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AC Milan - UEFA Champions League 2006-07 Winners
Inzaghi inspires Milan to glory
Inzaghi inspires Milan to glory
A goal in each half from Filippo Inzaghi ensured AC Milan avenged their defeat by Liverpool FC in Istanbul two years ago to claim the European Champion Clubs' Cup for a seventh time.
Faith repaid
Inzaghi had been forced to sit out the 2005 final which Liverpool won penalties after trailing 3-0 at half-time, but he made up for that here with a pair of goals that fully justified coach Carlo Ancelotti's decision to select the veteran ahead of Alberto Gilardino. The gods in Athens were smiling kindly on the 33-year-old when he deflected in Andrea Pirlo's free-kick on the stroke of half-time but there was no doubting his ability when he rounded Pepe Reina to make sure of victory with eight minutes to play.
Solid start
Mindful of the damage Milan caused in the first half in Istanbul two years ago Liverpool manager Rafael BenÃÂtez was taking no chances. The Spaniard opted for a five-man midfield with Jermaine Pennant and Boudewijn Zenden on the wings, while captain Steven Gerrard moved inside to provide support for lone striker Kuyt. The tactic had the desired effect as Liverpool held the ball well, showing no signs of the nerves that gripped them in the opening stages in Istanbul. Pennant worked the first opening on nine minutes, dispossessing Alessandro Nesta before drawing a sprawling save from Dida. Pennant's pace was causing problems but Milan also threatened and Pirlo came close to releasing Inzaghi before Pepe Reina saved well from Kaká.
Pennant threat
The Brazilian was coming into the game, bringing the Milan fans to their feet with one supreme drag-back and turn, but neither side could put their stamp on a surprisingly open contest. Xabi Alonso and John Arne Riise both missed from distance while for Milan Massimo Oddo and Marek Jankulovski were dangerous pushing forward down the wings. It was Pennant though who looked the most likely to provide a breakthrough. Running at the veteran Milan rearguard was bringing its rewards and on 35 minutes he disposed Paolo Maldini to create a shooting chance for Kuyt. The 38-year-old Maldini had become the oldest outfield player to appear in a European Cup final, his record-equalling eighth, and was being kept busy.
Inzaghi opener
A defensive lapse at the other end though cost Liverpool dearly on 45 minutes. Kaká for once was afforded too much space on the edge of the area and was brought down by Alonso. Pirlo's free-kick eluded the Liverpool wall but struck Inzaghi and deflected in. Five of Liverpool side that started the final two years ago were picked again here, against seven survivors for Milan. Having been given the rare chance to make amends for the disappointment of 2005, the Rossoneri were in no mood to let another lead slip. It was Gerrard who had sparked the recovery from 3-0 down in Istanbul and Liverpool looked to their talisman to lift them again here. On 61 minutes Gennaro Gattuso's misplaced pass was intercepted by the Liverpool captain and he breezed past Nesta into the area only to shoot weakly at Dida.
Clinical second
With Massimo Ambrosini and Gattuso shielding the Milan back four Liverpool were finding chances hard to come by and with 13 minutes to play BenÃÂtez brought on Peter Crouch for Javier Mascherano to try and open the game up. This time, though, there would be no comeback. Kaká, so often Milan's match-winner en route to the final, turned provider here, slipping the ball through Inzaghi who scored with a typically clinical strike. Kuyt sparked hope when he nodded in Crouch's flick-on from a corner in the final minute of normal time but this was to be Milan's night.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*Fixtures & Results
Inzaghi goal
Spain reached that mark last year in Paris when FC Barcelona came from behind to beat Arsenal FC 2-1 and add their second crown to the nine won by their great rivals Real Madrid CF, a collection including successes in the first five editions of club football's blue-riband event. Madrid stand alone as the most-titled team in the competition, although the Rossoneri are within two triumphs of that tally after Filippo Inzaghi's first-half strike saw off Liverpool in the Greek capital. FC Internazionale Milano and Juventus are the other Italian sides to have reigned in Europe, each on two occasions.
English contribution
Liverpool remain on five victories - their last coming so memorably against Milan in Istanbul in 2005 - as the third-best team in the tournament annals. English clubs also stay stuck on ten wins, although supporters can take pride from being the only nation to have produced four European champions with Manchester United FC (2), Nottingham Forest FC (2) and Aston Villa FC also savouring glory.
Four-time winners
Next in the honours' list are the Netherlands and Germany, their six triumphs fuelled by the successes of four-time winners AFC Ajax and FC Bayern München. Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven have also been continental kings while Hamburger SV – here in Athens in 1983 – and BV Borussia Dortmund have prevailed once apiece for the Bundesliga. Portuguese sides have been the toast of Europe on four occasions, twice each for SL Benfica and FC Porto, while Scotland, Romania, Yugoslavia and France have all provided one winner.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*News & Features*-*News specific
Paolo Maldini has joined an élite band by becoming only the second player to captain his team to two successes in the competition under its current format.
Remarkable achievement
In terms of the European Champion Clubs' Cup record books, Maldini becomes the tenth skipper to have lifted the famous trophy more than once. However, the AC Milan stalwart has accomplished something truly remarkable as just the second multiple-winning captain after Fernando Hierro - who led Real Madrid CF to continental glory in 1998 and 2002 - not to have landed the silverware in consecutive seasons.
Beckenbauer target
Maldini first guided his side to UEFA Champions League supremacy in 2003 when Milan beat Juventus on penalties. The talisman will now set his sights on equalling the feat of the great Franz Beckenbauer - the only man to skipper a team to three triumphs in Europe's premier club tournament.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*News & Features*-*News specific
Kaká has extra reason to celebrate following AC Milan's 2-1 final victory against Liverpool FC after being confirmed as top scorer in this season's UEFA Champions League.
Prolific
The Brazilian might not have netted tonight, Filippo Inzaghi scoring twice, but his ten goals in 13 games between the start of the group stage and the Athens final saw him finish comfortably ahead of Real Madrid CF's Ruud van Nistelrooy, Liverpool FC's Peter Crouch, Valencia CF's Fernando Morientes and Chelsea FC's Didier Drogba, all of whom scored six. Another Milan player, Andriy Shevchenko, was the leading marksman in last term's UEFA Champions League, registering nine goals before joining Chelsea.
Van Nistelrooy record
The 25-year-old Kaká ended the campaign just two strikes shy of Van Nistelrooy's record of 12 goals in a UEFA Champions League season, set over the course of nine matches between the start of the group stage and the quarter-finals in 2002/03. Before the final, Kaká told uefa.com: "I just hope this is finally the time I get my hands on that cup. This is more important than finishing as the competition's top scorer." Inzaghi, meanwhile, now has 58 goals in European competition to climb joint-third alongside Raúl González. Shevchenko (59) and Gerd Müller (62) remain out in front.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*News & Features*-*News specific
Faith repaid
Inzaghi had been forced to sit out the 2005 final which Liverpool won penalties after trailing 3-0 at half-time, but he made up for that here with a pair of goals that fully justified coach Carlo Ancelotti's decision to select the veteran ahead of Alberto Gilardino. The gods in Athens were smiling kindly on the 33-year-old when he deflected in Andrea Pirlo's free-kick on the stroke of half-time but there was no doubting his ability when he rounded Pepe Reina to make sure of victory with eight minutes to play.
Solid start
Mindful of the damage Milan caused in the first half in Istanbul two years ago Liverpool manager Rafael BenÃÂtez was taking no chances. The Spaniard opted for a five-man midfield with Jermaine Pennant and Boudewijn Zenden on the wings, while captain Steven Gerrard moved inside to provide support for lone striker Kuyt. The tactic had the desired effect as Liverpool held the ball well, showing no signs of the nerves that gripped them in the opening stages in Istanbul. Pennant worked the first opening on nine minutes, dispossessing Alessandro Nesta before drawing a sprawling save from Dida. Pennant's pace was causing problems but Milan also threatened and Pirlo came close to releasing Inzaghi before Pepe Reina saved well from Kaká.
Pennant threat
The Brazilian was coming into the game, bringing the Milan fans to their feet with one supreme drag-back and turn, but neither side could put their stamp on a surprisingly open contest. Xabi Alonso and John Arne Riise both missed from distance while for Milan Massimo Oddo and Marek Jankulovski were dangerous pushing forward down the wings. It was Pennant though who looked the most likely to provide a breakthrough. Running at the veteran Milan rearguard was bringing its rewards and on 35 minutes he disposed Paolo Maldini to create a shooting chance for Kuyt. The 38-year-old Maldini had become the oldest outfield player to appear in a European Cup final, his record-equalling eighth, and was being kept busy.
Inzaghi opener
A defensive lapse at the other end though cost Liverpool dearly on 45 minutes. Kaká for once was afforded too much space on the edge of the area and was brought down by Alonso. Pirlo's free-kick eluded the Liverpool wall but struck Inzaghi and deflected in. Five of Liverpool side that started the final two years ago were picked again here, against seven survivors for Milan. Having been given the rare chance to make amends for the disappointment of 2005, the Rossoneri were in no mood to let another lead slip. It was Gerrard who had sparked the recovery from 3-0 down in Istanbul and Liverpool looked to their talisman to lift them again here. On 61 minutes Gennaro Gattuso's misplaced pass was intercepted by the Liverpool captain and he breezed past Nesta into the area only to shoot weakly at Dida.
Clinical second
With Massimo Ambrosini and Gattuso shielding the Milan back four Liverpool were finding chances hard to come by and with 13 minutes to play BenÃÂtez brought on Peter Crouch for Javier Mascherano to try and open the game up. This time, though, there would be no comeback. Kaká, so often Milan's match-winner en route to the final, turned provider here, slipping the ball through Inzaghi who scored with a typically clinical strike. Kuyt sparked hope when he nodded in Crouch's flick-on from a corner in the final minute of normal time but this was to be Milan's night.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*Fixtures & Results
Serie A reiterates star quality
Italy has joined Spain as the most successful country in the history of the European Champion Clubs' Cup after AC Milan defeated Liverpool FC 2-1 in Athens tonight to move Serie A on to eleven victories in total.
Inzaghi goal
Spain reached that mark last year in Paris when FC Barcelona came from behind to beat Arsenal FC 2-1 and add their second crown to the nine won by their great rivals Real Madrid CF, a collection including successes in the first five editions of club football's blue-riband event. Madrid stand alone as the most-titled team in the competition, although the Rossoneri are within two triumphs of that tally after Filippo Inzaghi's first-half strike saw off Liverpool in the Greek capital. FC Internazionale Milano and Juventus are the other Italian sides to have reigned in Europe, each on two occasions.
English contribution
Liverpool remain on five victories - their last coming so memorably against Milan in Istanbul in 2005 - as the third-best team in the tournament annals. English clubs also stay stuck on ten wins, although supporters can take pride from being the only nation to have produced four European champions with Manchester United FC (2), Nottingham Forest FC (2) and Aston Villa FC also savouring glory.
Four-time winners
Next in the honours' list are the Netherlands and Germany, their six triumphs fuelled by the successes of four-time winners AFC Ajax and FC Bayern München. Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven have also been continental kings while Hamburger SV – here in Athens in 1983 – and BV Borussia Dortmund have prevailed once apiece for the Bundesliga. Portuguese sides have been the toast of Europe on four occasions, twice each for SL Benfica and FC Porto, while Scotland, Romania, Yugoslavia and France have all provided one winner.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*News & Features*-*News specific
Maldini rewrites record books
Paolo Maldini has joined an élite band by becoming only the second player to captain his team to two successes in the competition under its current format.
Remarkable achievement
In terms of the European Champion Clubs' Cup record books, Maldini becomes the tenth skipper to have lifted the famous trophy more than once. However, the AC Milan stalwart has accomplished something truly remarkable as just the second multiple-winning captain after Fernando Hierro - who led Real Madrid CF to continental glory in 1998 and 2002 - not to have landed the silverware in consecutive seasons.
Beckenbauer target
Maldini first guided his side to UEFA Champions League supremacy in 2003 when Milan beat Juventus on penalties. The talisman will now set his sights on equalling the feat of the great Franz Beckenbauer - the only man to skipper a team to three triumphs in Europe's premier club tournament.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*News & Features*-*News specific
Kaká tops goalscoring chart
Kaká has extra reason to celebrate following AC Milan's 2-1 final victory against Liverpool FC after being confirmed as top scorer in this season's UEFA Champions League.
Prolific
The Brazilian might not have netted tonight, Filippo Inzaghi scoring twice, but his ten goals in 13 games between the start of the group stage and the Athens final saw him finish comfortably ahead of Real Madrid CF's Ruud van Nistelrooy, Liverpool FC's Peter Crouch, Valencia CF's Fernando Morientes and Chelsea FC's Didier Drogba, all of whom scored six. Another Milan player, Andriy Shevchenko, was the leading marksman in last term's UEFA Champions League, registering nine goals before joining Chelsea.
Van Nistelrooy record
The 25-year-old Kaká ended the campaign just two strikes shy of Van Nistelrooy's record of 12 goals in a UEFA Champions League season, set over the course of nine matches between the start of the group stage and the quarter-finals in 2002/03. Before the final, Kaká told uefa.com: "I just hope this is finally the time I get my hands on that cup. This is more important than finishing as the competition's top scorer." Inzaghi, meanwhile, now has 58 goals in European competition to climb joint-third alongside Raúl González. Shevchenko (59) and Gerd Müller (62) remain out in front.
©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Source: uefa.com*-*UEFA Champions League*-*News & Features*-*News specific
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