UEFA Champions League Thread

[Rappy Veteran]

Lets hope the final gets decided in normal time this time because Penaltys are to cruel imo...

[Martyn]

Oh no.. Not AC v Liverpool again :/

The game two years ago was one of the best football games of all time.

You are always guaranteed excitement with Liverpool in a final as well...3-3 v AC Milan, 3-3 v West Ham, 5-4 v Alaves etc.

[Martyn]

February 20th 2007

Rafa Benitez believes Liverpool will meet Milan in this season's UEFA Champions League final.

The Spaniard has predicted that the two sides could contest the final in Athens in a repeat of the epic showpiece in 2005.

Liverpool face holders and favourties Barcelona in the last 16 and Benitez is confident his troops can cause an upset again like they did against Milan two years ago.

"I think the final will be Liverpool v Milan and that we will win again. It's sure," Benitez told Corriere dello Sport.

Liverpool face the daunting task of Barcelona this week and Benitez has hit out at critics who have ruled out his side's chances of progressing.

"In football there is nothing impossible," added Benitez. "We are ready to astonish you once again.

"Whoever sees us as victims is wrong. We were the same also against Milan in Istanbul's final and to those who see us already beaten by Barcelona, I suggest to see how that match ends."

Ha ha Rafa was right :p

[ctebah]

like most of the times, milan won, greatest club in the world, they need this champs league to have the most crowns in european football.

[rajputwarrior]

i will never get over how rafa was in zen like position on the sideline during the penalty. he looked at his watch as if he was thinking i gotta get out of here to make dinner reservations or something. bring it on milan

[Flare]

Milan are the most beautiful team in the world. I seriously thought Seedorf was past his prime but man he's still amazing.

[Rappy Veteran]

It's gonna be a close final thats for sure :)

[Shibby]

Was a pretty poor game by Man Utd.

Really disapointed. Overall only Scholes was prehaps the best player for Utd.

It seems Utd just could pass, and the defence were lazy.

[Martyn]

like most of the times, milan won, greatest club in the world, they need this champs league to have the most crowns in european football.

Milan have won it six times...Real Madrid have won it nine times.

[ctebah]

Milan have won it six times...Real Madrid have won it nine times.

i never said anything about crowns being all from champs league. milan is now tied with madrid for the most trophys in all european competitions...

[Steven P. Administrators]

Was frustrating to watch yesterday but Milan deserved to win, they completely out-played Man U who only seemed to pick up for the first 15 or 20 mins after the half.

Ferguson subsequently launched an attack on the English Premier League because he feels he didn't have enough time to prepare (sore loser)

[leesmithg]

Was frustrating to watch yesterday but Milan deserved to win, they completely out-played Man U who only seemed to pick up for the first 15 or 20 mins after the half.

Ferguson subsequently launched an attack on the English Premier League because he feels he didn't have enough time to prepare (sore loser)

Milan played football near how it should be played.

Strong defence, good midfield and someone that can shoot straight, in this case 3 people.

Thats the Italian way I suppose.

Ferguson always whines, he should have become Scotlands manager years ago, then he can be in his element.

Moaning!

[Steven P. Administrators]

Milan played football near how it should be played.

Strong defence, good midfield and someone that can shoot straight, in this case 3 people.

Thats the Italian way I suppose.

Ferguson always whines, he should have become Scotlands manager years ago, then he can be in his element.

Moaning!

This season they have only lost 1 home game, but if we see much more of how they are playing lately that could change on Saturday when Man City go to Old Trafford.

Lets not forget my team (Portsmouth) hammered them at Fratton Park last month when they put their first choice squad out (no issues either with Euro fixtures at the time).

I also think Scholes wasnt that good yesterday, he was losing the ball quite a lot and Ronaldo seems to want to take the ball up field all by himself lately.

[MindTrickz]

i never said anything about crowns being all from champs league. milan is now tied with madrid for the most trophys in all european competitions...

12 each but Real Madrid has won more Champions League while AC Milan excelled in European Cup Winners' Cup but overall Real Madrid's trophy cabinet is more impressive. But even looking back the last 15 years, Real Madrid has won more trophies then Milan.

[ctebah]

12 each but Real Madrid has won more Champions League while AC Milan excelled in European Cup Winners' Cup but overall Real Madrid's trophy cabinet is more impressive. But even looking back the last 15 years, Real Madrid has won more trophies then Milan.

im not trying to look the last 15 years, but like you said yourself, 12 each....

[fingers.t.beaver]

It was a shame to see Manchester united clearly out played last night Madrid deserved the win but I can't help but feel for the loss of an all UK final. Time now though to throw all support behind Liverpool it would be a great boost to them to get some silver this year.

[profets]

i think different teams always go through phases as well. Real was strong from 98 to 2002 when they won 3 times in 5 years.

i think everyone remembers milan of late 80's to mid 90s. 89 to 95, 7 years, 5 CL finals, 3 times winning. milan has been pretty consistent now too. cant win every year, but they have been close

[ctebah]

It was a shame to see Manchester united clearly out played last night Madrid deserved the win but I can't help but feel for the loss of an all UK final. Time now though to throw all support behind Liverpool it would be a great boost to them to get some silver this year.

milan, not madrid.

[Martyn]

I think Milan have done well to get to the final...the crazy thing is they where not even originally in the Champions League before they appealed :p

[Steven P. Administrators]

I think Milan have done well to get to the final...the crazy thing is they where not even originally in the Champions League before they appealed :p

On what basis did they appeal? I'd really like to know :)

[Martyn]

On what basis did they appeal? I'd really like to know :)

I cant find many details on the appeal...but I found this on BBC.

AC Milan have been given the go-ahead to take part in this season's Champions League despite being found guilty in the probe into match-fixing in Serie A.

Milan were initially banned from the competition, but were re-instated on appeal and Uefa's emergency panel ratified that decision on Wednesday.

Uefa said it "had no choice but to admit" Milan, who will play Crvena Zvezda for a place in the group stage.

The governing body was worried about a legal challenge from AC Milan.

Uefa said the Italian club took advantage of the fact that the Swiss-based body lacks legal grounds to refuse the club's admission - and said it would change its regulations as a result.

The emergency panel said it was "deeply concerned that AC Milan has created the impression of being involved in the improper influencing of the regular course of matches in the Italian football championship."

The panel added: "The club has obviously not yet properly perceived the troubles it is in and the damage it already caused to European football."

Uefa said it would carefully monitor Milan's behaviour and added that it would "not hesitate to intervene severely" if the club attempted to improperly influence the outcome of a match.

Milan were initially deducted 15 points and thrown out of the competition by the Italian Football Association (FIGC).

But on appeal they had the deficit cut to eight points and were included in last Friday's Champions League draw.

[Crazysah]

All I can say is! 2005 here we come again!

Just what I predicted! That Milan would win! I went out at every Man Utd fan in my school! They do it to me and my friend (only 3-5 of us Arsenal fans in the whole score) when Arsenal lose so it was a good feeling today!

[leesmithg]

In Italy the law is 'guilty to proved innocent'.

The evidence against Milan was a bit of 'hearsay'.

The Italian FA did not want a long drawn out argument in the courts costing them plenty of euros.

I think this case with Milan was a drop-in-the-ocean compared to Juventus.

[Steven P. Administrators]

Thanks leesmithg. I always think there is a lot of back scratching in the top tiers of European Football.

[Mike]

This season they have only lost 1 home game, but if we see much more of how they are playing lately that could change on Saturday when Man City go to Old Trafford.

Lets not forget my team (Portsmouth) hammered them at Fratton Park last month when they put their first choice squad out (no issues either with Euro fixtures at the time).

I also think Scholes wasnt that good yesterday, he was losing the ball quite a lot and Ronaldo seems to want to take the ball up field all by himself lately.

3 points and 3 disagreements/inaccuracies.

first things first, Man City will not beat us at OT as we won't be playing there :p

secondly, we played portsmouth after playing roma on the wednesday (portsmouth on the saturday)

thirdly, ronaldo was the only player doing anything going forward last night, if he can run round players why not do it?

the whole thing with fergi complaining about the premier league to me has justification, last year where were arsenal in the league? where were liverpool 2 years ago? where are liverpool now? in the current state i doubt anyone from england will win the prem leagure & champions league in the same year