FC Barcelona´s heroic win at San Siro yesterday night was the first home defeat for Milan in nearly three years of European competition.


Barca´s superb victory should dent moral of the Milan team by smashing the impressive home record over the past Champions League seasons. It was Milan´s first European home defeat since December 2003 and Barca ended this 13-match unbeaten run. So far this season, Milan had won four of their home CL matches and conceded just one goalless draw against PSV Eindhoven.


The last time Barca beat Milan at San Siro was in the 1959-60 season when FC Barcelona won a European Cup match 0-2 with the goals scored by Vergés and Luis Suárez. Since that night, Barca had visited the legendary San Siro stadium on three occasions: losing twice and drawing once.


But also Barca can look back on an impressive record in Europe this season. With just one more game separating them from the Champions League Final in Paris on May 17th, Barca are enjoying a truly superb run in the Champions League. They have now played 11 matches, winning no less than 8 and conceding just 3 draws away to Panathinaikos (0-0), at home to Chelsea (1-1) and away to Benfica (0-0).
Barca's dominant role in the Champions League this year is also backed by the goals scored and conceded statistics. The Barcelona team scored 22 goals this season and this means no other team has scored more often than Barca. FC Barcelona also conceded only 4 goals. Only Arsenal, who have conceded 2 goals but with one game pending against Villarreal tonight have conceded less so far.


You can watch Guily's goal by clicking here

Source: You Tube

Italians "Ex-Prime Minister" Silvio Berlusconi has to eat his words. Italians richest man, "Ex-Prime Minister" of Italy and AC Milan President shouted out that he, the "Cavaliere", would first win italian´s general elections and then after Milan the Champions League. Even "Silvio", branded by his own wife as "a liar, but a sweet liar" does not admit to his defeat yet, it is obvious for all others that he could not keep his promises. Fortunately for the italian people "Napoleon" was kicked out and relegated from Italy´s "Premier" League of politics and has got time to concentrate on his beloved football club AC Milan. Berlusconi hates defeats and tries to avoid them by any cost. So, Silvio, I would like to hear what you have to say, when your beloved Milan will be kicked out of the Champions League and Barca instead will play the "great" final in Paris against Arsenal London or Villareal? I love the thought of seeing your lifted face! It will be an honour, "Il Cavaliere"!

Italians Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Media Tycoon and richest man in Italy does not like defeat. He still suffers from last years defeat in the final against Liverpool. Therefore "Big Silvio" is dermined to win the semi final against FC Barcelona at all cost. But Italians current Prime Minister faces another tough encounter, the general elections of his country Italy. Like Milan, it will be a tough task but Silvio is confident:
"I will win the elections and Milan wins the Champions League"



Barça will visit San Siro for the semi final first leg on 18th of April and the rematch will be played at Camp Nou one week later on April 26. By then, we will know if Silvio is still Prime Minister and if Milan will be disappointed again.

For 2/3´s of Europe´s football fans one thing is very clear: FC Barcelona will win the UEFA Championsleague !
An amazing 66.67% of Europe´s football fans surveyed by UEFA´s official website believe that there can only be one winner of this year´s UEFA Champions League Final in Paris on 17th of May: FC Barcelona !

AC Milan, Barca´s opponent in the semi final of the Champions League is second, with only 24.24%. Villarreal, Spain´s other remaining team is on third with 6.06%. Arsenal FC, with Spanish wizzkid Cesc Fabregas and Baca´s summer target Thierry Henry are literally without chance. Only 3.03% believe that Arsenal could win the Champions League.
these were the results from this morning and the poll is still going on and results might change. Results can be seen on: http://www.uefa.com/fanzone/polls/index.htmx


The same survey says that nearly 3/4 of the European´s football fans (71.43%) believe that FC Barcelona will beat AC Milan over the two legs in the semi finals of the Champions League. The other semi final is believed to be much closer. Villarreal is slight favourites over Arsenal London. Villareal received 52.63% to beat Arsenal, while respectively only 47.37% believe that the Gunners will reach the final.


Also the Internet Betting Companies such as Interapuestas, Ladbrokes, William Hill, Betfair... all pay very little money for a victory of FC Barcelona, either to win the semi final or the final. A clear sign that Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o, Puyol and Co. are treated as top favourites over Villareal, Arsenal and even AC Milan. Due to the fact that most punter´s see Barca eliminating Milan in the semi final, most money is put on a final between FC Barcelona and Arsenal which leaves Villareal as outsiders.

After qualifying against Benfica for the semi finals of the UEFA Champions League, FC Barcelona reaches the semi finals of Europe's finest club competition for the ninth time in history. In their eight previous semi final appearances, Barça reached the final 4 times so far which gives FC Barcelona a 50% success rate.
Eliminating AC Milan would be Barça's fifth appearance in the final, after Berne (1961), Seville (1986), London (1992) and Athens (1994).


FC Barcelona reached the semi finals for the first time in 1959-60, when they were beaten by Spanish arch-rivals Real Madrid. A year later they even made it into the Final in Berne. In the semi finals they beat German team Hamburger SV and marched on to their first ever European Cup Final, which was lost to Benfica, 3-2 in Berne, Switzerland.


Barça would not return to the European Cup semi finals until 1974-75. At this time, legend Johan Cruyff was the big star but English side Leeds United eliminated Barça and lost the final against Bayern Munich later. 11 years later, in 1986 FC Barcelona eliminated IFK Gothenburg but Barca famously failed to win the trophy in Sevilla, losing to Steaua Bucharest on penalties after a goalless draw.


1992 appeared the big moment and FC Barcelona finally conquered their first European Champions Cup crown, beating Sampdoria 1-0 in extra time from a free kick of Ronald Koeman at Wembley. But curiously enough, that was the only year in the competition's history that there was no semi final round. In 1992, the eight quarter finalists played in two groups of four teams, and the winners of each group progressed directly to the final.


FC Porto were Barca's victims in the semi finals two years later in what had now become the Champions League. In 1994 AC Milan were the rivals of the "Dream Team" coached by the legend Johan Cruyff. But the Athens final turned out to be the one that all Culés would prefer to forget. Full with hope to win the title the second time a formidable Milan team stormed to a 4-0 victory. FC Barcelona's last two semi final appearances ended in defeat to Spanish teams. Valencia in 1999-00 and Real Madrid in 2001-02 knocked out Barca on both ocassions.


But FC Barcelona have enjoyed success a lot of success in the other major European tournaments. Barca progressed six times as far as the semi finals of the Cup Winners Cup. Amazingly, FC Barcelona didn't lose any of the six, and went on to lift the trophy on four occasions: 1978-79, 81-82, 88-89 and 96-97. Barca won 3 times the UEFA (or Fair Cup) but lost four UEFA Cup semi finals in the years 1975-76, 1977-78, 95-96 and 00-01.



But FC Barcelona never met Italian teams in the semi finals of the Champions Cup or Champions League Competition and AC Milan will be the first one. But they did meet Italian clubs in the semis of the Cup Winners Cup, beating Juventus in 90-91 and Fiorentina in 96-97.