CL: Benfica - Milan [28-11-07]

[D-Kin]

Milan (squad): Dida, Fiori, Kalac; Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo, Serginho, Simic; Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf; Aubameyang, Gilardino, Ronaldo

[D-Kin]

Carletto: Let’s finish the job Tuesday 27 November, 2007

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Carlo Ancelotti sees the trip to Benfica as the perfect opportunity for Milan to secure Champions League qualification.

The European champions won’t relinquish their grip on the trophy lightly and they travel to Portugal leading Group D by three points.

“We have a great chance to finish the job and secure qualification,” Ancelotti asserted in his UEFA Press conference.

“Playing against big sides we turn in big performances and I think that it’ll be a great game.

“We must be positive after the Cagliari game and see this as a golden chance to ensure that all we are playing for in the final game is first and second place.”

As well as trying to revitalise their Serie A push by beating Juventus on Saturday, Milan have one eye on December’s Club World Cup.

“It’s not just an important week, but from here until Christmas we will be busy,” Ancelotti stated.

“Things have started well and we need to continue like this as it’s a month that will define our ambitions.”

Ronaldo is expected to start on the bench at Estádio da Luz with Kaka and Clarence Seedorf playing behind Alberto Gilardino.

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[Aladino]

Can't wait for this evening's games. Time to clinch qualification!

Hre are some facts and figures about Milan and Benfica going into this game:

BENFICA-MILAN: CIFRE E CURIOSITA' SUI ROSSONERI
27/11/2007
MILANO - Per Kaladze sarà la gara numero 100 in Europa, per Dida la 75sima. Andrea Pirlo continua a detenere il record di assist: quattro volte il centrocampista rossonero ha mandato a rete i suoi compagni. Pippo Inzaghi vanta invece il titolo di migliore marcatore nelle competizioni europee insieme a Gerd Muller, raggiunto a quota 62 con la doppietta allo Shakhtar nella quarta giornata del girone

MILAN:
Kaladze will play his 100th European game, while it will be Dida's 75th game.
Pirlo will continue to improve his records of assists. So far he has got four this Champions League.
Unfortunately Pippo won't be able to break Gert Muller's record of 62 goals as he has not made the trip to Lisbon.

BENFICA-MILAN: CIFRE E CURIOSITA' SUL BENFICA
27/11/2007
BENFICA - Cinque giocatori del Benfica hanno disputato tutte le 6 gare di Champions, compresi i preliminari: Quim, Léo, Katsouranis, Rui Costa e Cardozo. Quest'ultimo detiene il primato di tiri in porta, quattordici, nessuno ha fatto meglio di lui. Il Benfica è la squadra del girone che ha totalizzato il maggior numero di tiri, 37. Nuno Assis ha festeggiato il suo 30esimo compleanno il 25 novembre. | |

BENFICA:
There are 5 players that have played all 6 games so far: Quim, Leo, Katsouranis, Rui Costa and Cardozo.
Cardozo is the player with the most amount of shots on goal in the whole competition. and Benfica is the team with the most amount of shots in the group with 37.
Nuno Assis celebrated his 30th birthday on the November 25

[Jager]

Benfica will push Milan, not an easy game at all for the champions.

[lionel]

ronaldo is going to start right?

[D-Kin]

Originally Posted by lionel

ronaldo is going to start right?

No.

Gilardino will start up front with Kaka and Seedorf supporting him.

[Aladino]

Nah, it definitely will not be an easy task. But I always have faith in Milan. It would be good to seal qualfication tonight.

I think Brocchi might start in place of Ambrosini, but hopefully Gourcuff will get some playing time.

[Aladino]

Cafu's press conference today:

'Benfica have also had Brazilians. In the Champions League a lot of coaches choose for Brazilian players, also because they all have a vast international experience, even though I, as a Milan player, believe the strongest Brazilian and European team is Milan.'

'We have a very important month ahead, we'll have some tricky matches. It will be difficult, but for us playing difficult and important matches is a sweet habit.'

'Tomorrow night we will not play for a draw. Milan always play to win, even though tomorrow we will have to play with tranquility and patience, waiting for the right moment to attack.'

'Benfica have a very unique style of play. Their strong point is their ball possession and the way they play the ball, these characteristics are symbolized by the great value of Rui Costa.'

[Jager]

Game is very wide open, and Milan have had better of play, but only slightly.

Benfica is breaking down Milan defense.

1-1, early second half.

[Jager]

Game over, it ends in a draw, and Milan move into the round of sixteen.

However, the game didn't put a lot of confidence in me about their play, very fortunate they didn't lose this game near the end.

Though Kaka missed a great chance.....

[Aladino]

Ah well at least we qualified. A win at home would ensure top spot I think. The team is tired, and Kaka, clearly, is exhuasted. Carlo should have rested him against Cagliari.
This is not a good time for Milan to be tired as the december month is an extremely important month for Milan.

[hijjawi1]

UEFA Champions League-Group D
Benfica vs AC Milan
Wednesday November
Estádio da Luz, Lisbon

SL Benfica thought they had done enough to live another day in the UEFA Champions League after coming from behind to draw 1-1 with AC Milan, only for a late goal in Glasgow to send the holders through and end the Portuguese club's chances of reaching the knockout stages.

The Eagles were still in contention when the final whistle blew at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Andrea Pirlo and Maxi Pereira having traded superb first-half goals, but the celebrations were curtailed when news filtered through that Celtic FC had scored an added-time winner against FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Benfica now need to win in Ukraine to reach the UEFA Cup next Tuesday, when Milan entertain the Scottish club requiring a point to win Group D.

Although the Benfica players had shown their determation to get their campaign back on track by huddling together before kick-off, their unity was undermined by a nervous beginning. Alberto Gilardino spurned an excellent chance in just the second minute having been picked out by Cristian Brocchi's right-wing cross. Two minutes later and Quim was forced into action by Clarence Seedorf, turning the Dutchman's shot round the post after a one-two with Gilardino.

It was of little surprise, then, when the visitors took the lead on the quarter-hour. Milan built patiently down the left, although the dynamic of the attack changed after Kaká played the ball to Pirlo and the Italy midfielder ran unchallenged before swerving a magnificent low shot into the corner or the net from distance. Pirlo was almost behind a second goal for the visitors three minutes later, Quim having to intervene after Petit nearly turned a free-kick from the Milan man into his own goal.

Their hopes still alive, Benfica hit back in the 20th minute. Rui Costa and Konstantinos Katsouranis played the ball from left to right to Pereira who showed a lovely touch to cut inside Gennaro Gattuso before arrowing a rising shot from outside the box beyond Dida via the Brazilian's post. It was real end-to-end stuff now, David Luiz denying Kaká in one area with a superb sliding challenge after a swift counterattack; Cristián Rodríguez twice going close in the other.

Kakha Kaladze then cleared a 38th-minute Pereira shot behind with Dida grounded as Benfica upped the tempo, prompting Carlo Ancelotti to introduce Paolo Maldini for Serginho at half-time. Another change quickly followed, Yoann Gourcuff replacing the injured Brocchi, and the new men were able to settle as the frenetic pace of the first period dropped.

Rui Costa, against his former club, was the most influential player of the second half, showing a full array of tricks and flicks, yet it was only in the final few minutes that the game truly reignited. Dida made a couple of nervy stops before Kaká scuffed a shot wide when unmarked after charging into the box in the final minute. The Brazilian had an equally presentable opening in added time but headed wide, although Benfica's fate would soon be sealed by events elsewhere.

Match Videos:

Gillardinho misses a great chance for Milan SEE IT HERE

First goal for Milan by Pirlo SEE IT HERE

First goal for Benfica by Pereira SEE IT HERE

Very dangerous chance for Benfica SEE IT HERE

Nice skills and shoot by Rui Costa SEE IT HERE

Dissallowed goal for Benfica SEE IT HERE

Nice freekick played by Pirlo SEE IT HERE

[TheDevil]

we should just send a bunch of kids to play in that game
milan are in no shape and we are clearly tired
the goal should be serie a because right now as i write this
there is no way we can qaulify for cl next season with this team
if we had half the injuries that inter has
we would finish in the middle of pack

milan management has really put this team in a tough spot and after carlo leaves we are going to be in big trouble

[lionel]

amazing goal of pirlo!

milan will end 1st even in case of a draw at home against celtic what will be next week because when the next CL MD was supposed to be - two weeks from now- milan will be in asia for the world club championship (hopefully playing against boca!).

[D-Kin]

Rui Costa hails Rossoneri Wednesday 28 November, 2007

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Manuel Rui Costa believes Milan are as near to perfect as a football team can be after facing his former teammates.

“Right now I feel disappointed that we were unable to win and went out of the Champions League after a game where we played well against the champions of Europe,” said the Benfica star after the 1-1 draw in Lisbon.

“I was very happy at the start to see my friends and former teammates, but after that I focused on Benfica, as this was an extremely important match for us.”

Milan have been criticised this season, but grabbed the point they needed to qualify for the knockouts and Rui Costa defends his old squad.

“A side that reaches the Final three times in five years has little to improve upon. They have moments of stasis, but they are more cut out for the decisive matches. When the pressure is on, they really step up.

“It is a shame we were so nervous and timid at the start, as we needed to take the initiative and not be so fearful.”

Rui Costa is Milan’s most expensive ever signing at £27m, but his heart also belongs to Fiorentina, who are currently in the Scudetto race.

“I am happy to see Fiorentina doing so well and Milan winning the Champions League. I wish I was doing so well, too!” he smiled.

“In terms of age and form, I probably did have my best years in Florence, a team that at the time could have won more silverware.

“We lost Gabriel Batistuta to injury and at the same time Edmundo was… otherwise indisposed at the Carnival! I don’t know if we could have won the Scudetto, but we could have gone far.

“I am thankful for all the opportunities I have had and the 12 years I spent in Italy, a country that always treated me very warmly.”

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