With a plane load of Liverpool fans with tickets stranded in John Lennon Airport, thousands of fans without tickets causing disruption at the ground in Athens it did not seem like a suitable environment for winning a sixth Champions League victory for Liverpool.

Unlike the game in 2005 it was Liverpool who made all the early running, to no avail. Indeed the Reds from Anfield found themselves behind at half time just like in Istanbul, this time the deficit was only one goal. The crushing blow came just before half time when Andrea Pirlo struck a free kick, which Reina had well covered until it took a wicked deflection off the head of Filippo Inzaghi in to the Liverpool goal.

There had been much debate about the tactics employed by Rafa Benitez and his team selection. He appeared to pick a team to stop Milan rather than one to attack and inflict their game on the Italians. The Spaniard also made his substitutions too late to have any real effect, bringing on Crouch with just over ten minutes left, and Arbeloa with just two minutes of normal time.

Inzaghi deepened the despair of the Liverpool faithful when he put AC two goals up with eight minutes left. With memories of the comback at the Ataturk Stadium fading fast, there was still hope of a comeback. When Dirk Kuyt directed Riise’s flick on in to Dida’s goal, it looked promising but with just a minute plus injury time there was little chance.

Milan captain Paolo Maldini lifted the cup aloft having received his fifth Champions League winners medal to crown his side as Champions of Europe for 2007 even though at the start of the season they were banned from competing following the corruption scandal last summer. Being a five time winner it begs the question will he get to keep a replica of the trophy like Liverpool did in 2005.