Rossoneri with the Cup!

AC Milan bring the Champions League back to Italy! Yesterday's final against Liverpool in Athens was not a classic as the one in Istanbul, but the result brought a big smile to the faces of the Milan faithful - unlike last time around! Though the reds enjoyed much of the first half possession, they paid their price for not converting any as Pirlo's free kick right on half time took a wicked deflection off Inzhagi and ended in the back of the net. Then on, Milan pressed forward in search of the killer second goal, and that arrived at the 82nd minute, again from Pippo who neatly finished after a through ball from Kaka. Liverpool were running out of ideas and the introduction of Crouch brought a change and they pulled one back in the dying minutes through a Kuyt header - but it was too late to make much of a difference.

At the final whistle, the proud Rossoneri were the happy bunch and the sad red's had a dejected look on their faces as they were not able to repeat the 2005 final here in Athens. Maldini - at 38 - was the oldest player in the final, but the proud captain of a mighty Milan team which, I should say, deserved the Cup. Holding aloft the coveted Champions League trophy, with Sir Alex probably opening the bottle of wine back in England, Maldini looked majestic surrounded by his team.

Milan have done the nation proud after all the Serie A problems.!
The night belonged to them!

AC Milan: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski (Kaladze 79), Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf (Favalli 90), Kaka, Inzaghi (Gilardino 88).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Cafu, Serginho, Brocchi.

Booked: Gattuso, Jankulovski.

Goals: Inzaghi 45, 82.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan (Arbeloa 88), Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Mascherano (Crouch 78), Zenden (Kewell 59), Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Hyypia, Gonzalez, Bellamy.

Booked: Mascherano, Carragher.

Goals: Kuyt 89.