2004/05 PSV Eindhoven 3-1 AC Milan: Report

Few entertained the idea AC Milan's progress to the 2005 UEFA Champions League final was anything but routine after a dominant 2-0 first-leg win. Yet lurking beneath their hardened veneer was real fragility, a nightmare the Italian side desperately wanted to supress – PSV Eindhoven very nearly reawakened it.

It was, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport, "La Coruna syndrome", an affliction that traced its origins to 12 months earlier. Leading 4-1 after the first leg of their quarter-final tie, Milan suffered a crippling seizure and, with their defences down, RC Deportivo La Coruña were over them like a rash, a 4-0 win completing the mother of all comebacks. "The symptoms," said the Gazzetta, "are weak legs, terror in the eyes and inability to do what you normally do."

For Carlo Ancelotti those afflictions were soon all too apparent in Eindhoven. Emboldened by a strong end to the first leg the home side began with real purpose and Milan were soon looking vulnerable. They could ill afford the temporary loss of Paolo Maldini for treatment on a head injury and so it proved as Park Ji-Sung raided smartly from midfield, exchanged passes with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink before smashing a left-foot shot beyond Dida.

It was the first goal the Brazilian had conceded since Matchday 4 but it looked only a matter of time before he was breached again – PSV's energy and endeavour was enthralling. Still Milan showed no urgency, inviting pressure in the hope of leaving space for Andriy Shevchenko to exploit. It was a dangerous tactic as Vennegoor of Hesselink headed against the bar and Wilfred Bouma and Phillip Cocu also threatened to restore parity.

PSV did just that on 65 minutes. Vennegoor of Hesselink poked the ball to Lee Young-Pyo who galloped to the byline and whipped in a cross that Cocu headed in. The comeback was complete, and the players seemed to be preserving their energy for an extra 30 minutes when, from nowhere, acting Rossoneri captain Massimo Ambrosini appeared in front of goal a minute into added time to glance in Kaká's cross.

Although Cocu scored again almost immediately with a fine volley, time was against the Dutch champions as the relieved visitors booked a meeting with Liverpool FC. "Milan suffered the syndrome again," said Gazzetta, "but the injury-time goal by Ambrosini was the perfect antidote." The malaise would return again in the final, however – with spectacular consequences.