Joseph Ruffus Kaos, Jr.
Email : joekaosjr@gmail.com
WARNING: The following article contains a massive amount of football, football and football most particularly Liverpool FC. Non-football fans may still continue reading and risk suffering from a contagious disease known as footballitis. Manchester United fans however are strongly advised to avoid this altogether.
Despair it may seem for the legions of Liverpool fans across the globe following their defeat in the hands of AC Milan in this year’s Champions League final but all is not lost, as the fans have plenty positives to take and bring to the future. AC Milan finally got their sweet revenge against the team that cruelly defeated them two years back in the same stage, with a 2-1 victory at Athens. They say second chances don’t come easily and sure enough the Rossineris as they are affectionately addressed as, took the opportunity and then brought the trophy back to Italian soil.
But many viewers would agree that the manner in which AC Milan had performed throughout the tournament that started in July last year, they truly deserved to win the final match. Just like two years back, they started the match as favorites. On paper, compared to the Liverpool team, they also looked the stronger team, what with world class players such as the Brazilian wizard kaka’ and their two strong center backs, Alessandra Nesta and Poalo Maldini.
This time around, however, nobody wrote off Liverpool's chances of winning as they had proven in 2005 that even with a weaker side you could still win if you approached it in the right way. Manager-cum tactical genius Rafael Benitez saw to that and on that historical day in 2005, the manager inspired his team of rookies to come from 3-0 down in the first half and level it at 3-3 in the second half. They eventually defeated AC Milan on penalties. Till this day, that event was known as “the miracle of Istanbul.”
This time around both teams had scores to settle in this match. Liverpool FC had just finished 3rd in the English Premier League in which the champions were their bitter rivals Manchester United. Manchester United however crashed to AC Milan in the semifinals. So Liverpool was looking to prove to the world that in England, they were the untouchables when it came to winning the European cup. Winning this final would make it six trophies overall, the highest ever by an English team. The only teams to have won more than Liverpool were Real Madrid from Spain and the Italians AC Milan, who have won nine and six trophies respectively.
AC Milan, on the other hand, mainly had revenge on their mind. As midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said, “The heartbreak at Istanbul will forever remain in our minds”. Here he got his chance to erase that memory by winning it. Two years back, they thought they had won when they led 3-0 in the first half. They were actually celebrating in their locker room at half time as it is almost impossible to lose when you are 3-0 up. Their over confidence punished them and this time they will not want to allow it to happen again. Only a victory will do.
Both teams got themselves heavily prepared before the match. The managers had to take a thorough inspection of their squad to find out which players made the starting eleven. Rafeal Benitez, the Liverpool manager had started out that their team has to contain danger men Kaka’ and Clarence Seedorp . Which was why he fielded Argentian Javier Mascherano to mark Kaka’. Javier Mascherano may be small in size but he was well known for his hard but clean takers on players twice his size. He seemed the ideal person to keep Kaka’ quiet.
AC Milan’s boss Carla Ancelotti definitely put his hopes on his golden boy Kaka’, who scored 10 goals so far throughout the tournament. His headache, however was who to play the lone striker's role. He had two strikers at his disposal. He could play Alberto Gilardino, a young and quick striker who was very dangerous. Gilardino however hasn't been in the the best of form recently. The other choice was Filippo Inzaghi, the veteran goal scoring machine who knew how to poach goals out of nothing. The concern for him however was at his age he might not be as quick as he used to be and might not be able to cope with the high energy of the match.
The match attracted not only the 80,000 supporters at the Athens Olympic Stadium, but millions of football fans around the world who watched it live the television. The match started at a fast pace and the noise around the pitch was deafening. The players were playing one of the most important matchs of their lives and everyone played their heart out. Liverpool had quite a number of chances into he first half and Jermaine Pennant nearly had the Reds in the lead if not for Milan goalkeeper Dida who saved his weak shot. The experienced defence of AC Milan kept out the Liverpool attack, led by Dutchman Dirk Kuyt and close to the half time whistle both teams were still goal less. At the 45th minute, Xabi Alanso made a dreadful mistake by fouling “kaka” just outside the penalty box. It was just the right distance for AC Milan’s free kick expert Andrea Pirlo to curl it into the net. Liverpool prepared for the free kick while fans watched with great anticipation.
Goal! 1-0! The Milan fans were on their feet and jumping in jubilation about the goal as Audrea Pirlo’s kick found it’s way to the net past Liverpool custodian Jose Reina. The world thought Pirlo was the scariest but television replays showed that it was Fillip Inzaghi who flicked the ball off his chest and deflected the ball into the net. The deflection sent Jose Reina the wrong way. Poor Liverpool appealed for a handball but it wasn't accepted by the referee and the goal stood. Inzaght repaid his manager’s faith in him by giving the team a precious 1-0 to lead.
Half time was over and the players returned from the break with both their manager’s team talk still ringing in their minds. Liverpool had to find a way to equalize to still be in the running to win the Champion’s League title.
The intensity of the first half was slightly less but both teams still battled their wits out. The Liverpool defence did a good job of not letting Kaka’ terrorize and Clarence Seedorf was pretty invisible throughout the match. Liverpool got themselves a golden opportunity to bring the game level and was one and only on-one with the goalkeeper had to continue pushing and pushing.
Rafeal Benitez made a substitution by replacing the ineffective Bolo Zenden with Harry Kewell in the hope of getting the goal they desperately needed. But as fate decided, it was not to be Liverpool’s night when a through pass by Kaka’ found Inzaghi who coolly slotted it into the net. It was about 10 minutes from time and Inzahi had just about single handedly crushed Liverpool. Revenge was complete.
But just as it was in Istanbul two years back, Liverpool prayed for the same miracle to happen again. In the final minutes Dirk Kuyt scored a close range header to make it 2-1 but it was definitely too late for a last-minute miracle as the referee’s whistle confirms that AC Milan had won their seventh European Cup in Athens.
Heartbreak in Athens it was for Liverpool FC but it was definitely not the end. Liverpool had looked a much stronger team that two years back and will only grow stronger next season. Their new American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks has already promised a strong financial backing to sign world class players. Liverpool would be looking to challenge Manchester United for the English Premier League and fight for another Champion’s League final next season. From the looks of it, the defeat had only turned Liverpool into a stronger and more determined outfit.
(1,360 words)
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