Barcelona against AC Milan

Eto'o is down after taking a heavy blow in a tackle; Milan are getting a bit frustrated.

Shevchenko almost gets on the end of a hopeful pass over the top of the Barcelona defence, but Marquez makes a good interception.

Milan look a little bit clueless; they desperately need a goal, but are resorting to lofting high balls up field, and Barcelona are coping easily.

There is nothing Ancelotti can do now; he has used all three of his substitutes, and can only pray that someone comes up with a late goal to send the game in to extra time.

Iniesta almost slides a perfect pass through to Larsson, but his ball is a little over-hit and Dida collects.

The home side attempt to take the sting out of the game with a spell of keep-ball; they are knocking the ball about with confidence and intelligence, and Milan are starting to get frustrated.

Barcelona are doing an excellent job of soaking up the Milan attacks, and then breaking at pace through the middle.

Will Barcelona rue the missing of these chances? Stay here, readers, and find out...

STRAIGHT AT DIDA! Ronaldinho again finds space as he breaks; this time he lays a pass in to the path of Deco, but his right-foot shot is straight at the goalkeeper.

Had Larsson put his header anywhere else, Barcelona were virtually in the final; as it was, he directed his effort straight at the keeper, who made a good, reflex save.

WHAT A CHANCE! Eto'o bends a superb cross in to the middle; Larsson makes a good run and plants a diving header goalwards, but Dida makes a good save.

Milan are pressing a lot of players forward, but they are leaving space at the back - and Ronaldinho is starting to find some space...

Ronaldinho is feeling his chin; he seemed to take a stray arm in the face as he challenged for a loose ball with Seedorf.

We are set for a tense final twenty minutes here in Barcelona; Milan have got a very offensive side out at the moment and will push and push for this crucial away goal.

That was a massive let-off for the home side; replays show that there was barely any contact between Puyol and Shevchenko, and the defender went down very easily. Barcelona should be thanking their lucky stars.

GOAL! NO! Shevchenko heads past Dida from eight yards out, but the referee rules that the striker had pushed Puyol and awards a Barcelona free-kick.

BARCELONA SUB: Giuly off, Larsson on. The veteran Swede receives a rapturous applause as he comes on to replace the goalscorer from the first-leg.

MILAN SUB: Gattuso is replaced by Rui Costa; another attacking change from Milan, who bring on the more attack-minded Portuguese playmaker for the final twenty minutes or so.

Serginho makes penetrating run down the left; he ends over a good cross which Valdes rather flaps at, but Cafu can't direct his header goalwards.

As a response to that Milan change, Rijkaard has moved Ronaldinho away from the flank; he knows that the Brazilian's strengths don't involve tracking back down the touchline.

MILAN SUB: Costacurta is replaced by Cafu; an attacking change from Ancelotti, who switches Stam to centre-back to allow Cafu to make his trademark attacking runs down the right flank.

WELL WIDE! Marquez's pressure forces Inzaghi to blast his shot high and wide of Valdes' post as he cut in to the area from the right-hand side.

AMBITIOUS! Giuly attempts an ambitious volley from a tight angle, but his firmly-struck shot flies high over Dida's crossbar.

Eto'o breaks through the middle; he finds Ronaldinho in support to his right, but the Brazilian's cross towards Giuly is headed clear.

Just half-an-hour for Milan to rescue something from this tie; they need to step things up, but seem unable to do so at the moment.

NOT FROM THERE! Ronaldinho takes on the set-piece, but his ambitious 35-yard shot is easily claimed by Dida.

Seto'o collapses to the ground under the weight of Kaladze as the two contested a high ball. Free-kick, rules the referee.

Stam's cross from the right is headed well wide by Inzaghi; it was a tough chance, he was 12 yards out and under pressure from his marker.

Inzaghi does well to hold off his marker, turn and fire in a shot from the edge of the area; there is a tentative shout for 'handball', but the referee rules that the ball struck Marquez on the chest.

No sign of any activity on the Milan bench; Ancelloti is biding his time and staying patient.

Barcelona still look the more dangerous side; Milan are having to be content with hitting the home side on the break.

It was such a good chance for Belletti; any sort of contact and he would surely have beaten Dida, but he completly missed the ball. He looks suitably embarrassed.

AWFUL! Ronaldinho and Giuly combine brilliantly down the right; the winger slides a low cross in to the middle, but Belletti, completely unmarked, six-yards out, mis-kicks.

Milan have a couple of attacking options on the bench, should they feel that the game is getting away from them a little; Gilardino and Rui Costa will be looking to get in to the action at some stage tonight.

TAME! Ronaldinho again strikes the free-kick, but again rather tamely shoots straight at Dida, who collects at the second attempt.

Deco is brought down on the edge of the penalty area; the Portuguese international joins Ronaldinho in discussion over the set-piece...

CHANCE! Shevchenko's diving header is straight at Valdes, who makes a comfortable save on his goal-line.

Van Bronkhorst rather cynically shoulder-charges Costacurta, who had made a run from the back, but the referee rules 'no foul'.

Milan HAVE to score in this second half, otherwise they cannot go through to the final. Barcelona aren't the type of side to shut-up shop, so they should at least get a chance or two.

POOR PASS! Iniesta runs at the Milan defence and has the chance to slide in Eto'o, but his pass is too strong and Dida collects.

Milan kick off the second half. No changes at half time, from either side.

HALF-TIME: Both sides will be satisfied enough; Milan, though, must come out absolutely flying after the break if they are to stand any chance of making it to Paris.

RUBBISH! Difficult to work out whether Ronaldinho is shooting or crossing as he clips the ball in to the middle; Dida claims easily.

Ronaldinho stands over the free-kick. It's 30 yards out, slightly right-of-centre...

Eto'o is brought down by Costacurta as he tried to skip round him, 30 yards from goal. The veteran defender is booked for the challenge, but it was perhaps a necessary evil; Eto'o would have been through on goal, otherwise.

Milan win a corner, but the set-piece is easily dealt with by Barcelona.

Serginho hasn't been able to get forward at all during the first half; Stam has been the more adventurous of the two Milan full-backs.

OOOH! Deco plays a one-two with Giuly before firing a left-foot shot just over the crossbar from 20 yards.

NO CHANCE! Seedorf blasts a shot high over the crossbar from 25 yards; it never troubled Valdes.

Barcelona have certainly played the better football and put together better moves, but Milan haven't been put under too much pressure so far.

Milan are a very patient side and won't lose heart, even as the clock ticks down; they left it very late against Lyon in the last round, and PSV at this stage last season.

SHOT! Iniesta finds Giuly in the penalty area after a positive run, but the Frenchman's shot is hit straight at Dida, who makes a comfortable save.

Stam is ruled to have fouled Ronaldinho in the centre-circle.

CLOSE! Stam and Kaka combine well down the right; the defender's cross in to the middle is well-flighted, but flies narrowly over the head of Inzaghi.

Milan, I suppose, will be fairly pleased with the way that the first half-hour has progressed; they have created a couple of half-chances and are still well in the tie.

Rijkaard is quite animated in the Barcelona dugout; the tension of the occasion seems to have breached even his cool exterior.

BLOCK! Eto'o has a shot blocked inside the penalty area. He perhaps might have been better served playing a pass wider to Giuly, who was in some space.

Stam makes a positive run down the right wing; his low cross finds Inzaghi in the penalty area, but Shevchenko slips as he tries to get on the end of his team-mate's pull-back.

Puyol and Marquez are having to make some crucial blocks and interceptions as Shevchenko, Kaka and Inzaghi finally begin to combine up front.

Seedorf brings down Deco with a clumsy challenge; no booking, rules the referee.

...He fizzes the ball across the face of the six-yard box; it is flicked on by Marquez, but no-one can turn the ball in at the far post.

Deco is brought down by Pirlo on the right-corner of the Milan penalty area; free-kick, and a chance for Ronaldinho to work his magic...

After a quiet start, Milan are starting to look a little more dangerous going forward.

SIDE NETTING! Shevchenko springs the off-side trap as he is found by a lofted pass from Pirlo; he blasts his shot on goal from a tight angle, but can only find the side netting.

GOOD BREAK! Milan break at pace down the left channel, though Kaka's final ball in to the middle is cut out by Marquez.

OOH! Ronaldinho beats two players as he cuts in from the left wing; he stabs a shot at goal from 25 yards, but can only watch the ball whistle a foot or so over the crossbar.

SHOCKING CONTROL! Inzaghi is found with a good pass through the middle, but his control lets him down as he tried to bring the ball down on his chest. He should have done a lot better there.

It has been a good start to the game for the neutral spectator; there seems to be a lot of space for players to work with.

GOOD BALL! Seedorf plays a nice pass for Inzaghi to run on to, but Marquez hunts him down and puts in a vital tackle on the edge of his penalty area.

That chance was caused by Kaladze being rather slack in possession as he tried to run the ball out of defence.

VITAL CLEARANCE! Eto'o breaks through the middle of the Milan defence; he faces up to Dida, who gets a crucial touch as the striker tried to lift the ball over him, and Costacurta hooks the ball clear from under his own crossbar.

Milan haven't really got going yet; they are very narrow at the top end of the pitch, and Barcelona have been able to cope quite easily so far.

Eto'o's lay-off for Giuly is intercepted by Costacurta; under pressure from the Barcelona forward, he puts the ball out for a throw.

Despite the first leg scoreline, both sides are playing their normal game; Milan aren't willing to over-commit, despite the fact that they need to score, while Barcelona are playing with the freedom we have become used to.

Ronaldinho curls the corner in to the middle, but Eto'o is penalised for a pull on Costacurta; free-kick to the visitors.

Belletti's cross from the right is over the head of Eto'o, but Stam is a little uncertain at the back post and puts the ball out for a corner.

Belletti is getting forward as often as he can down the right wing for Barcelona, and that is forcing Serginho back.

Barcelona have the advantage of not having played at the weekend; their match with Sevilla was called off because of a waterlogged pitch.

Guily's shot from the edge of the area is blocked, but Barcelona look very dangerous in these opening minutes; their front three are finding a lot of space.

Inzaghi is caught off-side as he got on the end of Stam's intelligent pass between full-back and centre-back.

Milan, of course, have a very experienced defence; Costacurta turned 40 last week, but is being asked to play a key role against one of the most irrestistable offences in world football.

What a tremendous start we've had here in Barcelona; there is a lovely tempo to the game and both sides seem keen to attack.

Dida is receiving some treatment after making that crucial save from Eto'o; he took the full force of the shot in his midrift.

SAVE! Eto'o gets on the end of a slick move by Barelona; he breaks in to the area, but Dida is quick out of his goal to smoother Eto'o's firm shot.

Serginho's cross from the left is headed clear by Puyol; another good attack from the Italian side.

SO CLOSE! Kaka breaks down the right-hand side; he lashes a low shot goalwards, but it flies a foot or so wide of Valdes' far post. Great start.

Barcelona kick off. It is a mild, dry evening in Catalonia, and the pitch looks to be in perfect condition.

Hello. Welcome to our coverage of AC Milan's trip to Barcelona for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.

That was a massive let-off for the home side; replays show that there was barely any contact between Puyol and Shevchenko, and the defender went down very easily. Barcelona should be thanking their lucky stars.

GOAL! NO! Shevchenko heads past Dida from eight yards out, but the referee rules that the striker had pushed Puyol and awards a Barcelona free-kick.

BARCELONA SUB: Giuly off, Larsson on. The veteran Swede receives a rapturous applause as he comes on to replace the goalscorer from the first-leg.

MILAN SUB: Gattuso is replaced by Rui Costa; another attacking change from Milan, who bring on the more attack-minded Portuguese playmaker for the final twenty minutes or so.

Serginho makes penetrating run down the left; he ends over a good cross which Valdes rather flaps at, but Cafu can't direct his header goalwards.

As a response to that Milan change, Rijkaard has moved Ronaldinho away from the flank; he knows that the Brazilian's strengths don't involve tracking back down the touchline.

MILAN SUB: Costacurta is replaced by Cafu; an attacking change from Ancelotti, who switches Stam to centre-back to allow Cafu to make his trademark attacking runs down the right flank.

WELL WIDE! Marquez's pressure forces Inzaghi to blast his shot high and wide of Valdes' post as he cut in to the area from the right-hand side.

AMBITIOUS! Giuly attempts an ambitious volley from a tight angle, but his firmly-struck shot flies high over Dida's crossbar.

Eto'o breaks through the middle; he finds Ronaldinho in support to his right, but the Brazilian's cross towards Giuly is headed clear.

Just half-an-hour for Milan to rescue something from this tie; they need to step things up, but seem unable to do so at the moment.

NOT FROM THERE! Ronaldinho takes on the set-piece, but his ambitious 35-yard shot is easily claimed by Dida.

Seto'o collapses to the ground under the weight of Kaladze as the two contested a high ball. Free-kick, rules the referee.

Stam's cross from the right is headed well wide by Inzaghi; it was a tough chance, he was 12 yards out and under pressure from his marker.

Inzaghi does well to hold off his marker, turn and fire in a shot from the edge of the area; there is a tentative shout for 'handball', but the referee rules that the ball struck Marquez on the chest.

No sign of any activity on the Milan bench; Ancelloti is biding his time and staying patient.

Barcelona still look the more dangerous side; Milan are having to be content with hitting the home side on the break.

It was such a good chance for Belletti; any sort of contact and he would surely have beaten Dida, but he completly missed the ball. He looks suitably embarrassed.

AWFUL! Ronaldinho and Giuly combine brilliantly down the right; the winger slides a low cross in to the middle, but Belletti, completely unmarked, six-yards out, mis-kicks.

Milan have a couple of attacking options on the bench, should they feel that the game is getting away from them a little; Gilardino and Rui Costa will be looking to get in to the action at some stage tonight.

TAME! Ronaldinho again strikes the free-kick, but again rather tamely shoots straight at Dida, who collects at the second attempt.

Deco is brought down on the edge of the penalty area; the Portuguese international joins Ronaldinho in discussion over the set-piece...

CHANCE! Shevchenko's diving header is straight at Valdes, who makes a comfortable save on his goal-line.

Van Bronkhorst rather cynically shoulder-charges Costacurta, who had made a run from the back, but the referee rules 'no foul'.

Milan HAVE to score in this second half, otherwise they cannot go through to the final. Barcelona aren't the type of side to shut-up shop, so they should at least get a chance or two.

POOR PASS! Iniesta runs at the Milan defence and has the chance to slide in Eto'o, but his pass is too strong and Dida collects.

Milan kick off the second half. No changes at half time, from either side.

HALF-TIME: Both sides will be satisfied enough; Milan, though, must come out absolutely flying after the break if they are to stand any chance of making it to Paris.

RUBBISH! Difficult to work out whether Ronaldinho is shooting or crossing as he clips the ball in to the middle; Dida claims easily.

Ronaldinho stands over the free-kick. It's 30 yards out, slightly right-of-centre...

Eto'o is brought down by Costacurta as he tried to skip round him, 30 yards from goal. The veteran defender is booked for the challenge, but it was perhaps a necessary evil; Eto'o would have been through on goal, otherwise.

Milan win a corner, but the set-piece is easily dealt with by Barcelona.

Serginho hasn't been able to get forward at all during the first half; Stam has been the more adventurous of the two Milan full-backs.

OOOH! Deco plays a one-two with Giuly before firing a left-foot shot just over the crossbar from 20 yards.

NO CHANCE! Seedorf blasts a shot high over the crossbar from 25 yards; it never troubled Valdes.

Barcelona have certainly played the better football and put together better moves, but Milan haven't been put under too much pressure so far.

Milan are a very patient side and won't lose heart, even as the clock ticks down; they left it very late against Lyon in the last round, and PSV at this stage last season.

SHOT! Iniesta finds Giuly in the penalty area after a positive run, but the Frenchman's shot is hit straight at Dida, who makes a comfortable save.

Stam is ruled to have fouled Ronaldinho in the centre-circle.

CLOSE! Stam and Kaka combine well down the right; the defender's cross in to the middle is well-flighted, but flies narrowly over the head of Inzaghi.

Milan, I suppose, will be fairly pleased with the way that the first half-hour has progressed; they have created a couple of half-chances and are still well in the tie.

Rijkaard is quite animated in the Barcelona dugout; the tension of the occasion seems to have breached even his cool exterior.

BLOCK! Eto'o has a shot blocked inside the penalty area. He perhaps might have been better served playing a pass wider to Giuly, who was in some space.

Stam makes a positive run down the right wing; his low cross finds Inzaghi in the penalty area, but Shevchenko slips as he tries to get on the end of his team-mate's pull-back.

Puyol and Marquez are having to make some crucial blocks and interceptions as Shevchenko, Kaka and Inzaghi finally begin to combine up front.

Seedorf brings down Deco with a clumsy challenge; no booking, rules the referee.

...He fizzes the ball across the face of the six-yard box; it is flicked on by Marquez, but no-one can turn the ball in at the far post.

Deco is brought down by Pirlo on the right-corner of the Milan penalty area; free-kick, and a chance for Ronaldinho to work his magic...

After a quiet start, Milan are starting to look a little more dangerous going forward.

SIDE NETTING! Shevchenko springs the off-side trap as he is found by a lofted pass from Pirlo; he blasts his shot on goal from a tight angle, but can only find the side netting.

GOOD BREAK! Milan break at pace down the left channel, though Kaka's final ball in to the middle is cut out by Marquez.

OOH! Ronaldinho beats two players as he cuts in from the left wing; he stabs a shot at goal from 25 yards, but can only watch the ball whistle a foot or so over the crossbar.

SHOCKING CONTROL! Inzaghi is found with a good pass through the middle, but his control lets him down as he tried to bring the ball down on his chest. He should have done a lot better there.

It has been a good start to the game for the neutral spectator; there seems to be a lot of space for players to work with.

GOOD BALL! Seedorf plays a nice pass for Inzaghi to run on to, but Marquez hunts him down and puts in a vital tackle on the edge of his penalty area.

That chance was caused by Kaladze being rather slack in possession as he tried to run the ball out of defence.

VITAL CLEARANCE! Eto'o breaks through the middle of the Milan defence; he faces up to Dida, who gets a crucial touch as the striker tried to lift the ball over him, and Costacurta hooks the ball clear from under his own crossbar.

Milan haven't really got going yet; they are very narrow at the top end of the pitch, and Barcelona have been able to cope quite easily so far.

Eto'o's lay-off for Giuly is intercepted by Costacurta; under pressure from the Barcelona forward, he puts the ball out for a throw.

Despite the first leg scoreline, both sides are playing their normal game; Milan aren't willing to over-commit, despite the fact that they need to score, while Barcelona are playing with the freedom we have become used to.

Ronaldinho curls the corner in to the middle, but Eto'o is penalised for a pull on Costacurta; free-kick to the visitors.

Belletti's cross from the right is over the head of Eto'o, but Stam is a little uncertain at the back post and puts the ball out for a corner.

Belletti is getting forward as often as he can down the right wing for Barcelona, and that is forcing Serginho back.

Barcelona have the advantage of not having played at the weekend; their match with Sevilla was called off because of a waterlogged pitch.

Guily's shot from the edge of the area is blocked, but Barcelona look very dangerous in these opening minutes; their front three are finding a lot of space.

Inzaghi is caught off-side as he got on the end of Stam's intelligent pass between full-back and centre-back.

Milan, of course, have a very experienced defence; Costacurta turned 40 last week, but is being asked to play a key role against one of the most irrestistable offences in world football.

What a tremendous start we've had here in Barcelona; there is a lovely tempo to the game and both sides seem keen to attack.

Dida is receiving some treatment after making that crucial save from Eto'o; he took the full force of the shot in his midrift.

SAVE! Eto'o gets on the end of a slick move by Barelona; he breaks in to the area, but Dida is quick out of his goal to smoother Eto'o's firm shot.

Serginho's cross from the left is headed clear by Puyol; another good attack from the Italian side.

SO CLOSE! Kaka breaks down the right-hand side; he lashes a low shot goalwards, but it flies a foot or so wide of Valdes' far post. Great start.

Barcelona kick off. It is a mild, dry evening in Catalonia, and the pitch looks to be in perfect condition.

Hello. Welcome to our coverage of AC Milan's trip to Barcelona for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.