Champions League LiveBlog: Liverpool v AC Milan

By: Bob | May 23rd, 2007

This is it. After months of competition the Champions League came down to one game. Liverpool and AC Milan went head-to-head in Athens. You can read the blow by blow account below and leave your thoughts about the game.

Final: Liverpool (Kuyt 89) 1-2 AC Milan (Inzaghi 45, 82)

Full time AC Milan wins their 7th Champions League final thanks to a pair of goals by Pippo Inzaghi. Liverpool had the better opportunities in the first half but a goal by Inzaghi right before the intermission and then one in the 82nd minute was enough to avenge the 2005 final. Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your comments. Another Champions League competition comes to an end. Your thoughts on the game?

92:15 Gerrard with a shot that is blocked down in the box. Desperation time for Liverpool. Both teams up and there is the final whistle!

91:22 Favalli on for Seedorf as Milan waste time and put on another defender.

91:00 Milan rolling it around trying to play keep away. Liverpool get it back and Reina fires it down the pitch where Crouch is called for a foul.

90:00 Three minutes of added time. THis is going to be exciting.

88:10 GOALLLLLL!!!! Kuyt on a header after a corner. Maldini was the last to touch it.

88:00 The Milan fans are jumping up and down ready to celebrate another Champions League final victory. Arbeloa on for Finnan. Inzaghi replaced by Gilardino. Pippo goes out to a thunderous roar. He is the hero of the night.

86:04 Milan playing a bit of keep away and then Inzaghi is offside for the 9,000,000th time of his career.

84:35 Kaka with a break against three Liverpool players and he is run off the ball. Liverpool playing desperate as Crouch fires a long shot that Dida punches over the bar. good shot.

83:23 Inzaghi is the Champions League killer. He has scored 38 goals in the competition. Now he is down on the ground after being hit in the old onion bag. Milan fans going apeshite.

81:53 GOALLLLLLL!!!!!! Inzaghi breaks free for his second goal as it just trickles past Reina. He beat the trap and hit it from a tough angle.

80:48 Kaka getting more room to operate but can’t put the nail in the coffin. Liverpool starting to push it all forward.

80:05 Kaka with a soft cross to Inzaghi who nutmegs himself in the box. He should have trapped it and fired in on goal. I would have done that if I were playing. They should hire me next year.

79:00 Jankulosvski taken off and Kaladze brought on. That move should have been made 79:00 minutes ago.

77:17 Peter Crouch on and Javier Mascherano off. The Argentine played a great defensive game against Kaka but Liverpool needs some offense.

76:15 Milan with their third corner kick in the last couple of minutes. A great way to waist time. It is once again cleared away.

75:34 Another corner for Milan as Peter Crouch getting ready to come on. Seedorf gets a shot out of it but it is knocked away by Riise.

74:09 Milan with a corner which Liverpool clears away. Pennant races to the other end and shreds through the Milan defense. Kuyt crosses it and Kewell heads it harmlessly to Dida.

73:43 Can Liverpool get the equalizer? Will we see Peter Crouch or Craig Bellamy? Why does chocolate taste even better with peanut butter?

71:47 Gerrard with a shot that goes under Kuyt’s legs and just wide of the goal. he might have beaten Dida if it was on goal.

71:06 Nesta wanted off but Ancelloti wanted none of it. 20 minutes left in the Champions League final. Suck it up, man.

70:30 Liverpool fans looking ill in the stands. I can hardly blame them. Ever drink Ouzo before a game? That stuff will kill you. Nesta down and in need of replacement.

68:00 Kewell finds Riise who hammers it wide from a long way. Looked a bit like my nine-iron. Riise knows a thing or two about golf, right?

67:29 Kuyt with a cross that finds Gerrard’s hand. Milan heading the other way and dumps it safely into the corner.

66:00 This game is shaping up to be one where Liverpool throws everything forward and Milan gets a counter goal. Or maybe not. What do I know?

64:37 Liverpool with a free kick after Kuyt is fouled by Oddo. Pennant to take it. He dumps it in the box and it is cleared away.

63:34 Gerrard should have done better with that effort. On the other end Inzaghi had a chance but couldn’t find the net. The game is starting to open up a bit.

62:28 Finnan with a cross that Dida eats up with ease. Liverpool not playing with much urgency up front until Gerrard breaks free one on one and Dida stones him. Should have put that one in.

60:44 Kewell with an immediate impact as he dives on the side. No call.

59:38 Carragher shown a yellow and Milan with a dangerous free kick that Pirlo sends over the bar. There is a message for Olivia Matthews, please call the stadium security. Thank you.

58:31 Harry Kewell on for Zenden. What is the over/under for minutes that it takes for Kewell to get hurt?

57:53 Kaka with a free run in the middle and Mascherano with a nice tackle from behind. He has been all over Kaka tonight. Now he is shown a yellow for taking down Pirlo.

56:48 Inzaghi gets free in the box as we see a shot of Platini in the crowd. He looks kind of sleepy. He better wake up in time to award the trophy.

55:22 Pennant gets back Jankulosvski and is called for the foul. Milan showing no signs of packing it in as Inzaghi called offside. He lives there.

54:00 Jankulosvski is shown a yellow for hacking down Pennant. Jankulosvski shouldn’t have been allowed on the pitch tonight.

52:32 Reina with a little walkabout that leaves many a Liverpool fan’s stomach hurting. Gets away with it and Liverpool is back on the attack. There are a lot white shirts behind the ball.

51:31 How much longer can Liverpool go with one true forward? Kuyt works hard but he needs some support. Who would you go with? Crouch? Bellamy? Kewell? Fowler?

50:00 The PA announcer should ask if anyone in the crowd has seen Kaka wandering around. He has been very, very quiet.

48:32 Crouch, Bellamy and Kewell all warming up as we start with a bunch of long balls in the half. Gerrard springs Kuyt free but he is offside.

47:12 Streaker on the pitch but we aren’t shown it. Bummer. The corner goes in and is headed wide by Agger.

46:32 Seedorf comes out with a nice chop on Zenden. There are a lot of lost people tonight in the stands in Athens and a couple on the pitch too. gerrard earns a corner in the box.

45:21 No changes from either side to start the half. The same 22 who brought us the fun in the first half will do it again.

45:01 We’re back underway from Athens where AC Milan lead by a goal thanks to a goal in the 45th minute by Pippo Inzaghi. Thanks for stopping by. Your comments are always appreciated. Will we see another Liverpool second half comeback or will this be Milan’s night to shine? Let’s enjoy it.

Halftime Pirlo hit the free kick and it deflected off the shoulder of Pippo Inzaghi who will get credit for his 37th Champions League goal. What a break for Milan at the end of a half in which Liverpool had the advantage. I’ll be back for the start of the second half. Your thoughts on the match so far?

44:22 There is a 10-year-old lost in the stadium. Kaka is fould by Alonso right outside the box straight on. Free kick to Milan is 22m from goal. Liverpool with a big wall. Pirlo, Seedorf and Oddo over the ball. Pirlo burries it. GOOOOOOALLLLLL!!!!

42:03 It will be very interesting to see what adjustments are made at half. Jankulosvski needs to be replaced. Zenden probably need to be taken out. Has Seedorf even played in the first half? Lots of room for improvement for both sides.

40:00 Gattuso gets booked for taking down Alonso. He snarls afterward. He will eat the referee’s liver and have his kidney for dessert.

39:00 Liverpool with the better of the attack to this point. Jankulosvski is playing like a donkey. He has been abused by Pennant all night. Liverpool hasn’t been able to make Milan pay for their defensive lapses.

37:27 Carrie in the comments asks how Macherano is playing. I say he is looking good. He has been closely marking Kaka, who hasn’t been able to get on track thus far. Gattuso with a boot to the face from Zenden. An accident.

35:11 More poor defense by Milan with a giveaway by Jankulosvski. Liverpool unable to take advantage of the blunder.

34:12 Xavi Alonso did his best Kaka impression with a spin on the ball. It has been determined that Alonso is the Spanish Joe Cole, who is of course Brazilian.

33:00 Speculation that Zenden will be replaced soon. Oddo with a soft shot that Reina grabs. Milan unable to get their attack going. Kaka with little room to operate.

31:29 Riise with a left footed shot that goes high and far. Not sure who the sideline reporter is for ESPN but he has my favorite accent ever.

30:11 Corner kick for Liverpool. It is headed away by Milan.

29:34 In completely unrelated news, I used to have a soccer ball that looked like the one being used tonight when I was little. It was great until my sister ran over it with here car.

29:00 Milan trying to settle it down. Oddo against Riise and it is cleared away without harm. Zenden called for a foul against Pirlo. Pirlo is so dangerous on the set pieces. His cross finds the waiting hands of Reina.

26:47 Alonso with a long shot that just goes wide. it was set up by Pennant who found Zenden with a cross before rolling to Alonso who struck it just wide. Harry Kewell sighting on the bench! He’s still alive?

25:05 Replay of the Kaka move and it is brilliant. He is a joy to watch. Liverpool with the slight edge a quarter of an hour into things.

24:34 Kaka with an excellent spin move at midfiled and then Mascherano runs him off the ball. It is fun watching the Argentine and Brazilian battle.

22:08 A shot of Dudek on the bench. Poor guy was once a hero. Liverpool with the attack from Pennant and Gerrard sends one over the bar. Pennant is killing Milan on the right.

21:31 Agger takes down Kaka at midfield and the referee gives him a timeout lecture. Tells him to finish his food and clean up his room. No yellow though.

20:00 ESPN actually has a sideline announcer for this game. The announcers are also in the stadium which they usually are not. Neither team playing especially well as we hit the 20 minute mark.

18:34 Gerrard taken down outside the box and Liverpool gets a free kick. Zenden with a poor kick and it is cleared away.

17:46 The referee comes in to shut up Alonso and Abrosini. Jankuloski with great speed tries to find Pippo in the box but Reina takes it away.

16:21 Is Kaka even playing? He has barely touched the ball thus far. Liverpool tight on the mark. Just as I type that he takes a long shot from straight on and Reina saves it without a worry.

14:38 Macherano with some good work against Gattuso. Gerrard is seeing the ball much more tonight slotted in an attacking mid role. Hooray, the Indy 500 is on Monday. Now show us the damn game, ESPN.

13:04 Maldini and Kuyt battle it out and a foul is called on Kuyt for no reason at all. On the other end Pippo beats an offside trap but can’t get his foot on the ball.

11:21 I’ve watched both these teams throughout the Champions League and have been surprised how often they make defensive mistakes. Liverpool continues on the attack but can’t get another shot on goal. Pennant causing problems on the right side.

9:56 Milan with a giveaway that leads to a shot on goal by Pennant. Dida goes low to save it. Great save on a bad defensive mistake.

8:32 Cautious start with both backlines appearing organized. The whistles of the crowds speak volumes. They aren’t for Kaka’s utter hotness.

7:38 Both sides failing to realize that it is important to pass to the guys with the same color uniforms as you.

6:22 Gattuso with an extra layer of beard tonight to scare all the women and children watching. He just tackled Agger. No score as both sides having trouble stringing together passes.

5:10 Seedorf with a cross to Inzaghi in the box and Milan earn a corner kick. It is cleared away by Gerrard.

3:34 Finnan and Pennant using their speed on the right side for Liverpool. Both teams feeling each other out and working out the nerves. Interesting to think that both of these keepers are capable of winning or more importantly, losing, a match.

2:03 AC Milan rolling it around and trying to organize the attack. The Athens stadium sure does have a lot of empty space behind the goals. There must be some bad seats there considering some people paid 5,000 euros to get in.

:43 The crowd is fine form as we see Liverpool control the ball in the morning. Will Milan score an early goal like 2005, doesn’t seem like it. Gerard tries to find Pennant but just misses him.

Kickoff We are underway in the Champions League final from Athens. Liverpool and AC Milan meeting for the second time in three years. Thanks for joining me today. Your thoughts and comments are always welcome. Keep them clean, have fun and let’s enjoy a great final together.

2 minutes to go - The players are lined up in the tunnel. AC Milan in their white kits. Liverpool wearing their reds. In true Greek fashion things are running a bit behind schedule but a good time is being had by all. The players all look like they are ready to pee their pants except for Kaka who looks like he is taking a stroll in the park. The stadium is electric as the teams come out. Cameras are flashing like crazy as the teams walk around the trophy they are playing for tonight.

5 minutes to go - It is 24C in Athens, the pitch is classified as “damp” and the humidity is a comfortable 46%. They just showed people using empty kegs of beer as drums. Ahhhh the pagentry. I think it is safe to say that the buildup has been too long and it is time to get this party started. How many of you are watching this at work or called in sick today?

10 minutes to go - Your referee for tonight’s contest is Herbert Fandel, a concert pianist from Germany. He was the man in the middle last year when Sevilla handed it to Middlesbrough in the UEFA Cup final. He also gave Paul Scholes a red card during the Manchester United and Roma match in the Champions League quarterfinals this year. This is his second-to-last game before retirement. He’ll referee the Denmark-Sweden Euro 2008 qualifier on June 2. I hope this is the first and last time I mention his name today. The fourth official is Florian Meyer. The fourth official never gets any love.

15 minutes to go - I’m firmly ensconced in front of a large flat screen television. It has to be happy hour somewhere in the world so now would be as good of a time as any to get some beers in. In the build up to the final a lot has been made about Steven Gerrard’s putdown of Gennaro Gattuso in his autobiography. I have a hard time believing any of it will matter. Both these players are capable of rising to the occasion. The question I have is which side does God want to win? He likes Kaka, but you have to think he also likes his namesake, Robbie Fowler, too.

20 minutes to go - AC Milan’s Kaka enters the contest as the leading goal scorer in the 2006/2007 Champions League. He has scored 10 goals and has been nothing short of superb. Who is second in the goal scorer race? None other than Peter Crouch, who has scored six times for Liverpool. Crouch once again finds himself starting on the bench. The big guy gets no respect. Meanwhile, Pippo Inzaghi gets the start ahead of Alberto Gilardino for AC Milan. All Pippo does is score huge goals. In Champions League competition this year, Liverpool has scored 16 goals and has yielded 7 goals. Milan has scored 18 times and has given up 9 goals.

30 minutes to go This is AC Milan’s 11th appearance in a Champions League final. They are only one behind the leaders Real Madrid. Milan has won 6 times, most recently in 2003. Their captain Paolo Maldini is making his eighth final appearance. He deserves a lifetime achievement award. Crazy old man wants to do it again next year before retiring. More power to him. For Liverpool, this is their 7th Champions League final. They have won five and only lost in 1985 to Juventus. Five players from the 2005 team are starting today: Xavi Alonso, Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

Teams
AC MILAN: 1-Dida; 44-Massimo Oddo, 13-Alessandro Nesta, 3-Paolo Maldini, 18-Marek Jankulosvski; 8-Gennaro Gattuso, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 23-Massimo Ambrosini, 10-Clarence Seedorf; 22-Kaka, 9-Pippo Inzaghi.

LIVERPOOL: 25-Pepe Reina; 3-Steve Finnan, 5-Daniel Agger, 23-Jamie Carragher, 6-John-Arne Riise; 8-Steven Gerrard, 20-Javier Mascherano, 14-Xabi Alonso, 32-Boudewijn Zenden; 16-Jermaine Pennant, 18-Dirk Kuyt.

Pregame My fingers are ready, my mind is as clear as it will ever be, and I am fired up to watch another Champions League final between two of the elite clubs in the world. We all remember the 2005 final where Liverpool came back from the dead to lift the trophy. It was an epic game to watch no matter who you were supporting. I get a feeling that today’s match will lack the fireworks. For the most part the Champions League this year has seen its share of tightly played, dull games. Will that be the case today? I certainly hope not. As a neutral fan I want nothing less than a thriller. For the sake of the fans who are brawling over tickets in Athens let’s hope the blood is worth it.

I’m saying 2-1 to Milan. Your thoughts and predictions?

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