Milan press conference pre Liverpool

By European Football
May 24 2005

Coach Carlo Ancelotti, Captain Paolo Maldini and Clarence Seedorf were all quizzed by the press ahead of the Champions league final against Liverpool:

Ancelotti was first up saying:

'Today is a beautiful day because Milan have reached the objective they had fixed at the start of the season: to be in Istanbul. I hope tomorrow will be even a more beautiful day. Milan are really keen on this Cup.’

’Milan must play well, using fair-play and being correct; it won’t be important to score early, but to play well for 90 minutes. Milan started to prepare for this game ten days ago, after the game against Lecce. We think we will be ready. President [Silvio] Berlusconi urged us to make a good impression because he really takes care of the club’s image. He exhorted the players to be tenacious and determined, to look for the win and show great will.’

And on loan star Hernan Crespo he had this to say:

'We will evaluate his situation after the final. However, I think a solution will be found to keep him because the player and the club’s will is that he remains.’ About Liverpool, he added: ’They are a well-organised team, quick on the counterattack, balanced and compact, not defensive-minded; when they have to defend, they do it well; when they have to attack, they also do well; I don’t think Liverpool will play a defensive game tomorrow, they will come here to play for it.’

'This season we have always played with three strikers, and we will do it this time again. Sometimes we have also fielded four attackers. Perhaps you don’t realise it, but neither did our defenders. Ask Maldini….’

’I won’t be sacked if things go bad, because things will go the right way.’

Talking about the Italian Championship:

’We have not lost the Scudetto; we have arrived second after playing a good season. If there were a prize to reward the team’s performance in the league, I would give it to them.’

And finally on the possibility of a penalty shoot out:

’We have trained for this, but penalties in a final are above all a psychological matter, not a technical one. To replicate the same situation in training is impossible. We have practiced but this preparation is not important.’

Next up was Captain Paulo Maldini who will be playing in his 7th final:

'My marriage with Milan has been a successful one because I’m an ambitious player and have met an ambitious club on my way. This is what Milan and I have in common.’

'There is a difference between playing a final against an Italian team, as it happened at Manchester, and playing it against a foreign one: being the Champions League an European competition, to play against a non-Italian team gives an extra fascination. Liverpool are not an inexperienced team, their tradition weighs. But if tradition weighs, I think Milan have more. Our recent tiredness is normal for any team at the end of the season. The important thing will be a victory tomorrow evening, no matter how it will come. We will try to play well, but it is a final, what counts is to win. If we managed to get the result after an average performance, it would be a good demonstration of strength all the same.’

Maldini also spoke about his meeting with Francisco Gento, winner of six Champions Leagues with Real Madrid. He said:

'To meet him was very emotional. He told me that only one player can beat his record, and that is me. And he added that if it were me to beat him, he would be very happy.’


Seedorf finished the conference off with:

'To reach a final like this is something beautiful to experience: to win it, however, would be even more beautiful. Compared to the Manchester final, Milan are more mature, more aware of their potential, more used to big events; at Manchester there were more doubts, now we have more certainties