Hard graft pays off for Inzaghi

AC Milan's two-goal hero Filippo Inzaghi was keen to share the praise around after Wednesday's UEFA Champions League triumph over Liverpool FC, insisting "the team's determination and will to win" were key to their success.

Ancelotti choice
Picked to lead the Milan front line in place of Alberto Gilardino, Inzaghi vindicated his coach Carlo Ancelotti's choice by scoring twice in the 2-1 victory. The now seven-time European champions struggled to reproduce the flowing football of previous rounds but Inzaghi felt they were rewarded for their relentless efforts of the last 12 months.

'Great determination'
"The strength of this team lies in our great determination and will to win," the 33-year-old told uefa.com. "We only had six days' holiday last summer. We had to start in the Champions League qualifying rounds, but we got through and we never stopped working. That has been our great strength and in the end it enabled us to pull off something extraordinary."

'Emotional moment'
Inzaghi has struggled with injury in recent seasons yet proved in Athens that he remains one of the world's deadliest finishers by moving to joint third in the all-time European scoring charts with 58 strikes. "It's a very emotional moment for me," said the former Juventus forward, who also featured for Milan in their 2002/03 win. "I would not complain and say I have suffered [because of the injuries] as football has given me so much. I've won a [FIFA] World Cup and two Champions Leagues. These are unforgettable experiences and I still can't believe I scored twice in this final. I'll watch the goals again on television. I wouldn't say I'm proud of the goals - I just feel happy to be doing the job I love."