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Live: Milan 1 - 0 Liverpool, Jankulovski Booked

Marek Jankulovski has been booked for Milan making him the second player to go into the books, just 9 minutes gone in the second half, things certainly having settled down since the break.

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Live: Milan 1 - 0 Liverpool (Half Time)

Luck favours Milan at the end of the first half, the Italians sneaking in a goal well against the run of play to take the lead into half time. Overall Liverpool look the better of the two sides, they’re on top of Milan closing them down at every chance and the goal comes at the wrong time for the Reds. Fair play to the bookies, they had a goal called for Milan in the five minutes before the half but Liverpool now have it all do to in the second half.

The Milan defensive line aren’t looking the greatest in fairness and pushing up front Seedorf is certainly lacking. My reckoning would be to add some firepower up front for the second half, take out Zenden and bring on either Bellamy or Harry Kewell, both of whom can throw Milan off, add a bit of pace and an explosive taste going forward.

Liverpool don’t have any missed chances to rue from the first half, they were just playing some great football but they’ve got to step it up. Liverpool strike once to get a goal back and they’ll take another one along with it.

Pennant, Alonso, Gerrard all impressing moving out to the right. I’d be worred about Riise and Gerrard pure running out of energy, they’re going fairly flat out in the first half - Gerrard in particular with his long runs - but they’re dominating the midfield and out towards the sides, fingers crossed that it builds to something productive in the second half and we get back into this winnable game.

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Live: Milan 1 - 0 Liverpool

Balls. Milan are a goal to the good, against the run of play Milan pick up the goal through a Pirlo free kick, deflected wickedly off Inzaghi’s chest (Reina looked to have it covered no problem) with the ball bending around the wall.

Such a pity, Milan were really starting to fall under pressure as well from an advancing Liverpool side and to be honest, they don’t deserve to be in front.

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Live: Milan 0 - 0 Liverpool, Gattuso Booked

First yellow card of the game arrives five minutes before half time, Gatusso not getting away with any more hardy challenges and is promptly booked by the piano playing referee.

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Live: Milan 0 - 0 Liverpool

20 minutes gone in this year’s Champions League Final and there’s no score yet between Liverpool and AC Milan. Both sides look willing to get forward, Milan managing to squeeze two or three trouble-free shots on goal while making good headway down the wings. Liverpool little in the line of attacking chances, best chance saw Jermaine Pennant free about 10 minutes ago, Gerrard timing his run to perfection to unleash a rocket in the box but Pennant couldn’t keep the ball on the ground and the chance was wasted.

No bookings yet.

Milan 0 - 0 Liverpool

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Live: Dunphy Predicting Penalties

Watching the game coverage on RTE, Eamon Dunphy predicting a dire affair, dull 90 minutes, nothing in extra time and penalties to solve it. Liam Brady predicts Milan to win “because they have Kaka”, John Giles is just John Giles.

They’re heading for the pitch anyway, Milan having won the toss to be the home team, the Champions League trophy being lowered from the roof of the stadium - some epic.

Bring it on!

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Carraghercules - Time For Liverpool To Shine

The last game day of the current season has arrived. Liverpool take on the might of AC Milan in one of the most historically important port cities in the world, Athens. Tonight is a re-match of the 2005 Champions League Final which saw Liverpool rise from a 3-0 defecit at half time to run out 90 minutes at 3-3, extra time at 3-3 and seal a victory with a powerhouse display in penalties.

Tonight might be no different.

I write with a cautious optimism about tonight. Cautious as I know what Milan are like, we all know what they’re capable of - Kaka being a serious threat to the side if he’s given even an inch of space. Early goals are a killer, concede early and it shifts the entire mentality of the game. Score early and there’s no sense in sitting on your lead - you’re after setting the benchmark for the game so now you’ve got to carry it on for the remainder of 90 minutes.

Optimistic as I know what Liverpool are capable of, we all do. The season hasn’t been the best in the league and we’re still a bit off being crowned league champions but in Europe we’re up there with the best and we hold our own. We hold our own with a force to be reckoned with and hold our own as previous champions - five times.

Rafa Benitez has made his team selection and he’s looking cautiously optimistic as well. Jermaine Pennant and Bolo Zenden start on the wings with the trio of Gerrard, Mascherano and Alonso manning the engine room in the middle. Plenty of width packed with strength and courage in the centre.

The back four is as expected - Finnan and Riise in the corners with Carragher and Agger in the centre. Pepe Reina mans the goal while Dirk Kuyt is the lone ranger up front, likely getting long ball assistance from Xabi Alonso, some pace on the wing from Pennant and a general marching up behind him in Steven Gerrard for the close releases.

Harry Kewell makes the bench along with Mark Gonzalez, both of whom I still question as to being at Anfield next season given Rafa’s recent reshuffle announcement. Alongside the pair sit Jerzy Dudek and Sami Hyypia, Dudek set to bow out in June while Arbeloa, Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch make the bench.

Overall a slightly defensive start with great possibilities of counter-attacking likely wrapped up with an appearance by both Bellamy and Crouch later on in the game (making way for Zenden and Kuyt I’d imagine).

It is time for all Liverpool players to shine. I don’t think there’ll be a lot of goal action in the game but I’ve a feeling they’ll go at each other the way Chelsea and Man United couldn’t do it at the weekend (don’t get me started on that mare of a game). The press conferences are done, the fans are already in the stadium, the players sitting waiting in the dressing room. Now isn’t the time to be nervous, though its quite fine to say that while you’re blogging. Now is the time for the squad to stand up and be counted, to add that sixth European win to the trophy cabinet, to reaffirm Liverpool as the top footballing side in Europe and to lay the foundation in a new era of football beginning at the club.

The game kicks off in half an hour, if I’ve the wit I’ll be live blogging the game while watching from the safe surrounds of the house. Best of luck to the team, may we come away with a win.

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Nerves Kicking In

Champions League Final tonight - anyone else feeling nervous?

Milan are a strong side, certainly stronger in parts than Liverpool, likewise Liverpool stronger than Milan in other areas but with two teams of such high class this one has to go right down to the wire. I don’t know if it can be done within 90 minutes either but would history be that much of a bitch and have Milan win on penalties?

Then, if Milan go up by a goal or two, they’ll fear the comeback. They’ll know Liverpool are out for blood but they’ve got nowhere to hide.

Man, I’m nervous though. Cannot wait for the game tonight, its really going to be something special. Allow me to compose my thoughts during the day!!

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Ryanair Champions League Final Flight (Dublin) Warning

Ryanair have issued an alert to say that they’ve brought forward the time of the flight tomorrow morning to Athens. Instead of leaving at 9:30am the flight to Athens now leaves at 6:10am and will arrive at 12:10pm with an estimated flight time of four hours.

The return flight from Athens is still on schedule, due to depart at 12:30pm on Thursday. Bound to be some serious sore heads on that flight. Don’t forget, it is a hand-luggage only flight and there’s no check in at the airport, you’ll need to do it online at Ryanair.com.

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Benitez To Wield The Mighty Sword

There’s a lot of players at Anfield at present who are desperate to play in the Champions League final. Some of them are playing for a medal, its been a long season and they’ve fought all the way to the final with a chance to take home the gold. Others are fighting for their Liverpool futures and a big impact tomorrow night if they make it to the soon-to-be hallowed turf in the Olympic Stadium in Athens might be key in extending their stay.

Watching the sports news over breakfast this morning there was a clip of Rafa Benitez on the training ground, all reports suggesting that the mighty sword (or axe, or any other sharp object) is about to fall on a number of players with Rafa set to reshuffle the squad in an attempt to win the Premier League and compete actively on all four competitive fronts this coming season. Not only that, but he’s being backed by the new owners with a possible €60m war chest.

Robbie Fowler’s contract won’t be renewed, Jerzy Dudek is upping sticks so those two he doesn’t really have to worry about but who else will go? My reckoning is that Sami Hyypia will follow out the door and joining him might well be Harry Kewell (been away far too long in my opinion and hasn’t lived up to any expectation over the few seasons), Djibril Cisse (who can stay in France), Mark Gonzalez, possibly Momo Sissoko (given Javier Mascherano’s arrival and an impending Brazilian arrival). There’s seven to start with, will there be more?

Fabio Aurelio has had a mixed season thanks to injury but he’s shown potential and I’d expect a great season from him in 2007/2008. Pennant should stick around but I’d say Bolo Zenden will disappear, he simply doesn’t have the pace or ability for next season. Defensively I’m in the dark about Gabriel Paletta again. Young player though which is one thing going for him so I reckon he’ll still be here next season.

The wings need tightening up for certain and the back four needs a little extra depth (if Hyypia goes and giving Arbeloa time to settle down) but sixty million goes a long way towards that.

Am I right in the departure predictions? Would you flog anyone else at the club if you had the sword in your own hand?

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