page_title: 2007 UEFA Champions League Final
section_title: Post-match
hierarchical_section_title: 2007 UEFA Champions League Final / Post-match
caption_attribution_description: English: AC Milan players celebrate with the trophy after they beat Liverpool 2-1 to win the Champions League Final match at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
context_page_description: The 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece, on 23 May 2007. Liverpool, who had won the competition five times, were appearing in their seventh final. Milan, who had won the competition six times, were appearing in their eleventh final.
  Both teams had to pass through five rounds before they reached the final. They both entered in the third qualifying round and won their respective groups before they reached the knockout stage, where matches were contested over two legs, with a match at each team's home ground. Milan's victories varied from close affairs to comfortable victories. They defeated Celtic by a single goal over two legs, while they beat Manchester United 5–3 on aggregate in the semi-final.
context_section_description: The European Champion Clubs' Cup was presented to Milan captain Paolo Maldini in the Guest of Honour's box, as UEFA President Michel Platini favoured a return to the past tradition of the winning captain receiving the trophy among the fans. It had become customary in recent years to have the presentation on a hastily constructed podium in the centre of the pitch. This was the first time that the trophy was presented to a winning captain by a UEFA president who had actually played against him in the past; during Michel Platini's final seasons with Juventus, the then-teenager Paolo Maldini was making his professional debut with Milan.
  Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with his team after their success. Ancelotti's job had been under threat after a run of poor results in December, therefore the victory had extra significance for Ancelotti: "When I think back to December, we had to overcome so many hurdles so that makes it a very special victory." Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who had his fourth victory in the competition following Milan's triumph was equally proud in the team's achievement: "I am so proud to be part of this team. We worked hard this year, a very difficult year."
  A number of Milan players who had played in the 2005 final were delighted with the victory after they lost two years previous. Kaká claimed victory was all the sweeter as a result: "What happened then was strange, just six minutes when we played not so good and we paid for that." Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso echoed his teammates sentiments: "The defeat two years ago will stay me for a lifetime, but this is a different story. It's our turn to celebrate now." Striker Filippo Inzaghi, who missed the final in 2005, was delighted to have scored the goals that won the final for Milan: "I've scored quite a few times in Europe, but scoring in the Champions League final is something special." Milan President and owner Silvio Berlusconi was equally delighted about the success, adding that "the fortune we lacked in Istanbul we had with us tonight."
  Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez was disappointed that his team were unable to match their exploits of 2005, when they beat Milan in a penalty shootout. Despite this he was still proud of his players efforts: "Thank you to our supporters, my staff and players who worked really hard and deserved a bit more." Benítez was already thinking of making transfers in the aftermath of the match, hinting that his team lacked the same calibre of players that Milan had: "You could see the quality they had, and we need to start thinking how we can improve our team."
  Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was adamant that despite the defeat Liverpool would come back stronger next season: "We've got to pick ourselves up, have a good rest in the summer and then go again next season." Gerrard thought that although Liverpool controlled the first half, they did not control the match as much in the second half as they would have liked. Gerrard echoed his manager's sentiments in regards to new players joining the club: "We need to strengthen and bring some quality into the club. The manager and the people in charge of the club know that and it will be an interesting summer."
  Winning the Champions League entitled Milan to compete in the 2007 UEFA Super Cup against UEFA Cup winners Sevilla. The match was overshadowed by the death of Sevilla player Antonio Puerta, which raised the possibility that the Super Cup might not go ahead. It did however, Milan beat Sevilla 3–1 to secure their fifth Super Cup victory. Milan's success also entitled them to compete in the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup. They entered the competition in the semi-finals, defeating Japanese team Urawa Red Diamonds 1–0 to progress to the final where they faced Argentine team Boca Juniors. Milan won the match 4–2 to secure their first FIFA Club World Cup triumph.
caption: Milan players celebrate with the trophy.
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