:::::::~~~ European Cup Final 2007 ~~~:::::::
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VS
European Cup Final
Or some new generation fans might called it - UCL Final .
23rd May 2007, 2:45am Sg Time
Venue : Olympic Stadium, Athens
Live Telecast on CH-23
Watch out for the ESPN Match Preview , one hr presentation i think . -
Don't play play , Rafa has his two eyes on the Cup already ..... -
This what i hope to see again at Athens !! -
And this for many years to come ! -
Milan Coach Carlo Ancelotti does not know whether Alberto Gilardino or Pippo Inzaghi will play the Champions League Final against Liverpool.
doesn't matter which striker they use , not a serious threat to our defense .
The Rossoneri travel to Athens next week for the decider with Liverpool and the tactician has yet to make the final decisions on his team selection.
“I will see their condition, our game plan doesn’t really change with one or the other,” said Ancelotti to the Press on Friday.
“It’s the most difficult choice to make. They have both done great things to deserve the Final. Inzaghi was very important in the preliminary round and quarter-final while Gilardino was decisive in the semi-final.
“There’s more pressure in the Champions League and Gilardino doesn’t have the experience yet to control that pressure. Having said that, I cannot rule out a shared role.
“In any case, I hope the players understand my final choice. I haven’t decided yet, I will do that before Wednesday evening.”
In the meantime, Milan prepare their Serie A match with Udinese, which will be Alessandro CostacurtaÂ’s swansong.
“Costacurta will play tomorrow, the day is dedicated to him, he deserves it,” said Ancelotti, his former teammate.
“He is a great champion and a great professional. He is closing his playing career but his experience will be useful for all of us, as he becomes a member of the technical staff.
“I have to thank him and Paolo Maldini for representing the consistency of the Milan philosophy, which is key to the club’s results.”
Costacurta will wear a special jersey initialled with the letter M for Milan and the shirt will go up for auction, with all proceeds going to charity.
Ancelotti also commented on Liverpool, after the controversy following his suggestion that Liverpool were the poorest of the four semi-finalists.
“I think Liverpool are the most difficult side to play against. When it comes to quality Manchester United and Chelsea are better. If the tabloid misinterpreted these words I can only confirm that the English are bottom of the media
Dangerous man still is Kaka .
Seedorf will be under our tight control . -
From Skysports : Zenden injury leaves Kewell in line for Athens
Not fancy Kewell to feature for the whole match , like to see him in latter part of the game , when the aging men from Milan gets tired off .
The door has been opened for Harry Kewell to make a remarkable comeback in the Champions League final due to an unlucky training ground injury to Bolo Zenden.
The Dutch midfielder is on crutches after sustaining the injury at Liverpool's La Manga training camp in Spain, ahead of next Wednesday's Champions League final against AC Milan in Athens.
Zenden - out of contract this summer - played in both legs of the semi-final against Chelsea, and was ahead of Kewell in the race for the left-wing spot.
Kewell has only just returned to action after a year out recovering from groin operations and boss Rafael Benitez - although happy with the Australian's progress - was sceptical that he would have enough match fitness under his belt to play the whole 90 minutes of the final.
But with Zenden's injury, the Spanish coach may have to seriously consider Kewell, or move full-back John Arne Riise into a midfield role with Alvaro Arbeloa coming in at left-back.
Chile winger Mark Gonzalez, talking this week about the prospect of leaving the club in the summer after a disappointing season, could also find himself in contention for the left-wing role.
Liverpool fly back from Spain tomorrow afternoon, and Benitez will give Zenden every chance to prove his fitness.
Benitez says: 'Bolo has injured his ankle. He's been treated by the doctor and the good news is the swelling is not that bad. We will need to see how it is after more checks.
'It will be difficult to say he will be fit for the final now, but I won't say no yet. He is strong and determined and it may recover quickly. I still hope he will be okay.
'It will be a big disappointment for him and for us if it's not possible. Bolo can bring character, experience and tactical knowledge to the team.
'He is one of the good options for the left side, but now we must see how he recovers and decide what to do.'
Benitez has confirmed that goalkeeper Jose Reina is, as expected, fit for the final.
Reina picked up a shoulder injury at Fulham, and was left out of the final home league game against Charlton as a precaution.
But the Spanish star has trained normally all week in La Manga to dispel any fears that he would struggle to face Milan. Benitez also has number two 'keeper Jerzy Dudek back from a groin injury.
Benitez must also decide whether Pennant plays on the right, but he has no intention of giving any indication on that position because it would instantly confirm that Steven Gerrard will play in his favoured central midfield role.
Benitez only has Luis Garcia and Fabio Aurelio on the long-term injured list, although Mohamed Sissoko's chances of playing have been handicapped by injury. -
Originally posted by Poolman:
Don't play play , Rafa has his two eyes on the Cup already .....
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PAOLO MALDINI has pinpointed Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard as the main threat to AC Milan lifting a seventh European Cup in Athens.
And the veteran defender is confident he will be able to play in a record-breaking eighth Champions League final next Wednesday.
A niggling knee injury has cast a shadow over the 38-year-oldÂ’s participation in the showdown with Liverpool, a re-run of the 2005 final.
But a specialised training programme means the left-back – who scored Milan’s opener two years ago – should be fit to lead his team out in search of a fifth European Cup winners’ medal having won the trophy with Milan in 1989, 1990, 1994 and 2003.
And he believes the primary danger will come from Liverpool skipper Gerrard and Crouch, who is second only to MilanÂ’s Kaka in the goalscoring charts for this seasonÂ’s competition.
“It is the biggest game of the season,” he said. “To play a final fills you with pride and to do so as the captain for a third time really makes me proud.
“The fact we are playing Liverpool again could be seen as our vendetta, but we have nothing personal against them.
“I think we have got to not think about the opponent too much but concentrate on what Milan know how to do and then accept the result at the end of it.”
Maldini added: “I think we have to watch out for (Steven) Gerrard and (Peter) Crouch.
“Gerrard because of the way he gets into good positions and Crouch because of his height, but then danger could come from anybody.
“I would say we are two teams with winning traditions.”
Of his own fitness, Maldini said: “I am feeling well. I am preparing myself well physically and I think in that department, Milan lead the way.” -
Milan warm up for Champions League final with defeat
MILAN, May 19 (Reuters) - A second string AC Milan side lost 3-2 at home to Udinese on Saturday when the whole first team took a rest ahead of Wednesday's Champions League final with Liverpool.
Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta, 41, converted a penalty in his final game for the club before he retires and becomes an assistant coach at the San Siro.
Carlo Ancelotti was able to rotate his squad because Milan have already wrapped up a Champions League qualifying spot through the league and Udinese are comfortably in mid-table.
He did not field a single player who is expected to be in the starting line-up in Athens on Wednesday.
Asamoah Gyan gave Udinese the lead before French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff tapped in for Milan on 36 minutes after a goalmouth scramble.
Udinese's Antonio Di Natale and Barreto then netted either side of Costacurta's penalty in the second half. -
CHANNEL 5 NOT SHOWING!!!
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Sayang, sayang.Originally posted by club18:CHANNEL 5 NOT SHOWING!!! -
Originally posted by club18:CHANNEL 5 NOT SHOWING!!!
WHY?!?!?!?!?!!
Wah lao ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh -
Guys , no worries ....
Many pubs in town will be showing this match Live ....
It's far bigger than any match on earth .... they will not forgo this game the business can generate .....
It's a one year one time event .... nevermind spent a bit of $$$ for the atmosphere .
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Bad new !!!
German referee for Champions League final
Germany's Herbert Fandel will referee the Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan in Athens on Wednesday, European football's governing body UEFA said Monday.
Fandel, an experienced referee at international level since 1998, will be assisted by Carsten Kadach and Volker Wezel, UEFA said in a statement.
The 43 year-old has proved to be something of a bogeyman for Liverpool and a lucky charm for Milan in the past.
Fandel has officiated matches involving AC Milan five times since 2002, all of them victories for the Italian side in which they only conceded one goal.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have never scored in three appearances with Fandel, including their 0-1 Champions League defeat at home to Barcelona in March, another defeat and a draw.
Fandel's track record also includes an Under-21 game between Italy and England in 2000, when AC Milan's current star midfielders Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo were on the winning side (2-0) against Liverpool's Jamie Carragher.
This guy la .... 
Most Germans hates English ! -
so guys, is it a wed morning or thurs morning???
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C'mon milan!
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thurs morningOriginally posted by miaomiao11:so guys, is it a wed morning or thurs morning??? -
KNNCCB! wat happen this year?Originally posted by club18:CHANNEL 5 NOT SHOWING!!!
anyway, i will be watching in my hostel. -
Sh|tOriginally posted by Poolman:Bad new !!! This guy la ....
Most Germans hates English !
Milan win by penalty? -
OMFG, NOT THAT STUPID REFEREE
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Exclusively rights of starhub cable la .... TCS not intent to pay for the rights .... which could cost as much as hundreds of thousand per transmission .Originally posted by 798:KNNCCB! wat happen this year?
anyway, i will be watching in my hostel. -
GO POOL!
i wanna penalties like 2 yrs ago! -
Don't lah... Let's win it in normal time.Originally posted by gigabyte14:GO POOL!
i wanna penalties like 2 yrs ago! -
the bookies tipped milan to win UCL. liverpool in trouble as milan players have acknowledged crouch n gerrard as main players n will be a threat to them. this will make the two players kena mark... if only Garcia is here...
but pele stated dat milan will win for the seven time n kaka will be the man. one thing interesting to take note is pele is well-known to predict match outcome wrongly. so the winner might be pool! -
Rafa admits doubts over duo
Liverpool have fitness doubts over midfield duo Mohamed Sissoko and Boudewijn Zenden for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League final.
Zenden suffered a sprained ankle during Liverpool's training camp in Spain last week and a similar problem has also laid low Sissoko.
Manager Rafa Benitez continues to monitor the pair and will likely make a final decision on their chances of facing Milan during Tuesday evening's training session.
Benitez told Sky Sports News: "We have another training session and we have to check Sissoko and Zenden - they have had some problems, we need to check today (Tuesday)."
Benitez also revealed that Harry Kewell is in contention to start on the left should Zenden fail to recover in time.
"Is Harry Kewell ready? Yes, I think so," added Benitez.
Benitez denied his team will set their stall out to contain Milan and have, as such, made no special provisions to combat the threat of Kaka.
"We always try to score goals and if it is necessary too we will defend. We know Kaka is a very good player but our system is to mark zonally and we will try to do the same."
