ITALY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - AC Milan and Lyon prepare for their Champions League quarter final second leg match and press conferences
Record ID:
858624
ITALY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - AC Milan and Lyon prepare for their Champions League quarter final second leg match and press conferences
- Title: ITALY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - AC Milan and Lyon prepare for their Champions League quarter final second leg match and press conferences
- Date: 4th April 2006
- Summary: AC MILAN FORWARD ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) AC MILAN FORWARD ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO, SAYING: "We must try to win tomorrow. Every season is different, we come from the last one when we lost the Champions League, it would be a dream for us to play the final this year."
- Embargoed: 19th April 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- City:
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVADKRZHRMI2FON2EXBNMW8KKPVN
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- Story Text: Six-times European champions AC Milan's season hangs on Tuesday's (April 4) Champions League quarter-final, second-leg against Olympique Lyon after defeat in Serie A on Saturday effectively put paid to any hopes Carlo Ancelotti's side had of winning the Serie A title.
A largely second-string Milan lost 1-0 to Lecce leaving them trailing leaders Juventus by nine-points with six matches to play and now the focus is entirely on their bid to reach their third Champions League final in four seasons.
"It is true that Milan must win to go on, but this does not put any pressure on us, we are used to playing these kind of games", told Ancelotti to a news conference on Monday (April 3).
Milan won the competition in 2003 and were beaten by Liverpool on penalties in last year's final after leading 3-0 at half time.
"Every season is different, we come from last one when we lost the Champions League, it would be a dream for us to play the final this year", said AC Milan forward Andriy Shevchenko in the same news conference.
Last week's first-leg in Lyon ended goalless leaving Milan needing a victory as a scoring draw would send the French side through on the 'away goals' rule.
Shevchenko and Italy international Filippo Inzaghi were both rested for the Lecce game and are likely to start against Gerard Houllier's side with Brazilian Kaka, who also sat out the defeat, playing just behind the front two.
Lyon, who have never made the last four in the Europe's main club competition, secured a direct Champions League ot for next season when a Tiago header earned them a 1-0 win at strugglers Troyes in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Houllier also rotated his squad with striker Sylvain Wiltord and defenders Cris, Eric Abidal and Francois Clerc all rested.
Once again, France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, who foiled Milan in the first-leg, was in outstanding form but Tiago is suspended for the return after a stoppage-time foul on Kaka at the Stade Gerland.
Key Brazilian midfielder Juninho will return from suspension however.
Lyon are unbeaten away from home for the past 13 months in the French league and have not been beaten on the road in the Champions League since a defeat to Manchester United in November 2004.
Former Liverpool manager Houllier believes that run can continue at the San Siro.
"We need to get into the top four, and to start history. Milan has its history, we need ours" said Houllier.
But Lyon have struggled for goals recently having only netted twice in their last three games and Brazilian striker Fred could be handed his second start in this season's Champions League, pushing Norway's John Carew onto the bench. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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