Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: 2/5/07 San Siro 5 (2) 3 (3) A.C. Milan Vs Manchester United It had all looked so comfortable for Manchester United after the first leg at Old Trafford. The players were jubilant that they had managed to beat the Italians, Ferguson was quietly confident and even Ancelotti admitted that the third goal was disappointing- but in the San Siro there was only one side who were worthy of that description. Make no mistake about it, United were run-ragged by Milan who really taught them a lesson about European football- it's not over till it's over.  As Chelsea found out yesterday, challenging on multiple fronts is not an easy task, and ironically this morning it is our two biggest clubs who lie in the Champions League rubble licking their wounds. Though unlike their London rivals, Manchester United went out with a whimper.  The signs were there early on. Barely two minutes had gone when Milan and Kaka suddenly broke free- the Brazilian superstar again tormenting United. He got the better of Vidic, whose fitness was described by Ferguson before the game as the lesser of the two evils compared to Rio Ferdinand, but could only drag his shot across the goalmouth. How Fergie must have wished he had had a bigger defensive pool at his disposal. That should have been all the warning United needed but it was about to get worse.  Milan won a free-kick delivered by Pirlo, the ball somehow found its' way out to Clarence Seedorf outside the area. The Dutch legend, a 3-time European Cup winner rifled in a scintillating half-volley at Van Der Sar who did well to turn the powerful effort over. Minutes later United were exposed again, Heinze had gone missing which allowed Oddo to tear down the right wing, his cross met the right foot of Kaka but again the keeper kept United in it.  The first goal was inevitable and it came after only eleven minutes, and there was only going to be one scorer. Seedorf came up with the cameo, heading downwards into the path of the Samba star; he made no mistake with a drilled shot deep into the left-hand corner.  United did muster attacking play but it was so far and few between that it was easy to miss. Scholes headed over from an offside position and Giggs produced a save out of Milan's suspect Brazilian keeper. But United's problem lay in two areas. Firstly their big players- Rooney, Ronaldo, Carrick and Giggs just did not turn up. The first two offenders in particular never seem to produce on the big stage and this could cost them when the stakes are higher.  The United defence had a complete shocker of a game. Vidic was slow, lethargic and clearly lacking fitness. Gabriel Heinze was a non-existent force on the left and the result was an exposed right-hand flank for Massimo Oddo to attack. Gattuso was doing his customary bulldog performance, getting involved in all the battles on the park and generally unsettling the United nerves.  Half an hour gone and it was goal number two- Seedorf reaping the reward for a fine performance and some scandalous defensive comedy. Heinze's pass across goal immediately put Vidic under pressure. The Serbian slipped on the surface and a poor clearance fell delightfully to Seedorf who wasted no time in belting a wicked half-volley past Van Der Sar.  United were shell-shocked and never really looked like scoring. Kaka was allowed so much freedom and space that a third goal was unavoidable and it came deep into the Second Half. United's performance had been so poor that the ineffective Pippo Inzaghi was still fruitlessly leading the line until the 67th minute. On came Giliardino, the poacher, and he soon found himself on the score sheet too. A 40 yard sprint from him after a beautiful through-ball left him one-on-one with Van Der Sar. Cool as you like, he fired the ball into the right-hand corner; it was as much a formality as you will see in Europe this year.  And that was it but what now for both clubs? Milan move onto their destiny, a rematch with the club who so cruelly denied them glory two years ago in Istanbul and Ferguson for one rates his old adversary's chances. Both Liverpool and Milan have this in common, they have beaten champions but they will both not be champions. Liverpool are of course miles off the pace domestically as are Milan, who have had the humiliation of seeing rivals Inter sweep the Serie A. But something tells you that both United and Chelsea will be back next year looking to exorcise the demons of the past few days. RATINGS- AC Milan (4-4-1-1)- Dida 6, Massimo Oddo 7, Marek Jankulovski 7, Kakha Kaladze 6, Alessandro Nesta 8, Gennaro Gattuso 8 (Sub 85), Andrea Pirlo 7, Clarence Seedorf 9*, Kaka 9 (Sub 86), Filippo Inzaghi 5 (Sub 67)/ Alberto Giliardino 7 (On 67), Cafu 5 (On 85),  Giuseppe Favalli 5 (On 86) Manchester United (4-5-1)- Edwin Van Der Sar 7, Gabriel Heinze 4, John O'Shea 7 (Sub 77), Wes Brown 6, Nemanja Vidic 4, Michael Carrick 6, Cristiano Ronaldo 6, Paul Scholes 7, Darren Fletcher 7, Ryan Giggs 6, Wayne Rooney 6/ Louis Saha (On 77) 6 Text Box: Links and affiliates Contact Me