White or Red May 6, 2007
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This year UEFA Champions League final will be in red and white in Athena.
AC Milan have chosen to wear all-white. Milan’s preference for their white shirts stems from lifting five of their six European Champion Clubs’ Cups in those colours. Their ‘maglia fortunata’ – lucky jerseys – were on show when they won finals against SL Benfica (1963 and 1990), FC Steaua Bucuresti (1989), FC Barcelona (1994) and Juventus (2003). However, the all-white outfit has not been entirely auspicious. The San Siro giants made the same selection for Istanbul and ended up losing on penalties to Liverpool; they also went down to AFC Ajax in similar fashion in the 1995 showpiece. Two years before, Olympique de Marseille had overcome a Milan team in red and black.
Liverpool will wear their red home kit.
That means the teams will be wearing the same colours as when they met in the 2005 final in Istanbul, when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties.
AC Milan have chosen to wear all-white. Milan’s preference for their white shirts stems from lifting five of their six European Champion Clubs’ Cups in those colours. Their ‘maglia fortunata’ – lucky jerseys – were on show when they won finals against SL Benfica (1963 and 1990), FC Steaua Bucuresti (1989), FC Barcelona (1994) and Juventus (2003). However, the all-white outfit has not been entirely auspicious. The San Siro giants made the same selection for Istanbul and ended up losing on penalties to Liverpool; they also went down to AFC Ajax in similar fashion in the 1995 showpiece. Two years before, Olympique de Marseille had overcome a Milan team in red and black.
Liverpool will wear their red home kit.
That means the teams will be wearing the same colours as when they met in the 2005 final in Istanbul, when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties.
Man Utd vs Milan overview May 3, 2007
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United saw their Champions League hopes brutally crushed in the San Siro after 3-0. Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Manchester United “cut their own throats” with their poor first-half performance against AC Milan.
It is disappointing to come so close. We had done so well to get here. Milan were fresher and better prepared physically but we had to cope better with that situation. We had to get through the first 25 minutes of the game without cutting our own throats. But we gave away two sloppy goals. We should not be losing goals like that.
Cristiano had a disappointing night. He knows that but he is a young man and on nights like these he sees the professionalism and experience of AC Milan. It is good to see where he has to go.
Man Utd vs Milan preview May 2, 2007
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Sir Alex Ferguson woke from a good night’s sleep in Milan convinced Manchester United have all the attributes required to reach the Champions League final. Ferguson, whose own impressive statistic is that he has never lost a European game as United boss after winning the first leg, has total belief in his players’ ability to rise to the occasion.
There is always an anxiety about big occasions. You hope everything works out the way you want it to. But I sleep okay, knowing I have a team that is confident, that will run to the last minute – and have a go.
I don’t think sitting on the edge of our box would do me, the team or the fans any good. If we are going to do it, we will do it our way. If we are going to lose we will do it our way. Hopefully, it will be good enough.
Ferguson will make a late decision over the fitness of central defensive duo Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.
Liverpool vs Chelsea overview May 2, 2007
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Liverpool is the first team from Athens Champions League final. Liverpool won with 4-1 after penalties (after 90 minutes Liverpool scored once witch cancelled Chelsea’s advantage from the first leg).
Mourinho’s disappointment was understandable, as he had to swallow a second semi-final defeat in front of an Anfield gallery.
It is a moment when everybody has to be strong. My players have a lot of reasons to be proud. We were the best team today, even against a team only playing for the Champions League. In extra-time we were the only team who tried to win, but football is like that and the penalty shoot-out is part of the game. My players did a great run in the Champions League. I respected Liverpool always in my words. I don’t need to say more and today I think the best team was Chelsea.
Chelsea vs Liverpool preview April 25, 2007
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Chelsea FC manager José Mourinho insists the dice are heavily loaded in favour of Liverpool FC in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg:
It won’t be a fair fight because the conditions are different. When Liverpool were in Portugal preparing for their game with Barcelona we played three matches including the League Cup final. Steven Gerrard did not play in Liverpool’s last game. Do you think Gerrard and Frank Lampard have the same conditions to compete?
We do think we can win but if they only play in one competition for half a season then they arrive at this crucial moment in a great situation. They had an easy group whereas Chelsea had a group containing Werder Bremen and Barcelona and then two games with Porto and two with Valencia.
Rafael Benitez:
I don’t like to play this game of saying ‘You have fresh legs or you have been playing less important games’. We are confident because we are playing well and scoring goals but we know we are facing a very good team. Chelsea always spend big money on good players. They are in finals because they have good players and a good team.
Man U vs Milan report April 25, 2007
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In this game preview post I said that Christiano Ronaldo will be the player of the game. But, the player of the game was (after 91 minutes) Wayne Rooney.
After the game sir Alex Ferguson was delighted:
After the game sir Alex Ferguson was delighted:
We persevered and kept playing football, some of it was fantastic and we dominated the second-half. The equaliser gave us an incentive to go on and win it. The result has give us a magnificent chance now of progressing. With our chance of the title this is the biggest boost we could have got.
AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani:
All great teams have one or two players that make the difference and Kaka does it for us. The injuries to Gattuso and Maldini hurt us. They are two extraordinary players. Gattuso was superb in the first half, and we suffered a lot when he went off.
Man U ready for Milan April 24, 2007
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Two days ago Christiano Ronaldo was crowned Player of the year in Englang. Tonight he might be crowned Player of the game.
Manchester United have been hit by an injury crisis for this game: Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre and Craig Cathcart and Patrice Evra is doubtful.
Sir Alex Ferguson:
Manchester United have been hit by an injury crisis for this game: Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre and Craig Cathcart and Patrice Evra is doubtful.
Sir Alex Ferguson:
I sometimes look at our team and wish we had more experience in certain situations, but on the other hand the future lies with younger players. Maldini leaves a legacy; young players like Rooney and Ronaldo give you a future, so it’s difficult to say which is best at this moment in time.
On the other side, Ancelotti said:
There are going to be some big players missing but the important thing is not to focus on that and to focus on imposing our game as we managed a couple of years ago.
Tough test for Liverpool April 22, 2007
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Rafael Benitez knows Liverpool face a tough test against Chelsea in the semi-final on Wednesday:
It will be really difficult because Chelsea are a very good team. But we know that if we play to our level then we can beat them. It may be an advantage to play the first leg at Stamford Bridge – but Chelsea are a good team playing away.
£30 milions for Champions League Cup April 19, 2007
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Sports marketing experts believe that the value of being crowned kings of Europe will be more than £30million.
Dominic Curran, director at sports marketing consultants Karen Earl Sponsorship, said:
Dominic Curran, director at sports marketing consultants Karen Earl Sponsorship, said:
From a commercial point of view, the Champions League is the one to win simply because of the global profile. If Manchester United or Chelsea have the Champions League in the bag when the time comes to renegotiate with their sponsors then they are in a very strong position. The Premier League is huge across the world, but Chelsea have won it for the last couple of years while the Champions League is a rarity. After Liverpool won it a couple of years ago the rise in their value in terms of sponsorship was quite incredible.
Dida uncertain April 17, 2007
Posted by pbmice in Manchester United, Milan.2 comments
The Brazilian suffered a shoulder injury against Messina on Sunday and there is a question mark for the first leg against Manchester United.
The club doctor Jean Pierre Meersseman for Gazzetta dello Sport:
The club doctor Jean Pierre Meersseman for Gazzetta dello Sport:
We are worried. We would like to understand the problem but we can’t because of the condition of the shoulder. We hope it is not serious but we must wait. On Thursday he’ll have further scans and then we’ll see. The aim is Manchester but that is doubtful.
