Post by Salem6 on Apr 27, 2006 15:35:35 GMT
Barcelona book date with Gunners
By Steve Tongue at the Nou Camp
Published: 27 April 2006
sport.independent.co.uk/football/european/article360445.ece
So Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o and Giovanni van
Bronckhorst will be standing between Arsenal and their
first European Cup in Paris in three weeks' time,
rather than Andrei Shevchenko, Kaka and Jaap Stam.
Milan, having suffered a 1-0 defeat after wasting
several chances in the home leg last week, were denied
parity when Shevchenko's header in the second half was
controversially disallowed.
The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, who was among the
rapturous crowd of 95,661 last night, will have noted
that on the evidence of these two games Barcelona's
adventurous approach will give his team a chance and
could make for an encounter as thrilling as this one.
Thierry Henry, coveted by Barça, will certainly fancy
his chances against the often ponderous partnership of
Carles Puyol and Rafael Marquez. Henry will also
require considerably more support than in the
semi-final defeat of Villarreal on Tuesday from
team-mates who may have hands and feet full coping
with a midfield that could yet include either Lionel
Messi or Xavi, both currently injured.
It was a measure of the visitors' task, which they
came close to achieving, that only Ajax had ever
overturned a home defeat in the semi-finals of this
competition. Frank Rijkaard, determined not to risk a
similar fate, had insisted that Barcelona did not sit
on their lead and they declined to do so in a game
played at the pace of a Premiership encounter with
perhaps four times the skill.
It takes two to make that sort of match and Milan
played their part. Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi
often had the guile to outwit the home defence while
Kaka was more successful than in the first leg at
escaping Edmilson. Opportunities were shared as play
switched from one penalty area to the other at often
bewildering speed.
Neither defence was secure, Milan's unexpectedly
suffering from the late inclusion of Alessandro
Costacurta, two days after blowing out 40 candles on
his birthday cake. He showed his age more than once
and collected the night's first booking just before
half-time for a cynical trip on the lively Eto'o.
Costacurta also hooked off the line after his error
had let Eto'o in; and the substitute Henrik Larsson
demanded a good save from Dida.
But Milan's followers high in the Nou Camp had plenty
of positive moments to crane their necks towards,
above all in the 68th minute. Shevchenko was
justifiably convinced he had scored, only to have what
looked a clean header chalked off for an alleged push
on Puyol. The referee Markus Merk performed his
warm-down half an hour after the finish with Milanese
whistles ringing in his burning ears.
Wenger said: "Ronaldinho can produce something special
in any moment but I saw some encouraging things. The
important thing is to go with the right belief."
Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Belletti, Marquez, Puyol,
Van Bronckhorst; Deco, Edmilson, Iniesta; Giuly
(Larsson, 68), Eto'o (Van Bommel, 89), Ronaldinho.
Substitutes not used: Jorquera (gk), Motta, Maxi,
Silvinho, Gabri.
Milan (4-3-1-2): Dida; Stam, Costacurta (Cafu, 64),
Kaladze, Serginho; Gattuso (Rui Costa, 68), Pirlo,
Seedorf; Kaka; Shevchenko, Inzaghi (Gilardino, 79).
Substitutes not used: Kalac (gk), Maldini, Vogel,
Jankulovski.
Referee: M Merk (Germany)