Who will win the Champions League final?

[Subedei]

All this crap about "English football is the best in the world" was really annoying me. Everyone thought that this was the year for English football in the Champions league. I mean, look at it. They had a 3 to 4 chance in the semifinals of an English team winning, but the only non English team succeeded. Hopefully that will silence them.

Well it is football...righty? As far as I see things: not an extremly good final. It was alright and Milan was very lucky they scored at that point in the game [45. minute]. I was with Liverpool, but Milan´s old men deserve the Cup. It must be football players paradise, e.g. for Nzagi & Gattuso to win the CL and the World Cup.

Anyhow: Respect out 2 all Liverpool fans & the team.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Well, I'm a sad bunny, but not downhearted. We played well - but not to our potential.

Congratulations to AC Milan and their supporters. I think you deserved it on balance. Luck was with you this time, as it was with us in 2005.

Liverpool are in crying need of a lethal striker and have been for several years - possibly since Owen left. We'll see what Rafa comes up with.

I was pleased to see Mascherano do so well. Alonso and he really wrapped Kaka up. If Xabi hadn't lost his head on the edge of the area, we might have strangled the game out of AC's grasp in the second half, they really weren't playing well.

I was a bit disappointed that the referee's personal accelerated time continuum (where substitutions that take a whole minute for the rest of us actually shorten the extra time allowed) deprived us of a minute or two of Liverpool comeback fever!

Ah well. Getting to the final and losing may be just the backbone stiffener we need for the Premiership season coming, and with a finisher, we might make it back to the final next year.

[naut]

Whoooo!!!

AC Milan !!!!

Both teams played rubbish, but Inzahgi was the BIGGEST snake.

[Lorenzo_H]

I reckon Kaka and Pirlo did alright as well. Kaka was involved in both goals in a huge way, and Pirlo made plenty of good passes and won a few balls. Oddo also impressed me.

[Dutch_guy]

Actually, Pirlo sort of disappointed me. I remember him making a huge impression last year's CL, and the one before that - including the 2005 Liv. vs AC final - but he failed to do so again this year. May of course be because of Kaka's dominance on the midfield, but I expected him to stand out more than he did yesterday.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

If I were Milan, I'd be looking for a new left-back. Jankulovski was being terrorised by Jermaine Pennant, who is really not particularly good. If Liverpool had had a winger with some end-product on that side of the field, Milan would have been stuffed.

[The Stranger]

Well, I'm a sad bunny, but not downhearted. We played well - but not to our potential.

Congratulations to AC Milan and their supporters. I think you deserved it on balance. Luck was with you this time, as it was with us in 2005.

Liverpool are in crying need of a lethal striker and have been for several years - possibly since Owen left. We'll see what Rafa comes up with.

I was pleased to see Mascherano do so well. Alonso and he really wrapped Kaka up. If Xabi hadn't lost his head on the edge of the area, we might have strangled the game out of AC's grasp in the second half, they really weren't playing well.

I was a bit disappointed that the referee's personal accelerated time continuum (where substitutions that take a whole minute for the rest of us actually shorten the extra time allowed) deprived us of a minute or two of Liverpool comeback fever!

Ah well. Getting to the final and losing may be just the backbone stiffener we need for the Premiership season coming, and with a finisher, we might make it back to the final next year.

Mascherano rocks!! Liverpool needs to buy a finisher indeed and move Kuyt to the midfield to become one of their most industrious attacking midfielders... seriously that dude is not a striker.

Too bad Seedorf wasn't as visible as he was vs Man United

[Lorenzo_H]

If I were Milan, I'd be looking for a new left-back. Jankulovski was being terrorised by Jermaine Pennant, who is really not particularly good. If Liverpool had had a winger with some end-product on that side of the field, Milan would have been stuffed.

I realised Jankulovski wasn't coping and predicted that he would come off. he did and Kakha Kaladse did a good job filling in.

[scotchedpommes]

All this crap about "English football is the best in the world" was really annoying me. Everyone thought that this was the year for English football in the Champions league.

Really can't say I saw any of that attitude here, though its presence in the
English media was to be expected. Expect it again if English teams get through
to the latter stages of the Champions League next season.

However much they might harp on about it, it really does disappoint me that an
Italian team which arguably shouldn't have been in the competition went on to
win it - also with such a lacklustre performance. Also there's the nagging
factor that they struggled for so long to get past lowly Celtic.

Mascherano was always going to be a high quality performer at Liverpool,
although I must say I'm not concerned in the slightest whether they can push
for the league next season. Hopefully some other teams can get in there and
grab their priority target signings first. I think we might see Spurs pushing for
the Champions League next season, though.

[Lorenzo_H]

AC Milan should have been in the competition.

The calciopoli scandal was only agreed between Juventus and some referees. Milan was one of the targets mentioned, therefore they were quickly banned simply for having been involved. They were innocent, it has now been proven.

[InsaneApache]

Well it helps when Milans Chairman is the Italian premier and the CEO is on the board of the Italian footy league. Not that I'm implying anything, after all they all denied wrongdoing and who am I to say that'a a lie?

[Louis VI the Fat]

AC Milan should have been in the competition.

The calciopoli scandal was only agreed between Juventus and some referees. Milan was one of the targets mentioned, therefore they were quickly banned simply for having been involved. They were innocent, it has now been proven.

They are an Italian football team. Therefore they are always guilty of something and is no punishment ever unjust.

[Lorenzo_H]

Well it helps when Milans Chairman is the Italian premier and the CEO is on the board of the Italian footy league. Not that I'm implying anything, after all they all denied wrongdoing and who am I to say that'a a lie?

There was no evidence to suggest Milan took an active part in the scandal. That is all I wanted to make clear.