In the end, it was not to be for Liverpool FC in Athens last night, as AC Milan finally exacted revenge for the quite extraordinary events of Istanbul two years ago.
The fates were not on Liverpoolâs side, as they out-performed the Italian giants in the first half of the Champions League final, only to see a cruelly deflected free kick leave them trailing at the interval.
Even after AC Milanâs second goal, there was hope, with Dirk Kuytâs late goal raising, just for a few minutes, the possibility of a dramatic turnaround to rival Istanbul.
Perhaps the greatest irony was the fact that Liverpool played better last night than they did in their heroic fifth European Cup win against the same opponents.
It is to the clubâs eternal credit that the players took their defeat with such dignity.
When the disappointment has faded, it should be remembered that these players took the club on a fantastic adventure this season, proving once again their indomitable spirit as they forced their way into this final ahead of both champions Manchester United and the mega-rich runners-up Chelsea.
Their new American owners promise the prospect of major team-building investment this summer. With these resources at the disposal of brilliant manager Rafael Benitez, a serious assault on the Premiership title next season cannot be discounted.
But today, our thoughts must be with the fans who support this team with such spirit, loyalty and passion.
The difficulties of getting legitimate tickets for this game, thanks to Uefaâs paltry allocations to the clubs, have been well documented. Shamefully, it appears that many were locked out despite holding perfectly legitimate tickets for the match, leading to some ugly scenes.
One wonders if European footballâs ruling body will ever learn how to organise matters so that true followers of teams who make it to their ultimate showpiece game can look forward to being treated with fairness and respect.
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