Italians transform Old Trafford

By Paul Nixon in Manchester

Style was certainly the order of the day as AC Milan triumphed over Juventus FC on penalties to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Italian invasion
However, while the proceedings on the pitch may have pleased those lovers of the patient yet beautiful game, it was during the build-up to the match when elegance and panache were the keywords. With over 50,000 Milanisti and Juventini making the journey to Manchester, there was sure to be a degree of flair and a waft of cologne in the air.

Bold and the beautiful
This was a day for the bold and the beautiful - rather than travelling fans packing themselves on to cheap flights or attempting to make their way by car, the early edition of the Manchester Evening News was already reporting that Manchester Airport had been "invaded by dozens of private Lear jets", helping make it the busiest day in the airport's history.

Fans mingle
Indeed, this was to be a day of two halves. By noon, the blazing sun and oppressive humidity had put paid to any remnants of the lengthy downpour that had blighted the previous day. A steady stream of supporters gradually transformed Old Trafford into a little slice of Italy, with pizza stalls doing a roaring trade all around the stadium. Supposedly rival fans mingled freely and amicably under the stadium's West Stand, with one young Juve fan and his more senior Milan counterpart treating the assembled throng to a superb display of ball juggling.

Divide and conquer
The first sign of any divide between the two sets of fans came two hours before kick-off. A husband, adorned from head to toe in Milan's traditional red and black, and his wife, resplendent in the famous black and white stripes of Juventus, stood arguing outside the North Stand. Clearly one set of marriage vows that would be put on ice for 120 minutes. Inside the stadium, things were also soon to get a little heated.

Jeers and whistles
While the Milan fans sang their hearts out along to their club song 'Sempre con te' ('Always with you'), the Juventus end of the ground almost drowned out the public address system with their jeers and whistles. Every mention of Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi's name brought about cat calls and boos from the opposition supporters, never willing to forget his €40m move from Turin to Milan in 2001.

Down to business
Milan fans revealed a banner proclaiming "reclaim it again!" on referee Markus Merk's first whistle, with Juve responding with "we are eleven men from Piemonte", the region of Italy home to Juve and Turin. It was clear that the playful nature enjoyed by all and sundry earlier in the day was now forgotten. It was time to get down to business.

Shevchenko the hero
Contradictions to one side, the game was a good one, with all the pomp and ceremony one would expect from an all-Italian encounter. A goalless first 90 minutes had enough action to keep the supporters on their collective feet, before Andriy Shevchenko made himself a hero with the winning penalty to send the Milan fans into raptures. Cue scenes of unbridled joy in the West Stand and tears of despair at the opposite end.

Fond farewell
As the last few fans made their way out of a magnificently decorated Old Trafford, an amiable security guard could be heard to mutter "arrivederci" under his breath. Goodbye indeed to the Champions League for another season - but please hurry back as we will certainly miss the thrills, spills and clashes of culture.