Home

Transfer News
Rumours
Done Deals
Official Speculation
Fans Rumour Mill

Other News
EPL News
Serie A News
La Liga News
Other Euro News

Results/Fixtures

Standings

Statistics

Injury Reports

Columnists

Forum

40 YEARS ON, HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

Andrei Shevchenko delivered the final blow as AC Milan emerged victorious in a penalty shoot-out of five missed spot-kicks to become the Champions League role models of efficiency at Old Trafford.

Shevchenko thought he had scored after just nine minutes of a largely uneventful final only to set the seal on the last few seconds of drama.

As a result, Paolo Maldini followed in his father Cesare's footsteps by lifting the celebrated trophy on English soil for the Milan giants.

In stark contrast, however, Juventus skipper Alessandro del Piero was left to reflect on three Champions League final defeats, as well as his country's Euro 2000 setback against France.

Then again, any side that cannot score more than two penalties out of five, let alone find the net from any further away, deserves little sympathy.

Juventus may be Serie A champions and may have some individual skill of the highest order, but it was AC Milan who did their utmost to set this final alight and deserved their victory.

After 120 minutes without a single goal, Milan keeper Dida set the tone by saving David Trezeguet's first effort in the shoot-out.

While Serginho and then Alessandro Birindelli both scored, the profligacy continued as Clarence Seedorf was denied by Gianluigi Buffon, while Dida saved again from Marcelo Zalayeta.

Two further missed efforts led to Alessandro Nesta hitting the target and while del Piero held his nerve, so too did Shevchenko to hand Milan their first European Cup since 1994.

It was certainly not a showpiece occasion of feverish excitement and chances galore but it was, above all, a blueprint for Champions League success.

Real Madrid may have been carried to glory three times in the past six seasons due to their array of attacking talent, while United have themselves adopted something of a gung-ho approach.

However, while those two teams shared seven goals between them in an intoxicating encounter at the same ground last month, the harsh reality was that neither of them reached the final.

If only they had, considering how an intriguing first-half gave way to an uninspiring second-half and a turgid period of extra-time.

While Juventus and Milan did provide glimpses of artistry, it was the calm assurance of the likes of Maldini and Nesta which truly caught the eye back at Old Trafford.

Predictions of pragmatism had been plentiful and Juventus, admittedly missing the heart of their midfield, Pavel Nedved, through suspension, often conformed to stereotype.

However, the first half was at least enlivened by Milan's adventure, with Shevchenko having the ball in the net after only nine minutes only to find that team-mates Rui Costa and Filippo Inzaghi had both been lurking in offside positions.

Juventus' response was immediate, with Trezeguet planting a diving header narrowly wide from Lilian Thuram's inviting cross.

But with Seedorf and Rui Costa leading by example, Milan were a hive of midfield activity and invention.

Inzaghi's own diving header was instinctively tipped around the post by Buffon, while Rui Costa's drive was just inches wide.

In contrast, Juventus' approach was rather laboured, relying on the bustling endeavour of Edgar Davids and the penetration of Gianluca Zambrotta to make in-roads on the Milan defence.

Indeed, it was only in the last few minutes of the first-half that Juventus, with Alessandro Birindelli on for Igor Tudor in defence, really came to life at all.

Alessandro del Piero finally emerged from the shadows with a piercing snap-shot that was tipped behind by Dida, while Maldini swooped to make a last-ditch clearance to deny Ciro Ferrara.

Juventus made another change at the break, with Antonio Conte, who had replaced Mauro Camoranesi, almost immediately forcing Dida into a diving save with a flicked header.

Conte gave added impetus to Juventus' approach work, although the second-half was a rather more sedate affair.

The substitutions continued apace, with the tiring Davids making way for Marcelo Zalayeta, while Costacurta's legs were also giving way and on came Roque Junior for Milan, followed by Serginho.

Still the defences held firm, however, as Conte and Inzaghi traded efforts off target, while Maldini's diving header was just wide.

With Massimo Ambrosini being the final substitute used, Rivaldo was judged surplus to requirements by Milan as the game inexorably drifted towards extra-time.

That nevertheless meant Roque Junior became a virtual passenger when he appeared to pull a groin muscle in the first-half of added time.

Juventus sensed blood and increasingly imposed themselves, only for Conte to blaze a shot over the crossbar, while del Piero desperately went sprawling in search of a penalty.

Rather predictably, it all ended in penalties, but for all of that late drama, the abiding message from Old Trafford was that, once again, catenaccio reigns supreme.

Or rather, it would seem that the best form of attack is, after all, defence.