AC Milan's season so far

I have tried several times to write a post about how incredibly disastrous this year has been for AC Milan so far, but I just can't do it.

Above: Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri urges his team on

Below: Anderlecht goalkeeper Silvio Proto

Champions League final tickets

I watched an entire season of soccer for this?

Inter Milan won this year's Coppa Italia (goal by Milito). They won the Scudetto on the final day (goal by Milito). Then they won the Champions League final (2-0, goals by Milito-- when I wrote that Milito was a player to watch out for, I didn't mean latter that same day). The only remaining question was how quickly Jose Mourinho would announce that he is leaving Inter Milan. The only bright spot for AC Milan fans is that Inter's win means that that Serie A will still have four Champions League slots instead of three (at least for the next couple of years). I am not sure why anyone would want to watch the highlights, but here they are.

Champions League history: The 1994 Final

The match was played in Athens on May 18, 1994. Milan beat Barcelona 4-0.

A series of official announcements from AC Milan

A.C. MILAN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

5/21/2010

MILAN - A.C. Milan announces that the footballer Filippo Inzaghi has extended his contract until June 30, 2011.

INZAGHI: "The rapport with Milan is special"

5/21/2010

MILAN - Pippo Inzaghi commented to Milan Channel about his contract renewal with Milan: "I'm happy, because my intent was that of ending the career with this shirt. In these days I thought that trying to beat Gerd Muller's record with another shirt would not be fair. The rapport with Milan is special, I'm happy because once again the club proved all of its affect for what I did, I'm doin and will continue to do. I'm happy to be well and I have important objectives."

INZAGHI: "I'm after Muller, Van Basten and Baggio..."

5/21/2010

MILAN - Pippo Inzaghi again: "I'm happy of being fine and of being able to still give my contriution. Everyone knows that I have precise objectives to reach. First of all that of being useful for Milan, helping the team to win and then beating two records. That of Gerd Muller in the European cups (69 goals against 68, Inzaghi is one goal away from the German), which has lasted for 35 years, to which I really want to beat, and that of Marco Van Basten... I'm three goals away from him in the Rossoneri's shirt, reaching it or equalling it would be fantastic also because everyone knows what he did and who he is. I'm after Van Basten for the goals with Milan and Baggio for the career goals (Baggio has a total of 318 goals). Going together for the 10th consecutive year is a nice satisfaction. Everyone remembers the wins we have obtained together, I have already received a lot from this club and I have great motivations."

A favorite Champions League moment from 2009-2010

From the group stage-- 10/20/09 Barcelona 1 - Rubin Kazan 2

Here's a different view-

Still my favorite goal of the year

Andrea Pirlo scores to make it 1-1 against Real Madrid in the Champions League

To see my second favorite goal of the year (Inzaghi's game winner in Milan's 2-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille), click here.

Serie A update: Massimo Moratti celebrates his birthday

Italian oil tycoon Massimo Moratti (pictured above) celebrated his 65th birthday today by traveling to Siena to watch the team he owns (Inter Milan) play against 19th place AC Siena. Inter needed either a win or a Roma tie/loss in order to win their fifth straight Serie A title. At one point in the second half, however, Roma were winning and Inter were still stuck in a goalless draw.

Luckily for Mr. Moratti, Diego Milito finally scored for Inter (see photo below) and Inter went on to win 1-0.

Below: Zanetti and Milito (right) celebrate the game's only goal

Above: Inter celebrate

Below: Inter coach Jose Mourinho waves his commemorative t-shirt. Up next for Inter-- the Champions League final against Bayern Munich

Some people might say, "Happy birthday, Massimo Moratti!" Those sorts of people might also enjoy watching the highlights below. Others wouldn't.

Mid-week soccer update

In addition to fighting to win this year's Scudetto, Inter and Roma also faced each other in the finals of this year's Coppa Italia. Inter won 1-0, on a goal by Diego Milito. (See video below)

Apparently, at the end of the match, things got pretty vicious.


In other news, Tottenham Hotspur (pictured celebrating below) beat Manchester City 1-0 to claim fourth place in the Premier League. Spurs will be in next year's Champions League. Manchester City will not.

Champions League update: Barca 1 - Inter 0

Above: Thiago Motta is about to receive a red card.

Below: Thiago Motta receives a red card.

Yesterday, Inter Milan lost 1-0 to Barcelona. However, they won the two legs of the Champions League semi-final by an aggregate score of 3-2. They will face Bayern Munich in the final on May 22. Here are some random thoughts about the match:

• Thiago Motta's straight red card for pushing Sergio Busquets in the face was probably not deserved. It did not matter in the end, though.
• Pique's goal for Barca was clearly offside. It did not matter in the end, though.
• Inter came to defend their two-goal lead and played even more defensively after going down to ten men. By the second half, Barca goalie Victor Valdes was basically playing up at the halfway line.
• Inter's goalie, Julio Cesar, is very, very good. I hate him, and I hate the fact that he doesn't play for a team I like.
• For a fleeting second, I was filled with admiration for how well Inter were coping with adversity. Then I remembered how much I dislike Inter and was mad at myself for thinking such ridiculous things.
• I am also mad at Barca.
• The current Inter squad are basically the 1990s New York Yankees of European soccer-- merciless, unrelenting robot/bullies who always win when they need to.

Above and below: Inter coach Jose Mourinho and Barca keeper Victor Valdes push each other after the match. (Video can be found below.)

For match highlights, click here.

Champions League Update: Semifinals are set

Above: Arjen Robben celebrates the winning goal

Below: Seconds earlier, the Manchester United players watch Robben's goal go in the net

All four Champions League quarterfinal ties are over, and here are the results:

• Barcelona defeated Arsenal
• Inter Milan beat CSKA Moscow
• Olympique Lyon beat Girondins Bordeaux
• Bayern Munich defeated Manchester United

Below: Messi scores one of his four goals against Arsenal on Tuesday

In the Bayern-Man Utd. match on Wednesday, Bayern arrived at Old Trafford with a 2-1 lead and hopes that Wayne Rooney would be unable to play due to injury. Rooney did start, however, and United quickly built up a 3-0 lead. Bayern scored at the end of the first half (on a goal by Olic), and then, in the second half, Manchester United's Rafael was sent off with his second yellow card, and Rooney had to leave due to a re-aggravation of his ankle injury. Arjen Robben then scored a pretty astounding goal to pull Bayern level 4-4 over the two legs of the tie. Due to the away-goals rule, Bayern advance.

After the match, United coach Alex Ferguson denounced the Bayern players for being "typical Germans."

For highlights, watch this:

When You Tube takes this video down, try this link instead.

The semifinals will see Barca play Inter and Lyon versus Bayern.

Champions League update: Arsenal 2 - Barcelona 2 (first leg)

This game had everything-

• An early bombardment of scoring chances by Barcelona (only some of which are shown in the video)
• Two nice goals by Ibrahimovic
• Goals by Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas
• Three players who will miss the second leg due to suspensions-- Fabregas, Pique, and Puyol
• Fabregas fracturing his shin while taking the game-tying penalty kick

Champions League update: Bayern Munich 2 - Manchester United 1 (First leg)

Above: Wayne Rooney lies injured while Bayern Munich celebrates their last second goal.

When You Tube takes down the above video, try this link.

Update 3/31/10: Yesterday I was too lazy to actually write anything about this match, but a number of things happened which certainly deserve to be written about-- Wayne Rooney's ridiculously easy goal at the 1:04 minute mark; Ribery's free kick goal that ricocheted in off Rooney; Olic's stoppage time goal which came right after Rooney's ankle injury (which could cause Rooney to miss the end of Man Utd.'s season, the Champion's League, and possibly even the World Cup). Somebody else is just going to have to write about these things, however. I am not up to the task.

Champions League update: Mind-boggling mistakes lead to mind-boggling goals

Porto 2 - Arsenal 1

Porto's first goal was nothing more than a single mistake by the goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski. Porto's second goal was a bit more complicated, because it involved multiple mistakes. Arsenal defender Sol Campbell's back pass to the keeper was picked up by Fabianski (one mistake), which resulted in an indirect free kick for Porto. Fabianski then handed the ball directly to the referee (yet another mistake) who allowed Porto to quickly restart the game and score.

Bayern Munich 2 - Fiorentina 1

In the Bayern Munich-Fiorentina match, the mistakes all belong to the referee and linesman. On Bayern Munich's first goal, the referee had called a penalty before the ball went in the net, so he disallowed the initial goal. Luckily for everyone involved, the subsequent penalty was made, so the score turned out 1-0 as it should have. Bayern Munich's second goal is even simpler-- the fault lies completely with the linesman, who failed to call Klose offside.

Late official announcement from AC Milan

TODAY IN MILAN: MANCHESTER UNITED

2/16/2010

MILAN - Very soon, at their training ground near the San Siro stadium, Manchester United will have lunch. In their hour-by-hour account of the Red Devils' day in Milan, the official site manutd.com refers of the stretching session held this morning after breakfast by Sir Alex Ferguson's team.

Champions League match preview: Milan versus Manchester United

AC Milan has made several official announcements in advance of tomorrow's match against Manchester United:

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THIAGO SILVA AND THE OTHERS: THE MEDICAL SITUATION

2/14/2010

MILANELLO - The medical situation: today Thiago Silva, whose conditions will be further evaluated tomorrow, will do a double training session. Marco Borriello remains in doubt for Tuesday's match against Manchester United and will undergo a check tomorrow. Also tomorrow morning Mancini will undergo an MRI scan to evaluate his quadriceps injury. On Tuesday, meanwhile, there will be a new ultrasound exam for Gianluca Zambrotta.

MILAN-MANCHESTER UTD: THE ROSSONERI'S CALLED-UP PLAYERS

2/15/2010

MILANELLO - These are the 21 called-up players of coach Leonard for tomorrow's clash against Manchester United: Abbiati, Dida, Abate, Antonini, Bonera, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Thiago Silva, Ambrosini, Beckham, Flamini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, Huntelaar, Inzaghi, Pato, Ronaldinho. Unavailable players: Borriello, Zambrotta.

In case you don't remember what happened the last time these two clubs met in the Champions League (videos one and two are from the first leg; three and four from the second leg)--

This is Nesta, but the reporter thinks it is Inzaghi

In May of 2007, Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the Champions League final in Athens. The hero of the match was Filippo Inzaghi, who scored both of Milan's goals. Afterwards, reporters were eager to ask Inzaghi a few questions.

Yet another official announcement from AC Milan

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EIGHTH FINALS 2009/10: MILAN TO MEET MANCHESTER UNITED

12/18/2009

NYON - Manchester United are the team Milan will face in the two-legged encounter in the eighth finals of the Champions League 2009/2010. Milan will play the first leg at San Siro and the second leg at Old Trafford.

Match report: Zurich 1 - Milan 1

• Goals scored: Gajic 30', Ronaldinho 64' (penalty)
• What happened: Milan looked mediocre and were lucky to get a draw. Real Madrid beat Marseille 3-1, however, so Milan advance to the knockout round of the Champions League.
• Potentially bad news: Thiago Silva had to leave the game early with a calf injury.
• Startling news: Bayern Munich defeated Juventus. (See photo below) Bayern Munich advance and Juventus are out.
• What this match teaches us: Cristiano Ronaldo is not all bad-- his two goals for Real Madrid helped ensure that Milan advance to the next round.

Match report: Milan 1 - Marseille 1

• Goals scored: Borriello 10', Lucho Gonzalez 16'
• What happened: Both sides looked like they were trying to lose the match on purpose. Defenders failed to defend; midfielders turned the ball over; attackers missed wide open shots. Milan were lucky to get a draw.
• What this match teaches us: Match-fixing scandals can make us wonder whether out favorite players are incompetent or deceitful.
• What happens next: On December 8, Milan travel to Switzerland to play FC Zurich. If they win, they qualify for the next round of the Champions League. Marseille are at home against Real Madrid, who have already qualified for the next round. If Marseille tie or lose, then Milan moves on to the next round. The only way Milan cannot qualify for the next round is if they lose or tie and Marseille wins.