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Reality check

Man Utd, Chelsea prove they're not untouchable

Posted: Friday May 4, 2007 2:53PM; Updated: Friday May 4, 2007 2:53PM
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Chelsea keeper Peter Cech shows his frustration after falling to Liverpool in the Champions League semifinals.
Chelsea keeper Peter Cech shows his frustration after falling to Liverpool in the Champions League semifinals.
Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
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Athens 2007, the final of the European Champions League, is a rematch of Istanbul 2005, with five-time winners Liverpool pitted against six-time champs AC Milan. Some may see it as a kick in the teeth for English football that there is not an all-English final, despite producing three out of the four semifinalists. Team Limey thinks it's a kick in the backside for the top two EPL sides, who lately have been sending out the message that they're untouchable.

Kaka led AC Milan to a 3-0 walkover against a Manchester United, shattering the dream of a second "treble" season of combined Champions League, EPL and FA Cup titles.

Chelsea went into this week's Champions League semifinal second leg against Liverpool with a 1-0 lead, and with Jose Mourinho leading the charge in his war of words against Liverpool.

This time though it seems the Special One's tactics backfired on him. In the build-up to the game, Mourinho belittled the Red's EPL record over the last three years. He claimed they've only really "played" 3-4 games so far this season, implying that they've given up on the EPL to concentrate on the Champions League. Later, he went further describing Liverpool as a "small club, and a cup team." Rafa Benitez fired a broadside back at Mourinho, terming the Anfield fans the real "special ones."

After a 90 minutes of sloppy play, Liverpool led 1-0 and the match went into extra time because it was even on aggregate. Neither team scored in the two extra periods and Liverpool prevailed 4-1 on penalties after misses by Arjen Robben and Geremi. Afterward, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard revealed what had driven his team onto victory: "[Mourinho] makes us laugh, but for him to say that we are a little club was a bit disrespectful. Two European Cup finals in three years -- not bad for a little club is it?"

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