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Massimo Oddo
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MILAN-ARSENAL

GOALKEEPERS: Kalac, Fiori, Offredi

DEFENDERS: Bonera, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo, Simic

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Gattuso, Emerson, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Seedorf

STRIKERS: Gilardino, Inzaghi, Paloschi, Pato, Kaka.

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AC Milan 0:2 (0:2 on aggregate) Arsenal - match report

Scorers: Fabregas 84 (A), Adebayor 92 (A)

Cesc Fabregas performed a goalline clearance and scored Arsenal's late winner, as Milan's defence of the Champions League is ended.

With the first leg ending goalless, the Rossoneri needed a victory to qualify and threw on a trident attack with Kaka and Alexandre Pato supporting Champions League Final hero Pippo Inzaghi. Clarence Seedorf was not even fit for the bench, joining Marek Jankulovski, Serginho, Nelson Dida and Ronaldo on the sidelines. Arsenal made the trip without Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky and Kolo Toure', but Manuel Almunia returned between the posts.

Alexander Hleb blasted well over from distance, but the first real chance on seven minutes saw Pato dribbled past four Arsenal defenders and his left-foot strike was deflected out for a corner off Sagna.

From the resulting spot-kick the ball squirmed all the way through and Cesc Fabregas required a goalline clearance at the near post. The move continued and a cross was pushed off the head of Kakha Kaladze from seven yards.

Almunia rushed out to clear from Pato outside the box and on the counter Abou Diaby curled past the far post. It was mostly Milan in the opening stages and Inzaghi couldn't get enough power on his volley to truly trouble Almunia.

The Rossoneri had a fantastic chance on 19 minutes with Kaka sprinting away from Fabregas and crossing for the unmarked Pato at the back post, but the youngster hesitated and chipped a weak effort straight at Almunia.

Moments later Inzaghi was sent clear on goal by a Philippe Senderos header, but Gael Clichy dived in with a crucial clearance. From the corner Inzaghi's free header was off target.

Oddo held up the ball for Kaka to cut in from the right channel and hit a low snapshot inches past the base of the near post. Alessandro Nesta was struggling with a right thigh injury and passed straight to Emmanuel Adebayor, his strike fingertipped over the bar by Zeljko Kalac.

Hleb was harshly booked for simulation as he fell under a Nesta challenge just outside the box. Arsenal started to come out of their shell and Fabregas cracked a right-foot shot from the D against the bar with Kalac beaten.

Adebayor lost his footing in the box and allowed Gennaro Gattuso to clear, then the Arsenal striker scuffed from another good position. Kaka was clearly not 100 per cent fit yet after his injury worries and opted to pass to Pato rather than aim one of his trademark runs straight at the defence in acres of space.

Milan started the second half in similarly shaky fashion, as a corner came all the way to the back post for Senderos to fire straight at a grateful Kalac.

Pato drilled well wide from distance, but Andrea Pirlo gave the ball away to Adebayor foolishly in the D and Milan were fortunate Emmanuel Eboue' fired wide with only Kalac to beat.

The Rossoneri fought back as a dipping Pirlo free kick bounced just in front of Almunia and he pushed it round the upright with his forearm. Kaka went on a slalom dragging two Gunners behind him and fired wide of the near post, while Pato also shot off target.

Alberto Gilardino replaced Inzaghi and Theo Walcott came on for Eboue', as both sides tried to inject some fresh legs into attack with 20 minutes remaining. A corner was cleared to Oddo, whose snapshot hit Gilardino in front of Almunia.

There was absolute chaos in the Milan box, though. A free kick ricocheted around the area and Kalac used his legs to block Walcott's shot, eventually managing to smother it at the feet of Adebayor.

Pato didn't realise he was on side and a good counter was wasted, but soon after he skipped past Clichy and flashed a left-foot shot across the face of goal with a deflection, though the corner was not given.

Pato attempted an audacious curling shot from the edge of the area and it was easy for Almunia when he should perhaps have passed to Gilardino.

It needed a moment out of nowhere to break the deadlock in this tie and it came from Fabregas. He unleashed a sudden snapshot from 25 yards that may have taken a deflection off Nesta's elbow. on its way past Kalac at the near post.

This meant Milan needed two goals in the last five minutes to qualify, but their heads were down now and Arsenal found it easy to get a second on the counter. Kaladze failed to stop Walcott down the right and he crossed for a simple Adebayor tap-in.

Milan: Kalac; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Kaka; Inzaghi (Gilardino 69), Pato

Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Senderos, Clichy; Eboue’ (Walcott 70), Flamini, Fabregas, Diaby; Hleb (Gilberto 89); Adebayor

Ref: Plautz (Aus)

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Not The Real Milan – Oddo

Massimo Oddo has apologised to Rossoneri fans after last night’s defeat to Arsenal, and says that the real Milan did not turn up.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men were outplayed for large periods of the match as they lost 2-0 at San Siro and were dumped out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage.

"My performance doesn’t mean much, even though it was good. We did not play like Milan,” said Oddo.

“We are sorry for the fans and also for us. Arsenal were really good. Now we can understand the merits we had last year, when we were very good and also lucky. In this season we made a few too many mistakes… and today this was the case as well because we were eliminated.”

Oddo then went on to stress that Milan must now turn their attention to Serie A and make sure they finish in the top four in order to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Rossoneri are currently in fifth place, four points behind Fiorentina in the position above them.

“Now let’s think about the league, which we need to get back into Europe. The fans will be sorry and we as much as them, but I hope they remain close to us,” he stated.

“It can happen to exit a competition, after many years of success, but there is surely the will to return.

“At Empoli [this weekend] it will not be easy, also because this defeat will be felt from the psychological level.”

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  • 2 weeks later...

ROMA-MILAN

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Fiori, Kalac;

DEFENDERS: Bonera, Digao, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Oddo, Simic;

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Emerson, Gattuso, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf;

STRIKERS: Gilardino, Pato, Paloschi.

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AS Roma 2:1 AC Milan - match report

Scorers: Kaka 56', Giuly 78', Vucinic 81'

Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic overturned Kaka's goal in three minutes for Roma's 2-1 victory over Milan.

There was a great deal at stake at the Olimpico, as the Giallorossi needed to keep up the pressure on Inter and the visitors had to maintain their race for a top four finish. Gennaro Gattuso returned from suspension, but Alessandro Nesta, Nelson Dida, Serginho, Marek Jankulovski, Ronaldo, Pippo Inzaghi and former Roma hero Marcos Cafu didn't make the trip. This meant Carlo Ancelotti - an ex-Giallorossi hero as a player - was able to field a Christmas Tree formation.

Christian Panucci performed a perfectly-timed challenge to tackle Kaka in the box, while Giuseppe Favalli had to clear for a corner when a dangerous Amantino Mancini cross found the Milan defence unprepared.

Zeljko Kalac's poor clearance was straight at Simone Perrotta and risked giving away a goal, but 30 seconds later Alexandre Pato's chipped cross was just too high for Clarence Seedorf.

The first real chance was on 25 minutes when De Rossi's cross was flicked on by Totti and Mancini's acrobatic scissor-kick was over the bar. Moments later Milan threatened too, as Seedorf went past two defenders and Alexandre Doni plucked Kaka's header out of the air.

Totti found space from nine yards on a chipped Rodrigo Taddei pass over the defence, but flashed his shot across the face of goal.

Seedorf dribbled past four defenders to enter the area, but eventually Taddei managed to cut off his path as the last man with a crucial intervention. Kaka nodded a Favalli cross wide of the far post.

Totti rolled back for the unmarked David Pizarro, but his scuffed shot and a Juan attempted deflection were off target.

Max Tonetto's cross from the left was a couple of inches too high for Totti to connect a header from six yards in first half stoppages. At the half-time whistle Totti and Luciano Spalletti were furious, as a corner was halted for an irregularity.

Straight after the restart Seedorf slipped a pass through the crowd of defenders for Kaka, but the Brazilian had a powerful effort parried from seven yards by one strong Doni hand.

Moments later Doni was again called into action with a low one-handed save at the near post on Seedorf, as Milan were far more aggressive in the second half.

Milan were piling on the pressure and opened the scoring on 56 minutes. Massimo Oddo had acres of space down the right channel to run onto Andrea Pirlo's pass and crossed for Kaka to smash under the bar from eight yards with the inside of his left foot.

Totti had a great chance to equalise, but the move was halted for an evident handling offence.

The Rossoneri really should have been 2-0 up on the hour mark. Seedorf combined brilliantly with Pato and the Dutchman squirmed past Doni, but lost his footing from that challenge and Cicinho was able to get back for a goalline clearance.

Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic were introduced to spice up the Roma attack, but Milan kept pushing and Pirlo's pass over the defence found Kaka totally unmarked for a half-volley that Doni palmed over the bar.

Zeljko Kalac smothered a Vucinic snapshot, but on the counter Pato skipped past Juan and jumped over Doni, earning only a booking for simulation. Emerson replaced Seedorf and was greeted with jeers by the Roma crowd, as he had left the club controversially to join rivals Juventus.

Totti's backheel sent Vucinic clear and he fired over, while Pato selfishly went for goal.

Roma equalised in chaotic circumstances 12 minutes from time. The ball ricocheted around and Perrotta eventually managed to thread a pass through for the utterly unmarked Giuly to volley in from eight yards.

Paolo Maldini's challenge prevented Perrotta from giving them the lead 60 seconds later, but Vucinic turned the game around completely! He sprung the offside trap on a De Rossi ball from the right to slide an angled drive past Kalac.

It wasn't over yet and Totti's lob was just too wide and it was end to end stuff in these final minutes. There was more bad news for the Rossoneri, as Kaka pulled up with lower back pain, something that has been troubling him for some time.

Kalac saved from Giuly and Totti didn't get enough power to a header from Vucinic's cross, but in stoppages Milan players were queuing up and couldn't make contact with Oddo and Pirlo crosses, as Alberto Gilardino took it off Alberto Paloschi's head. The last kick of the game was a Pirlo free kick over the bar.

Roma: Doni; Cicinho, Panucci, Juan, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro (Giuly 62); Taddei (Aquilani 72), Perrotta, Mancini (Vucinic 56); Totti

Milan: Kalac; Oddo, Maldini, Kaladze, Favalli; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini (Gilardino 85); Kaka (Paloschi 87), Seedorf (Emerson 72); Pato

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Player Ratings: Roma 2-1 Milan

Late goals from Ludovic Giuly and Mirko Vucinic cancelled out Kaká's opener to give Roma a 2-1 victory over AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico

Kalac 3.5 – Hard to be positive here. Looked nervous throughout, didn’t command his box, was dodgy with clearances and probably shouldn’t have let Vucinic beat him at his near post.

Oddo 6 – Awful before the break with unconvincing defending and disappointing crosses, but far more assured in the second half and gave a superb assist for the goal. Less to blame for the late mistakes than the rest of the back line.

Maldini 6.5 – Had an outstanding game, commanding at the back and ruthless going forward – only to then play a leading role in the late collapse.

Kaladze 4.5 – It’s clear the Georgian isn’t yet on top form – looked very fragile in the first half and his indecision proved costly at the end.

Favalli 5.5 – Looked fairly comfortable at the back and got forward well but things changed with the emergence of Giuly.

Gattuso 5.5 – Struggled to stamp his authority on this game.

Pirlo 6 – Wasteful with his own chances but delivered some terrific passes, not least in the build-up to the goal.

Ambrosini 5 – Clearly a loser in the battle of the midfield

Kaka 6.5 – Sloppy at times, brilliant at others. Got the goal and always carried a threat.

Seedorf 7 – Probably Milan’s best player even though he squandered a great chance to make it 2-0. Things fell apart only when he was subbed.

Pato 5.5 – Poor final balls didn’t help his cause but then he didn’t make use of what he was given either. Terrible dive.

Substitutes

72mins Emerson (NA); 85mins Gilardino (NA); 88mins Paloschi (NA)

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WE DESERVED MORE

At the end of the match the rossoneri talked about their disappointment for a defeat which came after a good performance by Milan: "Too bad we didn't finish them off after it was 1-0". - THE DECLARATIONS -

ROME - Here are the declarations made by the rossoneri following Roma-Milan 2-1:

KAKHA KALADZE:

"We are disappointed because we lost a match we didn't deserve to lose: the team played well, it was truly a great Milan. We can win games even with just one goal, we have to be more careful once we go in front. If we had scored the second goal maybe we would have closed the game, but this is football and it's good also for this reason. Their first goal came in a really strange way, we could have kicked the ball away, but we failed to do so and Totti played a nice ball to Giuly who was all alone."

MASSIMO ODDO:

"We're very disappointed because tonight we finally gave a good performance, it was the match which signalled a new start and the defeat was completely undeserved, we weren't cynical enough and we could've closed the game before. We have to start again with the knowledge that we are on the right road.

Roma were different to what we expected, they were a bit low key and we really played a good match. Our only mistake was not to have closed the match after going 1-0 up."

PAOLO MALDINI:

"Personally I'm doing fine, but today I'm disappointed because we played a great match and coming to play in Rome and going home with no points hurts.

Also tonight we suffered some injuries like the one to Clarence. He's a very important player for us, who always manages to put the opposition teams in difficulty by moving between the lines. Too bad about this game, we should have closed it before."

KAKA':

"Tonight we saw a great Milan on the pitch, I think it was our best match of the season. I'm really disappointed about the result because we didn't deserve to lose. I hurt my back when I tried to pass the ball to Favalli. Now it still hurts, but it's early to decide if I'll be there on Wednesday against Sampdoria, let's see tomorrow."

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