ITALY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Fans invade Central square in Milan to celebrate AC Milan's victory in the Champions League final against Liverpool

Record ID: 1530087

  • Title: ITALY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Fans invade Central square in Milan to celebrate AC Milan's victory in the Champions League final against Liverpool
  • Date: 25th May 2007
  • Summary: MAN HOLDING INFLATABLE SILVER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CUP SHOUTING 'EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS! SEVEN!'
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2007 00:29
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA5TJ0AYAT8N7VKZ6DYBPXKRCYW
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Thousands of AC Milan fans celebrated in central Milan Cathedral Square their team's victory in the Champions League final against Liverpool in Athens on Wednesday (May 23).
    AC Milan beat Liverpool 2-1 with two goals from Filippo Inzaghi to win the European Cup for the seventh time and avenge their defeat by Liverpool on penalties in the final two years ago.
    Fans invaded the Central square and the streets nearby waving flags and chanting choruses for their team, also enjoying their personal revenge with Inter Milan team, which this year won the Italian Serie A but was eliminated in the last 16 round of Champions League.
    Liverpool, who looked down and out, pulled a goal back in the 89th minute through a Dirk Kuyt header, but they could not repeat their achievement of 2005 when they fought back from 3-0 down to force a 3-3 draw and win the final on penalties.
    The Italian side scored against the run of play just before half-time when Inzaghi got in the way of a free kick by Andrea Pirlo to divert the ball past helpless goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
    He added the second in the 82nd minute when he rounded goalkeeper Reina and squeezed the ball home under his body after being played in by Kaka.
    "AC Milan deserved to win this game", said Federico one of the several thousands filling the square in front of the Cathedral. "They played great from the very first game and beat the best teams in Europe," he added.
    Liverpool enjoyed most of the possession and created more chances without managing to find the net earlier as Milan avenged their Istanbul heartbreak.
    'AC Milan is the best team in Europe!', shouted a young supporter, Giulio.
    Milan's Champions League win completes an astonishing comeback for the club punished for their role in last year's Italian match-fixing scandal and who were only allowed to compete after UEFA decided they had no legal grounds to ban them.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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