Better than sex. (You'll never walk alone.)

I guess the stage was set... before the match... why should Liverpool win? They've hardly been the best team all season, although their attitude in getting results in Europe is certainly commendable. Add to that AC Milan are seasoned winners of trophies with robotic precision. But I respect Benitez for finally achieving his dream... failing twice with Valencia to get this prize, and trying again with what many would consider a lesser team (Traore has a Champ's League Medal!)

We decided to catch the match at M.I.A (Made in Anfield), the recently relocated LFC fan club at UE Square. I was wearing a yellow replica kit from the 97-98 season kindly loaned by Kevin. The atmosphere was raucous... dance music, freeflow drinks... but it did seem a little tacky for a football match... you know... i would have liked hot dogs and balloons. Still... there were hot babes prancing around in nothing and cheesy music and lots and lots of Carlsberg.

6 hours before the match begins. 6 hours to wait... we got to know the Liverpool fans around us...

And then the match happened... the class and composure of Milan told as they scored the goal they promised to get in the 1st 3 minutes. The way Liverpool played was... well as usual uninspiring when they've formed up with bad tactics and a little like kangaroos and headlights. don't go together. shevchenko and kaka rightly shredded us apart. there it is. 3-0 down at half time.

okay... the place emptied... plenty of people left... i was thinking, lets just play for pride, just show we deserve to be in the final, and maybe we really don't deserve it because we're not champions of england. still... i felt gutted... supported liverpool since young, don't know what it means, but i sure know how it feels... visceral.

had to stay on... could never have forgiven myself if i left, if i missed something... and i got more than i bargained for. 75 more minutes of pure torture wondering if we would make it. 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3... it all seemed to be adding up... what with the sheer heart of them... you can't deny they worked their socks off... as legs were streched with cramp and carragher throwing himself and mopping the floor with his jersey to cut out passes.

that's why liverpool will never walk alone... it felt as if the kop kept the ball out when dudek made a double save...and with all the penalties... penalties are a lottery... but... having lost out to this lottery before, and ancelottie benefiting from it... i guess... it would have been a heartbreak for benitez to be 3rd time unlucky.

nothing i say changes anything. i was there. 13 years in the making for me. 1st time i see what it's like.