THAT SOMETHING EXTRA

from acmilan.com

THAT SOMETHING EXTRA

8/23/2005 9:12:00 AM

Everyone involved with the Rossoneri will remember the letter received from UEFA after the Champions League final. It thanked Milan for the part they played in the competition and in a way was an acknowledgment of a moral victory on that cruel night in the Ataturk against Liverpool where from neutral eyes both sides deserved merit for the quality of play. Milan have been awarded in type in the 21 nominations for the UEFA Champions League Awards 2004-05, with three defenders, two midfielders and an attacker which works out at least 30 per cent of the shortlist. Naturally, there is Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko, the former the star of the first half in Istanbul, the later having what looked like a good goal disallowed in the second. Significantly, two great veterans of the game, Paolo Maldini and Cafu are amongst the candidates as is Alessandro Nesta in defence. Then there is Andrea Pirlo in midfield and of course, Nelson Dida, who made a major impression throughout the competition, vying for the goalkeeper position. Each one of Milan’s candidates at the Montecarlo gala event will be looking ahead to the 2005-06 Champions League season and will be giving it their all to reach Paris and lay Istanbul to rest.

UEFA CLUB FOOTBALL AWARDS

8/23/2005 9:06:00 AM

MONTECARLO - Here are shortlists of the nominations:

GOALKEEPERS: Buffon (Juventus), Cech (Chelsea), Dudek (Liverpool).

DEFENDERS: Cafu, Nesta and Maldini (Milan), Carragher and Hyppia (Liverpool), Terry (Chelsea).

MIDFIELDERS: Ballack (Bayern), Gerrard (Liverpool), Kakà and Pirlo (Milan), Juninho (Lione), Lampard (Chelsea), Van Bommel (Psv).

STRIKERS: Adriano (Inter), Eto’o and Ronaldinho (Barcellona), Park (Psv), Shevchenko (Milan).