Gotta say

The clbutt of the Milan players(90% of them anyway) in defeat,commenting in the aftermath of the game has been of the highest regard.

Both Kaka and Shevchanko have been very fair minded and honorable with their comments. and......er........isn't that lovely?? Like a feta cheese salad.........like the month of June, like a big balloon, like a .......

Sheva amazed by Reds comeback Champions League, Thursday May 26 2005 Andriy Shevchenko praised Liverpool for their "winning mentality" and believes they were destined to claim the Champions League.

The AC Milan striker, who missed the decisive penalty in the shoot-out after a pulsating 3-3 draw in Istanbul, was impressed at the way Rafael Benitez's men hit back after being 3-0 down at the interval.

He said: "It's very hard to explain. But I think it was destiny that decided to change sides and give the cup to Liverpool.

"With a 3-0 advantage it's difficult to think that any team can come back against Milan. But Liverpool found the courage to continue. Believe me, it's not easy when you are 3-0 down.

"They never lost hope, they believed right until the end that it was possible and I guess that is the winning mentality."

However, the 2004 European footballer of the year was critical of the match officials after having a first half goal disallowed for a marginal offside decision.

"The referee made a mistake. I knew that my goal wasn't offside there and then because it's one of those clbuttical plays that I always practise," he added.

"I always look at the defensive line and I wait for the last pbutt from the midfield to make sure that I'm not in an offside position."

The final appeared to be over at half-time after a Hernan Crespo double and a first-minute strike from captain Paolo Maldini gave the Rossoneri a commanding lead.

But the match changed in "six minutes of madness" before the hour mark as Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso got the Merseysiders back on level terms.

"It's true that in those five or six minutes we were distracted," said the Ukranian striker. "But you never expect such an outcome.

"To Liverpool's credit they played very good football and scored three goals."

The Rossoneri players wore stunned expressions at the final whistle but it is not the first time they have collapsed in such a manner.

In last season's Champions League quarter-final they held a 4-1 first leg advantage against Deportivo La Coruna only to lose the return 4-0 at the Riazor Stadium.

And they almost threw away their place in this year's final against PSV Eindhoven, squandering a 2-0 first leg lead, only for Mbuttimo Ambrosini's last-gasp header to secure their place against Liverpool.

But past disappointments are nothing compared to the anguish felt on Wednesday.

"It's very painful," said Shevchenko. "But we must accept it. I don't think we underestimated Liverpool and I'm not surprised at how they played.

"This team knocked Juventus and Chelsea out of the competition and they did what they had to do to win."

Shevchenko's penalty heartbreak was in stark contrast to his joy at netting the winning spot-kick as Milan beat Juventus in the 2003 final at Old Trafford.

"Penalties are cruel," he admitted.

Schevchenko and his Milan team-mates may feel they deserved better, but they only have themselves to blame for squandering a seemingly unbuttailable lead.

But as the star striker points out, the Merseysiders must be given due credit for showing amazing character to come back from the dead and claim the most unbelievable of Champions League glories."

-- "Luis Garcia laughed off suggestions that a Spanish referee would help the Reds in the CL final."