last night. Neither side created many chances. The exception to the good defending was Milans second goal when we were chasing the game.

Off topic a bit but having seen a fairly decent game last night and a woeful FA cup final, would people now agree that the main reason for the sh*te CL semi final was Chelsea?

RasTa

Cancel the bus!

therecklessone

marco_polo wrote:

That is as it should be. I do hope that fans with genuine tickets sue the arse off UEFA as it is an absolute disgrace in this day and age that fans with fake tickets got in the ground let alone anywhere near it.

I also hope that any Liverpool "fans" who managed to gain entry without a ticket/with a ticket passed back through security checks/with a knowingly forged ticket takes a long hard look at themselves this morning. Very poor show considering the club's tragic past.

*no offence meant to fans genuinely caught out by forgeries*

Sizzler

Steven Gerrard wrote:

Nobody can stop me or Liverpool now

Should have kept the trap shut till after the game Stevo

Seaneh

Words cannot desrcibe the emmotions I wnet through when super pippo scored the second goal last night, what a ball by kaka, what a first touch by pippo, what a finish!

The better team won, it was a victory for football that the longball merchents didn't win!

Forza Rossoneri!

BaZmO*

therecklessone wrote:

I also hope that any Liverpool "fans" who managed to gain entry without a ticket/with a ticket passed back through security checks/with a knowingly forged ticket takes a long hard look at themselves this morning. Very poor show considering the club's tragic past.

Very true.