CHAMPIONS

i woke up this morning with a bad headache but who fucking hell cares?! I had a long night yesterday and it all seems like a dream to me.

If you think there can be no fairytales in the game call soccer, then you are dead wrong. Yesterday, every single soccer fan from around the world witnessed a fairytale ending for a team who went MIA for years in the european soccer arena. A club full of history and a strong force in Europe who went missing for years is BACK! Just when everyone thought we were dead and buried during half time, we rose from the ash and levelled the score in 6 minutes... 6 MINUTES OF MADNESS. Even the best defence in the world couldn't stop this resurrection.

Milan were 3-0 up as early as the 40th min. Maldini scored from a setpiece just 50 secs after the game started and the Reds were thrown into state of frenziness after that. The defence was caught many times and Milan just pierced thru us. Traore was awful marking Shevy... playing him onside on many occasions. Our midfield was simply not there. Gerrard was anonymous. Milan's midfield, led by Kaka and Pirlo came in waves. 2 outstanding passes from Kaka to Crespo saw the Argentine struck twice into the net, making it 0-3 at half time. Apparantly Rafa's gamble to play Kewell upfront to give the strikeforce a cutting edge turned out very wrong. Fortunately (???) Kewell injured himself early, forcing Rafa to bring on Smicer before halftime

Every red fan in the world and the crowd in Istanbul were shocked and despondent. We thought we were dead and buried. I just prayed that the scoreline will stay reputable or maybe we'll get a consolation goal on ourside. The crowds at Istanbul sang on...

The 2nd half started. I prayed we will not get slaughtered (like how our neighbours were against Arsenal). Milan came in waves again but thank god Traore cleared from the line, keeping the scoreline stagnant. And the fairytale started when Didi Hamann came on for Finnan. Gerrard was pushed upfront and Captain Marvel led his team to one of the greatest comebacks in history.

He first scored a header from Riise's cross, then created a chance for Smicer to slot it past Dida just outside the six-yard box ... making it 2-3 in just 2 minutes. The travelling KOP sang their hearts out, drowning the Italian supporters. And its this '12th man' who pushed the Reds on in search of the equalizing goal. Milan went amonk after letting in 2 goals in 2mins. The reds were everywhere in their half and the most experience defence in the world broke down. Just when Gerrard was thru on goal, a panicky Guttaso came from behind and brought him down. 'Penalty!' says the Referee from Spain and Alonso calmly step up to take it from the spot. It was a great penalty taken BUT too bad Dida pulled out a world class save. Alonso was the first to the rebound (hey! where's Jaap Stam?!) and this time round, Dida could do nothing about it. 3-3 the score and i believe every single reds in the world was stunned by the fightback. UNBELIEVABLE.

Milan was taken aback and the blow proved too strong for them as they took quite a while to settle. We went to sleep after the 3 goals and allowed Milan to attack in waves again. Rafa brought on Djibril Cisse for the ineffective Baros (who might be playing his last game for us). We did initiate some attacks but it was Milan who dictated the game for the rest of normal time. Jerzy Dudek pulled off some world class save to deny the world class Ukrainian striker during normal time and in extra time. By then, every player in the pitch was already exhausted and many went down with cramps. Play was slowed down and Milan chose to throw in Rui Costa at the dying minutes. Thank god he was ineffective and the game went into penalty shoot-out.

I hate penalty shootouts. Its simple too much for me to take. I closed my eyes when Serginho stepped up to take the penalty. And when i opened my eyes, he had already hit the crossbar. YESH! Then came Didi and he coolly slotted the ball home. Dudek was playing mind games with every penalty taker... something Dida ought to learn from him lol And Milan's most reliable penalty taker Pirlo failed to deliver. GOOD SAVE DUDEK! Great imitation of Grobbaeler's wobbly legs. He simply mismerized me in between the poles last night (and i'll always remember this no matter what). Cisse was next and he sent Dida in the wrong direction. Milan's sub Tomasson scored the first pen kick for Milan and he dare not even look at Dudek in the eyes. Riise's penalty kick was stopped by a fullstretched Dida. Another great pen save! Kaka and Smicer both scored from the spot. Then up comes Milan's last penalty taker... Andriy Shevchenko. If its out, we win. If its in... i wonder who was spared the anxiety of taking the last penalty lol Dudek dives the wrong way BUT somehow gets a hand on the ball as Shevy sends it down the middle... Ahhh... must be Shankly's spirit blessing the Reds from heaven. Shevchenko shakes his head in disbelief but who fucking cares?

The stadium erupted. The players went wild. Even the most tensed person (who else but Rafa the master tactician) on the field smiled. The European cup is finally BACK TO WHERE IT BELONG!

LIVERPOOL FC

5 European Cups 3 Uefa Cups 18 League Championship 6 FA Cups 7 Leaague Cups 2 European Super Cups

we are finally back in europe!