Milan and Liverpool prepare for first meeting

Milan and Liverpool, who between them have appeared in 21 European finals, will meet for the first time in this season's Champions League showpiece in Istanbul on May 25.

Milan booked their place in Europe's greatest club final for the second time in three seasons despite losing 3-1 at PSV Eindhoven in their semi-final second leg on Wednesday to squeak through on away goals after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate.

Just as there was heartbreak for Chelsea, beaten 1-0 by Liverpool on Tuesday after a goalless opening leg, so was there heartbreak too for PSV who, like Chelsea, dominated their semi for long periods but ultimately finished empty-handed.

PSV were the better team on the night and the first to score against Milan in eight Champions League matches since November, but one piece of slack marking in stoppage time allowed Massimo Ambrosini to head their all-important away goal.

Up until that point goals from South Krean forward Ji-Sung Park and Philip Cocu appeared to have done enough to at least earn PSV extra time.

Ambrosini's header meant either Milan would go through or PSV had to score twice to win and, with only seconds to play, that was never likely.

Cocu's well-taken second goal - coming even later than Ambrosini's - made their ultimately meaningless second leg victory more bitter-sweet for the Dutch champions.

So the stage is set for the clash on May 25 between two of Europe's most successful and greatest clubs - even if it will be Liverpool's first appearance in the final since 1985.

On that occasion they lost to Juventus on the night of the Heysel Stadium disaster in Brussels when 39 mainly Italians died after a wall collapsed following a stampede by Liverpool fans.

The 20th anniversary of the disaster falls four days after the final with Milan, which is Liverpool's third European Cup final against Italian opposition after Roma (1984) and Juve.

But it was widely marked last month when Liverpool met Juventus for the first time since then in the quarter-finals and now all eyes will be fully focused on the future - and more especially the next three weeks leading up to the match.

Liverpool have battled past Juve and newly-crowned English champions Chelsea, conceding only one goal in the four matches played.

That means despite starting as favourites, Milan have a difficult task ahead of them in Istanbul if they are to win the cup for the seventh time.

Another performance like the one they gave in Eindhoven will almost certainly see Liverpool flying home as champions for the first time since their fourth success in 1984.

Maldini's seventh final

Most of the Milan side have recent experience of the Champions League final after playing Juventus in 2003.

Skipper Paolo Maldini, though, will be playing in his seventh European Cup or Champions League final after victories in 1989, 1990, 1994 and 2003 and defeats in 1993 and 1995.

If he plays and Milan win, Maldini will join Alfredo Di Stefano and Jose Maria Zarraga of Real Madrid's great team of the 1950s in winning five finals.

That would leave him just one behind Francisco Gento, the only man to play in all of Real's first six wins between 1956 and 1966.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti will be looking to lift his second Champions League title after their penalty shootout success against Juventus in 2003.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will be aiming to follow up last season's UEFA Cup success at Valencia with Liverpool's first European trophy since they won the UEFA Cup in 2001.

Both clubs will also be battling against Italian and English opposition respectively for the second time this season.

Milan knocked out Manchester United in the quarter-finals after 1-0 wins at Old Trafford and San Siro, while Liverpool saw off Juve 2-1 at Anfield before drawing 0-0 in Turin.