Liverpool vs AC Milan, Champions League Final 2007
Liverpool Preview
Rafa Benitez, after a difficult start to the season, has recovered and led Liverpool to a second Champions League final in 3 years. For this alone the accusations of lucky Liverpool should fade away.
Liverpool may lack the consistency to do better than 3rd in the league but like Milan, once they were out of the title race around Christmas they battened down the hatches and focused on the Champions League while Chelsea and Manchester United were hampered by lean squads and the pressures of chasing the league, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
In other words, Liverpool have made their European adventures count, and for that alone they’ve done far better than Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United (Chelsea have 3 semi-finals in 4 years but haven’t made them count).
AC Milan preview
A lot of talk about the final will surround the 2005 matchup, but this is very different. Milan are older and wiser, and with 3 weeks to prepare themeselves they will not allow their concentration levels to drop like that again. Liverpool are also a better side, so Milan wouldn’t be able to dominate them as easily as they did in the first half in Istanbul.
Without Shevchenko, Milan will most probably play the same team that played against Manchester United with Maldini coming in as long as he’s fit.
Milan will find the 2007 final to be much tougher than the 2005 final - Liverpool will be on their case and after seeing the effects of sitting back for United, they’ll be sure to mix things up with Milan.