Despite a creditable draw at the Nou Camp and a controversially disallowed goal, Milan bow out of the Champions League 1-0 on aggregate to Barcelona.
The Rossoneri knew they had a mammoth task ahead of them if they were to join Arsenal in the Final, as they had lost the first leg 1-0 at home. Filippo Inzaghi missed that tie due to tonsillitis, but was back upfront at the Nou Camp.
Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko played despite minor injury worries, but Alessandro Nesta wasn't even fit enough for the bench after a thigh strain, so 40-year-old Alessandro Costacurta started in central defence. Barca welcomed Deco back from suspension.
Milan had the first shot after 40 seconds with Kaka's effort whistling just wide of the far post. Barcelona also threatened soon after with Dida rushing out to close down Samuel Eto'o's powerful strike from point-blank range.
Inzaghi was halted for an extremely tight offside decision, but there was panic in the Milan area on 16 minutes. Kakha Kaladze foolishly lost the ball and Dida managed to get a touch on to Eto'o's finish, allowing Costacurta to clear off the line.
Rafael Marquez's intervention stopped a promising Clarence Seedorf pass reaching Inzaghi clear on goal. Soon after, Inzaghi sprung the offside trap on Gennaro Gattuso's through ball, only for his first touch to let him down.
Ronaldinho's ambitious effort from 20 metres was over the bar, then Andriy Shevchenko struck the side-netting from a tight angle when he might've done better to pass it into the centre.
Another Eto'o attempt from close range was charged down by a sea of defensive bodies, while Juliano Belletti drilled well wide with his right foot.
Inzaghi just failed to get his head on the end of a Jaap Stam cross and nodded another wide when he was off balance, while a weak Giuly shot was comfortably held by Dida.
Seedorf was off target from 35 metres with a very hopeful attempt, but there was worry when Stam tripped on the ball and set off a Barca attack which Deco fired over the bar.
A fine Kaka move was closed down by an acrobatic Carles Puyol intervention with Shevchenko and Inzaghi ready in the centre.
The Milan defence lost the ball again and Costacurta earned a booking for his desperate tackle on Eto'o.
The second half started well for the Italians, though Shevchenko's diving header on a Seedorf cross was into the grateful arms of Victor Valdes.
Ronaldinho's free kick was comfortably smothered by Dida, then Milan were very lucky that Belletti just failed to get on the end of Giuly's low pass in the six-yard box, as the slightest contact probably would've resulted in a goal.
A prolonged period of Rossoneri pressure ended with a wayward Inzaghi header and another Ronaldinho free kick from distance failed to trouble Dida.
Giuly went close for the Blaugrana with a volley from Ronaldinho's delightful chipped pass that was wide of the near post.
Inzaghi's shot was off target under pressure from Marquez and Marcos Cafu replaced Costacurta, moving Stam to central defence for the final half-hour push. In response, Frank Rijkaard switched Ronaldinho to the centre and Eto'o out wide on the left.
Serginho needed a perfectly timed tackle to stop Giuly running clear on goal from Ronaldinho's pass.
On 66 minutes Valdes only flapped a Serginho cross into the path of Cafu, who couldn't keep his header down in front of an open goal.
Henrik Larsson replaced Giuly and Milan threw on Manuel Rui Costa for Gattuso in an all-attack formation.
Milan hit the back of the net after 68 minutes with Shevchenko's header, but it was controversially disallowed for an alleged push on Puyol. Replays do not show particularly clear contact and the defender appeared to slip.
Seedorf was caught napping, but made up for it by winning the ball back off Ronaldinho on the edge of the box. Ancelotti's men were dominating possession in the second half, with Barca focusing on the counter-attack.
Barcelona could've put the tie beyond doubt on 74 minutes with Eto'o's cross reaching a Larsson diving header, but Dida performed a stunning instinct save from point-blank range to keep the Rossoneri in it.
Deco fired straight at Dida after Ronaldinho broke forward, then Inzaghi again was a couple of inches off a promising cross into the centre. SuperPippo seemed tired and still not 100 per cent fit after his debilitating bout of tonsillitis, so Alberto Gilardino came on for the final 10 minutes.
The ex-Parma man couldn't make the most of a Rui Costa cross and in the final minute Serginho lashed wide of the near post with a half-volley.
Barcelona: Valdes; Belletti, Marquez, Puyol, Van Bronckhorst; Iniesta, Edmilson, Deco; Giuly (Larsson 68), Eto'o (Van Bommel 88), Ronaldinho
Milan: Dida; Stam, Costacurta (Cafu 64), Kaladze, Serginho; Gattuso (Rui Costa 68), Pirlo, Seedorf; Kakà; Shevchenko, Inzaghi (Gilardino 79)
Ref: Merk (Ger) - bravo seljčino,zahvaljujmo se na poništenom golu.
Šansa je propuštena u Milanu i objektivno je bilo teško za očekivati da možemo nešto napraviti u uzvratu iako smo bili vrlo blizu .Barca je taktički sačuvala rezultat (da smo u kojem slučaju bili u obrnutoj situaciji sad bi pljuštalo drvlje i kamenje-al eto objektivnosti nikad kraja.)
[uredio CISCO]