The dusk of a warm summer evening steadily descended on the majestic Athens, and must have been pretty surprised that the surrounding life resolutely refused to habitually succumb to its lulling charms. The capital of Greece was not at all before him - at the Olympic Stadium, bearing the name of the legendary marathoner Spyros Luis, the Champions League gave a farewell ball. However, the Olympic principle of the primacy of participation over the victory was completely out of place here - “Milan” and “Liverpool”, two of the three most titled clubs of the Old World, were not content with little spawn. Yes, and they come together exceptionally rarely and exclusively on fateful occasions. But the connection with the marathon was traced - the match actually crowned the difficult European season, and only a couple of the most persistent reached the final. Or the trickiest.
The last abstract thoughts were dispelled after the ceremonial exit of the teams to the emerald field. Paolo Maldini again marched at the head of the Italian column, who seemed to be running around this stadium with Louis himself. The captain of “Milan” timed the healing of a knee injury to the historic match and again took pride of place in the center of defense next to Alessandro Nesta. The composition of Carlo Ancelotti has not been a secret for a long time - the only mystery, and even then not worthy of the Sphinx, was decided in favor of Inzaghi and, as it later turned out, became fateful. Super Pippo is at the forefront of the attack, waiting for help from the main strike forces - Seedorf and Kaka.
For Mascherano, this match was an entrance exam in the stars
But Rafa Benitez, a fine connoisseur of personnel solitaire, revealed the cards only at the very last moment. The Spaniard chose a 4-4-1-1 holding back defensive lineup with Steve Gerrard as a joker under single striker Dirk Keith. Something similar, in general, was read: the main task of the British was to connect opponents in the center of the field and an additional player to give confidence and numerical advantage was very useful. In order to count on success in the match with AC Milan, it is necessary to deprive Kaka and Seedorf of creative space, not allowing them to calmly communicate with the ball directly in front of the four defenders. Responsible for the complex operation, Benitez appointed Mascherano, for whom this match was a kind of entrance exam in the stars.
The entire first half, Liverpool successfully restrained opponents and looked tactically flawless in defense. And in the attack, the Merseysiders quickly felt the potential weak point of “Milan” - on the left in the defense, Marek Jankulowski was noticeably nervous and lost his position. The hyperactivity of Jermaine Pennant, superimposed on the uncertainty of the Czech, has become a source of dispersal of the boredom of a sluggish match. The first sharp moment of the game, the jet winger created for himself, breaking into the penalty area on the flank. But he did not manage to surprise Didu.
However, neither Pennant nor his partners lacked fiction, aggression, courage, and sometimes just luck to extract scoring benefits from their own find. The Italians quickly patched the protective hole and returned the match to an unprecedented course. Milan itself attacked very strenuously. Mascherano and Co. expelled Kaka and Seedorf from the game, and the rest of the Rossoneri for some reason decided to indulge in a very strange activity - to teach Inzaghi to play his head in the 34th year of his life. Nothing, of course, happened - periodic awnings were drowned either in the gloves of the Reina or in the open.
Expectantly cautious the first half rolled towards the end and seemed ready to generously leave all the most interesting for the second 45-minute. However, he was greedy. Liverpool, which looked a little better overall, suffered a momentary loss of concentration and was not forgiven. Xabi Alonso, who had not yet regained clarity of mind after a clash with Gattuso, foolishly fouled on Kaka in the intimate proximity of his own gate. Andrea Pirlo took advantage of the situation - perhaps the thinnest defensive midfielder in the world. With a free-kick, he hit the chest of Inzaghi who successfully turned up, and the ball, slowly, with dignity flew into the Liverpool goal.
Pirlo used Inzaghi to deliver the ball into the net
Once, Jorge Valdano, quoted so abundantly recently in connection with football and philosophical skirmishes with Rafa Benitez, very witty spoke about Rivaldo’s abilities. He said that the Brazilian does not assist the partners, but simply uses them to deliver the ball into the net, and one day he will do the same with a simple spectator. Pirlo brought this trick to life - the entire first half Inzaghi looked on the field as an ordinary fan.
"Milan" led and, pleased with himself, went for a break. The move passed to Benitez, whose tactical plan continued to work, but by will of circumstances lost its former relevance. The Spaniard did not rush with permutations, and the second half flowed in line with the first. In the defense of Liverpool, order reigned as before - Mascherano was playing enthusiastically. Sitting in the fall in the gloomy trenches of West Ham, he surely could not dream of seeing the blinding lights of Athens.
The British did not find Masquerano ahead of them. At the end of an hour of play, the field left Senden, pale as his own shadow. If five years ago it was said that his right leg was only for walking, now it seems that it is solely for lying on the couch. The outgoing Kewell did little to change, but almost immediately after his appearance, Liverpool almost recouped. Stevie Gee did everything himself - intercepted, beat, burst into the penalty area, and then Dida himself did everything. For such a match, this missed moment meant a lot.
The time of risk for Liverpool came about fifteen minutes before the end. Benitez, along with Mascherano, removed caution from the field and switched to playing two forwards. And then, with frightening logic, Milan scored the second goal - not directly football, but chess. Separated from Mascherano, Kaka got the ball in his favorite position, dispersed the attack and sent Inzaghi face to face with Reina. This time, Super Pippo had to work a little and give the ball an assisted acceleration on their own. The man, “born offside” and “not at all able to play football”, became the hero of the Champions League final. His game is intuition. His intuition is a game.
And then they finally found the power of association with an epic match two years ago. “Liverpool” scored - scoring current was put on the chain corner flag - Pennant - Agger - Kate. However, what to do next, the British did not have time to remember - the whistle of a non-lucky Fandel sounded for them. The repetition of Istanbul history did not work. As no one has yet been able to reproduce, for example, the denouement of the finals of Bayern - Manchester United. Such things are handmade. They are not for the conveyor or even for the copy machine.
The victory of “Milan” did not become an extravaganza, but the club deserved it. In this match, the total result of the centuries-old experience of Rossoneri was embodied in the final result. The Italians played extremely pragmatically and achieved their goal. Let them be a little lucky, but the football gods still owe much to Milan for the Istanbul final. “Liverpool” is a sin to complain. Benitez has almost nothing to reproach himself with.
“Offside” became the hero of the Champions League final
This cup has become for Carlo Ancelotti's team a kind of finish for a long-term marathon. Paolo Maldini can now, with a clear conscience, recount his own achievements for the night and guaranteed to fall asleep before reaching the end, Billy Costacurta - go to nurse his grandchildren, Clarence Seedorf - try to win the League twice in three different clubs, and Pippo Inzaghi - indulge in simulations offside, deserved it. But the Kaka marathon is just starting a new round. It’s even good that he didn’t succeed in this final - there will be an opportunity to accelerate at the next round.
The evening Athenian dusk was replaced by a full night, but even she couldn’t calm the human feelings that had escaped. Milan fans will celebrate their triumph noisily until morning, with a series of drowning in tears and guilt wounds inconsolable Merseysiders. Two years ago, everything was exactly the opposite. This game seems to be called life.
Milan Italy - Liverpool England - 2: 1 (1: 0)
Goals: 1: 0 - Inzaghi (45), 2: 0 - Inzaghi (82), 2: 1 - Kate (89).
MILAN : Dida, Oddo, Yankulovsky (Kaladze, 80), Maldini, Nesta, Ambrosini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Kaka, Seedorf (Favalli, 90 + 2), Inzaghi (Gilardino, 88).
LIVERPOOL : Reina, Finnan (Arbeloa, 87), Agger, Carragher, Zenden (Kewell, 59), Pennant, Xabi Alonso, Mascherano (Crouch, 78), Riise, Gerrard, Kate.
Warnings : Gattuso (42), Jankulowski (54), Mascherano (59), Carragher (60).
May 23rd . Greece. Athens. Spyros Louis.
Judge : H. Fandel (Germany).