Real Madrid 2 AC Milan 3:IN THE end, it felt like a classic but mostly it had not been. Sixteen European Cups, two European Footballers of the Year, over a thousand European goals, and hundreds of millions worth of signings and yet for long periods this was a game defined by two goalkeeping errors.
But two wonderful strikes and a final 15 minutes played in increasingly wide spaces led to a dramatic 88th-minute winner from Alexandre Pato that elevated the game to a status fitting of its billing as the "Derby of Europe".
By the time the whistle went mistakes from Iker Casillas and, especially, Dida were forgotten. A wonderful goal from Andrea Pirlo had equalised Madrid's opener.
A superb strike from Royston Drenthe equalised the goal that put Milan in the lead, to set up a rousing finish and a huge victory for Milan. Madrid had one disallowed for offside; so, more mysteriously, did Milan. And then, in the final minute, Pato volleyed home to make it 3-2.
After 15 minutes Gianluca Zambrotta appeared to go through Karim Benzema’s legs to challenge for the ball as the Frenchman closed in on the six-yard box. It looked like a penalty, but the Belgian referee Frank de Bleeckere signalled a goal-kick.
The decision bought whistles from the stands but Madrid did not need to wait long for the opening goal. It came on 19 minutes, thanks to an extraordinary mistake from Dida.
He easily got behind a weak shot from Esteban Granero, patted the ball down on to the turf and took a step forward only for the ball to hit his thigh and drop loose. Fifteen years and 711 Real Madrid games later, Raul’s legs may be slower, but there is nothing wrong with his mind and he dashed in to apply the finish for his 66th European Cup goal.
Watching Ronaldinho grow increasingly frustrated, unable to produce the magic he once could was a sad sight; Milan’s impotence looked complete. And then, suddenly, incredibly, just after the hour they were level. Pirlo collected the ball from a throw-in 35 yards out and took aim and the ball dipped and whistled past Casillas at his right-hand post. The silence spoke of surprise. It was only Milan’s second shot on target.
Their third came only four minutes later and with the same outcome. Ambrosini’s curling ball dropped beyond the hesitating Raul Albiol, Casillas came for it and misjudged it, allowing it to skid beyond him. Pato maintained his balance to roll it into an empty net.
REAL MADRID: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Marcelo, Kaka, Lassana Diarra, Alonso, Granero (Drenthe 67), Benzema, Raul. Subs not used: Dudek, Arbeloa, Mahamadou Diarra, Garay, Van der Vaart. Booked: Albiol, Raul, Marcelo.
AC MILAN: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Ambrosini, Pirlo, Seedorf, Alexandre Pato, Inzaghi (Borriello 60), Ronaldinho (Flamini 90). Subs not used: Roma, Kaladze, Huntelaar, Jankulovski, Antonini. Booked: Zambrotta, Nesta.
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium).
