Evan, Milan was cleared of all charges, so please keep that in mind. Our win of last night was because we have one of the best players in the world, don't forget that. FORZA MILAN!!

Caterina, Milan, Italy

Silvio Berlusconi buys thoroughbreds, is able to featherbed them in a soft league so they're fitter to shine in Europe. Italians venerate guile over honest endeavour and they picked Liverpool's pocket with patience and intelligence last night, without too much obvious physical effort. Benitez is given sale platers who tried hard, despite the arduous Premiership marathon, and ran out of steam in Athens. If you don't have the class you need luck and appliction, like FC Porto and Liverpool in 2005 to win the Champions league. Over time, the likes of AC Milan, Real Madrid and the big spenders on class players will always win out over solid but uninspiring plodders. That is what the statistics prove. The question is can the richest league in Europe use its muscle to finally buy the Italians and Spaniards' knack of winning the big club tournaments with technically pleasing and accomplished football instead of always coming second with the long ball style of play.

Paolo, Hong Kong,

milan is the most strong team in all the teams who were in the european champions league big thinks to the coach CARLOS ANCELLOTI GOD BLESS all milan boys and the players of this team who makes me happy yesterday in particular the lion of san siro stadium genarro gattuso,super pipo aka inzagui and the phenomenon the best actuall midfiedler KAKA

action aka moussa gueye, ouakam bira ouakam, dakar SENEGAL

Congratulations to Milan. Special Kudos to Maldini. A truly remarkable personal achievement on his part.
This was a game that exposed all too painfully what we, the Red Army, know all too well : We are lacking in the most vital of areas of the pitch.
The first 45 showed why we are poised to launch a viable assault on ALL competitions. We controlled and outplayed a damn good Milan team, negating their slippery genius in midfield and upfront for the entire first half. But that was where it ended. Almost zero penetration of the Milan defence, and on the rare occasions we did, there was a glaring lack of a "star" striker. This current Liverpool team are stoical and resilient, and but for the want of a world class intuitive striker, we could honestly declare ourselves in the Elite class. Rafa`s tactics and team selection needs rethinking. Having two wingers to feed the box is great.... if there is someone in the box to eat : Crouch anybody? Leading team scorer..12 minutes play. Nuff said.

Bloodred RedBlood, Liverpool, England

Not a nice game yesterday: very tactical and not spectacular as 2 years ago. Milan deserved to win at the end. Liverpool played slightly better but they weren't lucky enough and they missed the only real striker who was on the bench (Crouch). Benitez best trainer in Europe? Well if you leve Crouch on the bench I think you have a lot to learn about football.
Liverpool were damn lucky 2 years ago while they weren't yesterday: that's the story.
Forza Milan !

Fabrizio, London, UK

Besides from a disappointing game, the hosts of this years Champions League final could not have done a more disgraceful job if they had tried. The police were useless, I barely saw 1 steward inside the ground and was almost crushed along with thousands of other fans trying to get in. Furthermore, inside the ground fans could not reach their seats and were standing in the aisles on the steps and in other peoples seats which they had paid alot of money for. It was incredibly dangerous and how Greece managed to stage an Olympic games is beyond me. Outside the ground the police and officials didn't have a clue what was going on around them, almost as if they didn't realise there was a game taking place that night!

I hope that Athens never stages another football tournament ever again - they are a disagrace and should be investigated by UEFA.

Julia , London, UK

Eva, Im sure you can read as you take part in this debate, and i think paolo from rome explained it,but im sure its just sour grapes. As im sure with out pointing out the obvious to you Milan 2005 Awesome= losers
Milan2007 Amature =winners

So i think parity is restored, and also we did have help from the greek gods.. Or maybe we could have your theory we could of paid the ref .. the harsh truth is yes the best team lost but so did we.

In Europe Dovunque AC.Milano CL 2007

Guerino, halifax, england

LIverpool in its present form (players and manager) is not champion material. It was quite evident last night. They need a more pragmatic approach and a manager who's not fearful and cautious.

It's a shame as the Reds carried the flag for English teams.

Tiranth, Putney,

For AC Milan this Champions League is a wonderful reward after a very difficult season, with all that mess last summer, a lot of players out for injuries for long periods. But they managed to win the cup anyway. Ok, yesterday we didn't see the best Milan, but this thanks to the great job of Liverpool's players who went through a good match. I think Liverpool lacks a great striker, and of course a super player like Kaka...
Two years after Istanbul we can finally shout: Campioni d'Europa!!! FORZA MILAN!!!

Andrea, Varese, Italy

Perhaps some mention should be given to the fact that the 4th official signalled a MINIMUM of 3 minutes of injury time. The referee played 2 minutes and 44 seconds and should have added on evn more time for Milan's final substitution. Who knows, with recent History, what might have happened!

G. Evans-Jones, Cologne, Germany

Benitez is a poor manager, to have had a season without a trophy based on the money he has spent is a disgrace. Liverpool were the better team until half-time, when they came out again they were a different team. What did Benitez say to the team in the dressingroom? Whatever it was it didn't work.
His methods, decisions and management style have been seen to be not good enough for Liverpool and he should resign.

Mike Halpin, Cambridge, UK

Liverpool might have more of a stab at winning had they believed they could. They chose to attack a weak Milan side only sporadically. They seemed frightened to commit themselves to attack for fear of letting Milan behind them. Which is what happened. By then it was too late for Liverpool to come back.
Liverpool lack sparkle in their attack.
So do Milan...but they believed anything was possible and Liverpool didn't.
In the end, Milan deserved to win because they did. Liverpool were not good enough.

Laurence, Val d'Illiez, Switzerland

A consultant of AC Milan sought to try to get strong minded and capable linesmen assigned to milan matches. of the 2 games which this may have occured they lost 1 drw the other and had wrong off side decision inc legitimate goal wrongly given against them. the club were not involved in any of this but were punished anyway - not leat because the authoroties wanted quick resolution (eg West Ham case) they were however punished - lost points for 2005/2006 and for this season 06/07. the points they lost in 2005/06 after appeal still enabled htem to be in the top 4 places in the league, hence qualification to chaps league. try reading the case/doucuments on which they were charged. but don't let the facts get in the way of a good story. ecase agat them a

best team in 2005 and lost on pens, 50/50 last night and won.

after trouble at heysel , hillsborough now add athens..but again its the fault of the police who expect people to behave!

Gian, poole, uk

AC Milan plays not good as their best, Liverpool plays as good as usual, so it's been a well balanced game. Only that Kaka were decisive, while Gerald failed to.

Chen, Beijing, China

It is true Milan should nto have been in the Champions League at all this season after the corruption scandal in Italy. But that does not change the admirable performance by the players throughout this season, fighting a serious point deduction in Serie A and meeting some very tough opponents in the CL. Kudos to a great Milan side.

Liverpool were poor. Dirk Kuyt is just not Champions League material. Could somebody tell him that, as a striker, he is supposed to score goals instead of aimlessly running around achieving virtually nothing?

Erik, The Hague, Netherlands

Dear Evan, how many champion's league or Premier League did Chelsea won in the last century? Or don't you remind that the only World Champion England team won in '66 was a really great shame? Bye Bye from Beautiful Italy, land of artists, saints and Football Champions...bye

Simone, Bologna,

To Evan Pritchard, London,

Get your facts straight, it was even written in this newspaper a couple of days ago that milan as club had nothing to do with the corruption scandel. It was an outside consultant who called a few linesmen without offering them anything! Look at the penalties that were given to Juventus, Reggina and Fiorentina and you'll find the real culprits of the Moggi regime. If you'd read the transcipts as those of us living in Italy during the events did you wouldn't have used that poor excuse for being a sore loser ! Liverpool were the better side yestaerday but so was Milan two years ago. That's football. My complimets to Mascherano who was brilliant and as well to Benitez whom for me is the best manager i Europe but most of all to Maldini !!

Jesper Dalager, Copenhagen, Denmark

About corruption it is not proved that A.C. Milan paid any referee in Serie A , as it is not proved that Liverpool paid the referee in 2005 final in Istambul . If you remember the mutch the gifts given to liverpool were many and it was more than suspicious everybody knows that the goalkeeper cannot change position before the striker touch the ball ...but the Italians couldn't complain we learn the lesson at the world cup in Corea.We must win two times to get one, so don't talk about corruction only wen this happen in Italy . Thanks

paolo, Rome, Italy

You will walk alone with 2 empty hands.

Peter, Dalian, China

Congrats once more, win or lose, liverpool have played yet another european cup final, the seventh no less....
In this night of defeat i recall the nights, from Jock Stein, Cloughie, Paisley, Ferguson etc, never were they faves, never was cash on their side but they have done us so proud. Tonight miles away from the isles, i thank you lads!!

Welcome home champs!!

john t, la coruña, spain

My compliments to Milan(Italian football) and Liverpool(Uk football). It was a great show. Thank you! Forza Napoli!! always in my heart.

Giancarlo, Niceville, FL, USA

A good result for Milan, a bad result for football, considering they shouldn't have been in the competition at all because of corruption charges. In response to Marco, you shouldn't play Chelsea, they have more money than Milan and can afford to pay the referees and officials more.

Evan Pritchard, London,

Hail Paolo Maldini for his persistence. Milan is not the same team with sharpness as in 2005. Liverpool is a better team now.

Alex Jin, Yantai, P.R.C.

Limited players equals limited strategy equals limited opportunity equals no trophy. Raffa has produced a team and style that will always produce the above mention.
The question is can he take the club to the next level with the money available in the summer. Some may doubt this with his recent buys, Bellamy and Pennant who did not place one decent cross of quality throughout the game.
The Liverpool fans should not hold their breath next season. Raffa epitomised his style of cautious play with putting on Crouch with 13 minutes to go.

Arthur Brocklebank, Liverpool, England

do we need to play chelsea as well?

marco, Treviso, Italy