'Proud' Brugge look forward

By Graham Hunter in Milan

Club Brugge KV players united in declaring that they can repeat their extraordinary 1-0 victory against UEFA Champions League holders AC Milan when the two clubs meet again on Matchday 4 in Belgium.

'David v Goliath'
However, Carlo Ancelotti's team are resolved to go to Bruges and win - setting up what will be a thrilling match upon which the fate of Group H, and the tournament holders, will hinge. Trond Sollied, delighted coach of the victors, said: "Before the game I talked about this being a David v Goliath situation. Well, today we proved that history can repeat itself."

'We had the luck'
And Peruvian goalscorer Andrés Mendoza warned the deflated champions that he regularly scores goals like the brilliant left-footed volley which gave Brugge their first win on Italian soil for over a quarter of a century. "This might have been the best goal of my career because of where and when I scored it," he said. "But I do that all the time in training. I believe we can beat Milan again if we play at the same level in Belgium. However, none of us will forget that we had the luck tonight and they had many chances."

'Terrible price'
Milan's failure to convert any of their 25 shots was their main cause for complaint. Andriy Shevchenko said: "The only thing lacking from our performance was a goal. I think we made one mistake and paid a terrible price. We did not press as much as we normally do and this was not a brilliant Milan like you saw on Sunday against [S.S.] Lazio. Qualification from this group is not impossible, despite the result, but we must go to Belgium to get three points."

Gattuso missed
Ancelotti's side patently missed the suspended Gennaro Gattuso and played less aggressively than normal. Brugge's disciplined game plan, which alternated crisp, short passing to get out of trouble and quick breaks to find the strike partnership of Mendoza and Sandy Martens, rarely looked under threat of caving in.

Verheyen confident
Tiredness from Milan's weekend victory may have been a factor and Brugge not only kept good possession of the ball, they managed a further six shots, two of which were on goal, indicating that Sollied's team came not only to defend but to score. Substitute Gert Verheyen said: "We have added a new, proud page to the history of our club. If we are on our game we can beat them again - why not."

Great saves
Brugge's display hinged on a brave and athletic performance from David Rozehnal who anchored the defence and put in tackle after tackle on the frustrated Filippo Inzaghi. However, he was matched by the work of Dany Verlinden who saved brilliantly from Clarence Seedorf, Rui Costa, Inzaghi and Andrea Pirlo. By the end it was Brugge who came closest to adding another goal, Sollied saying: "We gave away chances but we should actually have won 2-0 when substitute Bengt Sæternes steered a shot just wide of Dida's right-hand post."

Ancelotti stays calm
Ancelotti summed his side's night up: "The situation is not dramatic after just one defeat. Now we must achieve a good result in the next match but I don't believe we played badly. Their keeper was good and we perhaps didn't use the wings enough - but the worst thing was we allowed them to play against us in the Italian way."