Champions League Semi-Final Clash
Manchester United, AC Milan, Liverpool and Chelsea Look to Final
Apr 23, 2007
Manchester United v AC Milan (at Old Trafford) - Tuesday
Twice winners of the top European trophy,Manchester United will have to achieve their first success over six times winners, AC Milan, to make this the first all English Champions League Final.
AC Milan will be wanting to avoid a repeat of the humiliation that their italian counterparts, Roma, suffered in the quarter-final game in Manchester. Roma with a goal advantage from the first game lost 1-7 in the away leg.
AC Milan have been warned and will not be caught out as Roma were. They will know about Cristiano Ronaldo and will be hoping to reduce the influence of the newly double crowned 'PFA Player 'and 'Young Player of the Year' chosen by his colleagues - the Professional Footballers Association (PFA).
Manchester United with a number of injury worries added to by latest injury sustained by Rio Ferdinand, will be hoping for a good lead before next week's game in Milan.
The two clubs have met on three occasions in European competition with the Italians coming out on top on each occasion. This is their third semi-final meeting - in 1958 United won the home game but lost by four goals in Italy. In 1969 Milan won the first leg in Italy by two goals but United's single goal victory at home was insufficient. The most recent meeting in 2005 in the 2nd round saw AC Milan win both games with a solitary goal.
AC Milan start as favourites due to their previous European successes over United but if United are able to impose themselves in the first game they will give themselves an excellent opportunity for further progress.
Chelsea v Liverpool (at Stamford Bridge) - Wednesday
Liverpool are hoping to repeat their 2005 Champions League semi-final success over Chelsea as they travel to Stamford Bridge for the first leg of the semi-final. It was a single goal at Anfield, following a scoreless draw in London, that took Liverpool to the Final. They will again be content with a draw, although a score draw would be more beneficial, as they take on Chelsea,a team they have beaten on four of their fourteen meetings since their manager Rafa Benitez took control at Anfield. This is more success than any other Premiership manager has achieved against Jose Mourinho.
Going on the past history of the two clubs' clashes in the Champions League, few goals will be scored. The clubs met on four occasions in the 2004-05 competition - in the earlier rounds they played out two scoreless draws followed by that semi-final decided by the solitary goal.
This season Chelsea have shown impressive form away from home as they progressed to the semi-final stage. Their 3-0 win in Eindenhoven against PSV had the quarter-final tie decided before the second game in Liverpool. They also won away against Barcelona (2-1) but lost the home leg by a single goal - qualifying by the away goals rule in the round of last 16 - and at Bordeaux in the group stages.
Chelsea have found it more difficult although they won in Valencia (2-1) in the quarter-finals second leg after a 1-1 draw at home. The previous round saw them draw at Mourinho's former club, Porto, and then win the home game 2-1. Their only defeat was in the group stage at Werder Bremen. Chelsea also played Barcelona - drawing 2-2 in Spain and winning 1-0 in London.
This will be a very close tie with both teams capable of winning - Chelsea may start slight favourites but Liverpool have had a less frantic season having lost in the early rounds of the domestic Cups while Chelsea have been battling on all four fronts.
