UCL SF 2nd leg : Milan-Manchester Utd.

Originally Posted by Nadir

From ACMILAN.COM:

"MILAN – The team that were finished in Istanbul, the same team that were just too old to be competitive, the one that critics were saying needed a total overhaul. Do you know which team we are talking about? It is the team that has done something great yet again to prove that the critics were wrong all along. That is our team, this is the team that lifted Milan 3-0 Manchester United to the podium of greatness, to stand beside the likes of Milan 5-0 Real Madrid from 1989 and Milan 4-0 Barcelona in 1994. A victory like this isn’t just down to coincidence or luck, Milan’s world class performance was up to a season filled with character building difficulties. On a beautiful day like today we can look back on recent months with a smile and the clarity of 20/20 hindsight vision. We can look back on Milan 0-2 Palermo, Milan 3-4 Inter, Atalanta 2-0 Milan, Milan 1-2 Roma. We can look back on the cold months of October and November. On the Four losses in twenty days. It has been a difficult journey and it was filled with criticisms and hurdles as anyone could see or hear. It seems almost funny now to review it all and see how very wrong the critics were when they predicted that Milan were done. The old adage, don’t fix it if it isn’t broken seems to apply well here. This side was never broken, it never needed to be fixed. All that was needed was a bit of time and a bit of patience for Ancelotti and company to take what seemed like a hopeless situation and turn into pure gold in a way that can only be described as putting on the usual Rossoneri shine. What a trip it has been and we were here to see it all go down as Milan took each hurdle as an opportunity to learn and grow, to get where they are today, more dynamic and even stronger than before. The critics have been left speechless. The experience and history of this side proves that the Rossoneri aren’t just a passing fad, this is a club that has refined its recipe for success down to the last detail.

How ironic it is. The ages of the players. The long contracts. The necessity to change after so many years. The truth is that life and football are full of ups and downs. Those that survive in this game are the ones that know how to handle and learn from the difficulties they face. No one can predict what will happen in Athens, but the Milan that have earned 36 points in the second half of the season and a hard-fought European qualification against the likes of Celtic, Bayern Munich and Manchester United can be proud of what they have done this season and we can be proud too because we never stopped believing in the dream. What a journey it has been, from the point penalty and the resulting Champions League preliminary round up until today. This is the kind of ride of a lifetime that only a side like Milan can deliver as they take their fans along to experience the joy that is can only be called Milan. "

This writing makes me feel guilty, and to think of it,we were able to open threads like this one. http://www.milanmania.com/forums/sho...hange+strategy

My point is that we should have more faith in the team and the management(not excluding myself). As a matter of fact they`ve given us a lot,probably the best moments of our lives. And if in the future they ask for little patience or faith we are obliged to give them.

Originally Posted by Tony29.

It will be very hard, i won't give you false hope, but you have my word i'll use all my powers to get an extra ticket for you !

My friends are from Solun, and they also had to pull their connections to get 4 tickets...

I'll try mate !

Thanx mate...I really appreciate you`re effort .

"Oh yeh and excellent performance by Rino. Ronaldo was made his bitc* like how Big Bubba makes his prison cell mate his bitc*."

A comment from a Man UTD fan

First half of Milan was extrordinary !! One of the best plays i've ever seen in my life. We pushed ManU 45mins to their own goal. 2nd half we controlled the game, which is normal when u lead 2-0. And it's normal that you can't keep the pace that Milan was playing in 1st half.
I had criticism on Ancelotti for playing with one striker and Kaka behind one striker, but last CL-games Kaka is really playing as 2nd striker with Seedorf as trequartista. And that's a very good move imo.
Now we play again against L'pool. If we look at our team we must always win that one ... But idem dito 2 years ago ... I hope we'll get our revenge on the reds. I don't believe that they reached the final again with that football ...

After all the complications of the past month im glad its all over, the best team won on the night and much as i would've loved to see Utd with a few decent defenders im not sure it wouldve made much of a difference anyway, there is only so much Rio can do

I do worry about the final though, as i said before the games Utd were tactically a good team for Milan to play, just as Roma had been a good team for Utd to play. With that in mind Liverpool are not a good team for Milan to play, where Utd take risks Liverpool do not. The gaps that Kaka was allowed to drift into will be filled by any number of defensive midfielders (Sissoko, Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard-o ) and the full backs who happily moved into space left by Giggs and Ronaldo will find Liverpool dont really play wingers, they are more like advanced defenders!

They will happily sit back in the knowledge that if they can stifle Milan and keep it tight they only need to get 1 cross right, becayse if they get 1 cross right then Crouch is unstoppable. He isnt actually that good in the air, but at 6'7'' you dont need to be, and if he doesnt score direct there will be Gerrard prowling for the knockdowns.

I really couldnt bear to see Liverpool win it again, in fact i'd say i have more at stake now than the average Milan fan Liverpool simply must be stopped, but its not going to be easy.....

Milan were just fantastic yesterday!! Now it's time for Liverpool-revenge.

forza Milan!!

Originally Posted by Stezagud

I really couldnt bear to see Liverpool win it again, in fact i'd say i have more at stake now than the average Milan fan Liverpool simply must be stopped, but its not going to be easy.....

Personally, with Shevchenko and Crespo we went into the final 2years back as favourites, and unfortunately lost. However, now we are going as under dogs a bit like Athens in 93/94, this way hopefelly there wont be too much pressure on us.

I'm just sobering up... The match blew me away, I could never imagine a performance like this, it reminded me of my good old Milan of the early nineties...

can someone tell me please how many meters did gattuso run yesterday? zlat, tony?

Not sure Milan will be going there as underdogs though, Milan are quite clear favourites with most bookies now.

Originally Posted by El Fre

can someone tell me please how many meters did gattuso run yesterday? zlat, tony?

almost 11 000 meters = 11 km

Originally Posted by Stezagud

Not sure Milan will be going there as underdogs though, Milan are quite clear favourites with most bookies now.

I dont think so, I think they are betting against us just tlike they did when we played the Mancs.

thats 7 miles!!!!

Originally Posted by Stezagud

I do worry about the final though, as i said before the games Utd were tactically a good team for Milan to play, just as Roma had been a good team for Utd to play. With that in mind Liverpool are not a good team for Milan to play, where Utd take risks Liverpool do not. The gaps that Kaka was allowed to drift into will be filled by any number of defensive midfielders (Sissoko, Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard-o ) and the full backs who happily moved into space left by Giggs and Ronaldo will find Liverpool dont really play wingers, they are more like advanced defenders!

I am not worried about Milan scoring goals. We craved them inside out and dominated them in 2005. This team is now even more determined to prove a point especially with Kaka, Seedorf and Gatusso looking like they are out of this world. I have no doubt we can easily pop in a few goals.

The problem is with our defense, that robot is very tall and Dida can be very clumsy with high balls. That will be the only concern i have about the team now.

We need to play with the same spirit as against Man U and all will be fine.

From theGuardian, (Click here for the entire piece) from Sir Alex:

"Ronaldo's had a disappointing night and he knows that. But they're young. They'll have seen the professionalism and experience of Milan, which is a good indication of where they've got to get to. But it doesn't just apply to them. It applies to all the players."

I wonder if he means Milan when he says "where they've got to get to"?

Well, thank you Sir Alex, but we will only take Ronaldo, the rest arent good enough, or are too old!