We showed Milan too much respect, says Houllier

Coach Gerard Houllier said Olympique Lyon were overawed by Milan's reputation in the early stages of their goalless draw in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

"We showed them too much respect in the first 20 minutes but as soon as we lifted the level of our game we put them in trouble," Houllier told reporters after the first-leg stalemate.

"It was not like my team for 20 minutes. The guys looked like they were frozen. I could hardly believe what was going on."

Houllier promised an improvement in the return at the San Siro next Tuesday.

"We are going to play the second leg at 100 per cent. We are going to be much better there," he said.

"We have always scored away in the Champions League."

It was only the third time in 45 games that Lyon had failed to score. The Ligue 1 leaders have yet to lose an away match in this season's Champions League.

"A goalless draw is not illogical," Houllier said. "It may be good for us. It puts Milan in the situation where they have to score in the second leg.

"It certainly was one of the best games I've seen this year and it proves we can challenge any side in Europe as Milan are clearly one of the best among the eight teams still in contention."

Lyon captain Claudio Cacapa said they will go for victory in the San Siro.

"We will go to Milan to win the second leg. More than ever, the odds are now 50-50," said Cacapa.

"We must not feel disappointed by this draw. We haven't given anything away."

Lyon's ambitious chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has set the team the goal to become only the second French side to lift the continental trophy after Marseille in 1993.

Having learned from the last two seasons when they fell at the quarter-final stage, Lyon look better equipped this time to tackle Europe's big guns.

"We are confident for the second leg," said midfielder Jeremy Clement. "It's going to be tough but we are going to show them what we are worth. We gave them a hell of a trouble here."

"We realised that Milan were not as strong as we thought they were," added fellow midfielder Benoit Pedretti.

"And I don't think they have any edge on us."

Lyon will be boosted for the second leg by the return of the talismanic Brazilian playmaker Juninho, who sat out the first leg through suspension.

However, they will be without the influential Tiago who will be suspended after he was booked for a foul on Milan's Kaka during stoppage time. "He sacrificed himself to deny Milan a chance to score," said Cacapa. "We will go to Milan to qualify and we will dedicate our qualification to him."

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti agreed the tie was nicely poised for the return match.

"We didn't come here to play for a goalless result but to play our game," he said.

"It's still wide open. The issue of the quarter-finals will be decided in Milan next week and both sides have a chance to qualify."

Ancelotti praised Lyon goalkeeper Gregory Coupet for his first-half performance.

"We had a great start and it's a pity we failed to score early," he said.

"They (Lyon) certainly didn't expect such a challenge. Coupet did a great job to save them.

"They (Lyon) played much better after the interval but we managed to hang on."