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A frantic, frenetic finish to a superb game, but Spurs have won their first trophy since 1999. And you have to say they have deserved it, although Chelsea have played their part. Didier Drogba, John Terry and Petr Cech get involved in a pointless moan at the referee but that doesn't dampen the Tottenham celebrations.
Drogba gets needlessly involved in a discussion on time-wasting by Tanio - who is yellow carded - and wastes more valuable time. King makes an uncharacteristic slip and lets in Cole but his shot is limp and straight at Robinson. What a chance!
A lucky escape for Woodgate who is all over Drogba like an octopus as the linesman (rightfully gives the Ivorian offside. Brilliant save with his feet by Robinson from Kalou - he has more than jusitified his inclusion. Tottenham are right under the cosh - it's a pulsating finish.
A lucky escape for Woodgate who is all over Drogba like an octopus as the linesman (rightfully gives the Ivorian offside. Brilliant save with his feet by Robinson from Kalou - he has more than jusitified his inclusion. Tottenham are right under the cosh - it's a pulsating finish.
It's all or nothing for Chelsea if they are to be the first team to retain the League Cup since Nottingham Forest in 1979. There's definitely more urgency about their play now as the ball remains glued in the Tottenham half. Ballack almost gets a piece of Drogba as they both swing for the same ball. Ten minutes and counting for Tottenham.
Ramos maks his final move, bringing off Robbie Keane to the forward's obvious surprise, and slotting in defender Younes Kaboul to counter the Anelka/Drogba threat. Carvalho makes a wild lunge at Zakora and deservedly goes in the book. Hutton then makes a vital intervention from Kalou as Chelsea finish the half strongly.
Avram Grant does his final piece of tinkering, bringing on Joe Cole for Mikel, and finally moving the long suffering Anelka up front alongside Drogba. Robinson makes amends for his first half error by getting firmly behind a Lampard piledriver.
Petr Cech is still struggling after taking that heavy smack in the face from Zakora's shot so Carlo Cudicini does some tentative warming up. And Cech's nervousness is clear as he comes for a cross and succeeds only in palming the ball off Jonathan Woodgate's head into the back of the net. Not a bad time to open your account for your new club. What a start!
It's been a thoroughly absorbing second half. Spurs press to the last and Keane attempts to nick it with an audacious overhead kick before referee Halsey whistles that the 90 minutes are up. The momentum is with Spurs but with a fresh Ballack only just thrown into the fray and Joe Cole chomping at the bit on the bench, Chelsea will fancy their chances too. Hope extra time can match the last 45.
Cech is forced into another fine save from an elegant swerve and shot from Berbatov and it's the team in white that is making all the running with extra time looming. But an inch perfect lob from Essien narrowly avoids the left boot of Didier Drogba. This is really finely balanced. It's the Ghanian last piece of action as Michael Ballack comes on to replace him.
Tottenham are ending the game as they started it, in the ascendancy. Zakora makes a beautifully timed run on to a Keane through ball but one-on-one with Cech, fires straight into the Czech goalkeeper's face, and with Berbatov spare, blazes the rebound over the bar. Could that be the telling moment? - Cech has saved face and then some.
Great character shown by Spurs to fight back, especially against opponents who they have only beaten twice in the last 42 attempts. Kalou replaces Wright-Phillips as Avram Grant looks to shuffle his attacking options while Juande Ramos sends on the tenacious Teemu Tainio in place of Steed Malbranque to counter Nicolas Anelka, who like Aaron Lennon has switched wings. It's a different game all of a sudden.
The changes bring instant dividend as Wayne Bridge handles in the area under pressure from Lennon. A good spot by the linesman and Berbatov slots home the penalty cool as you like. Game on.
Pascal Chimbonda makes way for Tom Huddlestone as Juande Ramos looks to ramp up the pressure. And the French defender reacts with typical bad grace, trudging off the field like a stroppy child. Steed Malbranque moves to left-back, Jermaine Jenas on the right and Huddlestone in the middle, while Aaron Lennon who has been a distant figure on the right, moves over to the left wing.
Chelsea's midfield have picked up the pace after a lackadaiscal first 45 minutes, with Essien looking to impose himself on Zakora who is on a yellow card after his first half aberration which led to the goal. The game is opening up but Nicolas Anelka is looking as forlorn and ineffectual on the left as Aaron Lennon has been on the right for Spurs. Something's got to give.
Tottenham start the half like they mean business but it's all a little scrappy, and Spurs waste a golden chance to break quickly with Drogba prostate in their penalty area. Zakora ends the uncertainty with a wild hack right of the posts.
Berbatov attempts to get on the end of a flowing Spurs move but slips at the wrong moment and referee Mark Halsey waves away his unlikely claims for a penalty. Chelsea can feel rather lucky to be ahead at the break having rarely convinced in the first 45 minutes, and benefited from some sloppy defending rather than carving out chances for themselves. Spurs can take heart from some wonderful play in a match that has been entertaining rather than thrilling, but have it all to do in the second half.
First blood to Chelsea. Zakora gives away a silly free kick on the edge of the penalty area and Drogba completely wrong foots Robinson, floating the ball into the far corner. Keane has an immediate chance to draw Spurs level but fires straight at Cech. Tottenham will feel they have shot themselves in the foot, especially against a team like Chelsea who are remarkably adept at holding on to 1-0 leads. And Zakora has paid dearly for his rashness.
Lampard almost scores with a trademark deflected free kick as it spins dangerously off Jonathan Woodgate's heel over the bar. Didier Zakora strangely attempts an NFL style challenge on SWP and Drogba floats a deft free kick just over. Chelsea getting closer after their limp start.
Some excellent work from Robbie Keane sets up Steed Malbranque whose fierce low shot is palmed away by Petr Cech for a corner. Frank Lampard then gets Chelsea's first sight of goal and he hammers a volley just wide of the upright.
Tottenham's work ethic is paying off as yet another Chelsea move breaks down. Drogba forces a corner, then takes a whack from his own player, Ricardo Carvalho, as he tries to connect with it. Rather sums up Chelsea's day so far.
Jonathan Woodgate hasn't scored for two years and it shows as he fires a free header past the post. But he and Ledley King have been more than a match for the threat of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka. Tottenham have 61 per cent possession but need to make it count against a strangely muted Chelsea.
All the threat is coming down the Tottenham left, while Wayne Bridge, preferred to Ashley Cole, has been largely untroubled by Aaron Lennon as yet. Paul Robinson has barely had a touch while Frank Lampard seems a little ring rusty. Tottenham well ahead on points but can they make the breakthrough?
Chelsea have belatedly joined the match and a searching cross from Shaun Wright-Phillips needs some stout defending from Woodgate. The atmosphere in the ground is crackling - let's hope we have a game to match it.
A searing run by Pascal Chimbonda forces a corner on the Tottenham left. Jenas takes the kick which finds Chimbonda unmarked at the back post and his looping header hits the bar. Berbatov then misses with a free header - Chelsea are on the ropes.
A really lively start by Spurs who are giving Chelsea the runaround. Robbie Keane has a fierce shot deflected by Terry behind for a corner after the first thirty seconds. Chelsea are yet to awake from their slumbers as Spurs look a yard quicker. Perhaps something to do with Juande Ramos' much publicised fitness jibes?
As predicted, Paul Robinson maintains his place for Tottenham, ahead of the hapless Radek Cerny, after a sparkling performance in the Uefa Cup. And Spurs fans will be mightily pleased to see captain Ledley King (a "Rolls Royce" according to Jamie Redknapp) back in the side after missing the last six games since the 5-1 drubbing of Arsenal in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg. Jamie O'Hara can count himself hugely unfortunate to not even be on the bench after his excellent recent spell in the first team.
Meanwhile, the untouchables are back for Chelsea. Avram Grant springs a surprise and brings back both John Terry and Frank Lampard into his starting line-up. Joe Cole and Michael Ballack will not be happy at warming the bench but could prove two very useful impact players if needed. While Ashley Cole doesn't even make the 16 and apparently stayed back at the team hotel
Tottenham Hostpur: Robinson, Hutton, Woodgate, King, Chimbonda, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane.
Subs: Cerny, Kaboul, Tainio, Huddlestone, Bent.
Chelsea: Cech, Belletti, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Essien, Lampard, Obi, Anelka, Drogba.
Subs: Cudicini, Joe Cole, Ballack, Kalou, Alex.
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Who'd have thought it? Back in September Chelsea had bombed out Jose Mourinho and Tottenham were preparing to get rid of Martin Jol. Clubs in crisis. The end of an era. Relegation beckons. It was all doom and gloom round those parts of London town. And here we are, not six months later, with Avram Grant and Juande Ramos ready to stride through the Wembley tunnel, heads held high, and only 90 minutes away from lifting the first domestic trophy of the season. Someone once said football's a funny ol' game. He had obviously never read this blog.
Anyway, the Carling Cup final is upon us and these sides are taking it seriously. Very seriously. We promise to as well. Well, almost.
Follow the action with our live rolling commentary from 3pm.
It's all over at the Emirates, and the game finishes goalless, though Arsenal really should have pinched a winner three minutes into stoppage time, Emmanuel Adebayor somehow contriving to hit the bar with a header from only three yards out after a teasing cross from Walcott had bypassed the goalkeeper. No doubt the Italians will feel the happier with this result, though Arsenal are obviously still very much in this tie. Manchester United drew 1-1 in Lyons thanks to Carlos Tevez's late equaliser, while gallant Celtic were beaten 3-2 at home by Barcelona, having twice been in front.
Manchester United have grabbed a late equaliser in France, Carlos Tevez scoring from close range with only three minutes remaining. Here, Emerson comes on for the hard-working Seedorf for Milan but it is hard to see a winner, unless Andrea Pirlo can work some magic with this free-kick. The answer is not a chance, as his 30-yarder is nowhere near its intended target. Arsenal waste another chance with two minutes left, Eboue's ball is poorly played for Hleb, clear on the overlap, the Belarussian is forced to pull it back and Bendtner lashes over with his left foot from 12 yards. What can Theo Walcott, on for Eboue, do?
Emmanuel Eboue is booked for diving trying to win a penalty, but he is slightly hardly done by as there was some contact from Jankulovski. At the other end, Senderos makes a perfectly-timed saving tackle to deny Kaka a shooting chance, but if there is going to be a winner tonight it is going to be Arsenal, as they are starting to pile on the pressure. Manchester United still trail in Lyons, while poor Celtic are now 3-2 down to Barcelona, Messi grabbing his second goal for the Spanish side.
Fabregas - the Steven Gerrard of the Arsenal team, irrepressible, always influential and often likely to conjure up a goal out of nothing - gets in a snapshot from outside the area which draws a fine sprawling save from Kalac. Pato, the youngster who has impressed without proving a cutting edge, has a muscle strain and Alberto Gilardino takes his place with 13 minutes remaining. Now then, where's this goal going to come from. Adebayor, 88 minutes, would be my guess if I was a betting man...
An almighty goalmouth scramble in the Arsenal penalty area looks more like a scene from a Sunday League game than a match one involving the Champions League's finest. Senderos slips but the ball takes a fortuitous ricochet from Arsenal's point of view and goes out of play for a goal kick rather than end up at the feet of Kaka. Eduardo, who has been disappointing, makes way for Nicklas Bendtner.
Interesting statistic of the night: Gennaro Gattuso has covered 8,335 metres so far tonight, that's more than five miles and we still have a third of the game to go. A rare threat from Milan, as a ball from Kaka deflects into the path of Massimo Oddo in the inside right channel. The full back appears at a loss as to what to do despite having a clear sight of goal and his finish is hurried and wayward, sailing both high and wide.
Not such good news from elsewhere in Europe. Manchester United trail in Lyons to a smart finish from the lethal Karim Benzema on 54 minutes (he will end up at a Premier League team, mark my words). And Barcelona are back on level terms with Celtic, some up-and-coming youngster called Thierry Henry getting the second equaliser in Glasgow.
This game is hotting up, as Arsenal finally find some room to express themselves and manufacture three good openings in the space of as many minutes. First, Alexander Hleb drifts inside and puts the ball on the foot of Eboue, who curls a shot from 16 yards wide left of the target. Adebayor is just unable to latch on to a lob over the back-four from Fabregas, Kalac getting down to smother, before the Australian goalkeeper gets the faintest of touches to a drilled left-foot shot from Eduardo.
Back 46 seconds late from a trip to the News International canteen, but curiously I don't have that guilty feeling and it is no real surprise to be told "you haven't missed anything". Seedorf clatters Eboue and apologises, but it is Milan who are forced into a change, as Nesta appears to have pulled his groin and Marek Jankolovski, the Czech international, is ready to come on in his place. Arsenal almost snatch the lead from a Fabregas corner, which evades the first wave of players and catches the unsuspecting Kaka, deflecting off the bewildered Brazilian but falling just the wrong side of the post.
Some careless play by Adebayor denies Arsenal what should have been the one clear-cut opportunity of the half. The Togolese cuts inside onto his right foot and a better square ball along the 18-yard line would have put Eduardo (yes, he is playing) in the clear. Both players throw up their arms in frustration at the misplaced pass. Flamini then produces some magnificent play down the left, working his way down the byeline before getting in a dangerous cross which is beaten clear by Kalac. Half-time: goalless here, no great surprise, and no breakthrough in Lyons either. At Parkhead, Celtic lead 2-1, Barry Robson having put the Scottish Premier League side ahead for a second time against Barcelona seven minutes before the interval.
Finally, after a 36-minute wait, we see Arsenal's first shot on target. Eboue finds some space on the right and cuts inside Paolo Maldini before pulling the ball back for Mathieu Flamini, whose strike from 12 yards lacks neither the venom nor the direction to seriously trouble Zeljko Kalac and the Australian gathers the ball easily. Adebayor goes down awkwardly after an aerial collision with Kakha Zaladze. He grimaces and holds his back, but is fit to continue.
Goal news from elsewhere, that curse of headline writers everywhere, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, gave Celtic a 16th-minute lead at Parkhead which lasted less than 120 seconds, Lionel Messi levelling for Barcelona. No goals yet in Manchester United's match in Lyons. Here, Arsenal's best chance of breaking the deadlock looks to be via a cross from the right wing from either Eboue or Bacary Sagna, though Milan do look solid at the back. Pato is the first man in the book, yellow-carded for nudging Sagna in the back, which results in a collision with Lehmann, his goalkeeper. A trifle harsh.
A beautifully-weighted first-time ball from Fabregas finds Adebayor on the right edge of the penalty area, but the Togo international is off balance as he hits the shot and a fan in row Q has a souvenir from the evening. Kaka shows he is not only a superb footballer but that he can also dish it out, catching Fabregas with a sneaky late challenge. With those boyish good looks and that sweat smile the Brazilian could get away with murder and an apology draws nothing more than a free-kick award from the referee, Claus Bo Larsen.
Adebayor crashes into a hoarding after a challenge from Nesta. There is only one winner there - Vodafone will have to send someone round in the morning to knock the dents out of their pitchside piece of advertising. What of the game, you ask? Well, Arsene Wenger may have pledged to play with the handbrake off, but you are never going to steamroller the cream of Serie A and it has been an understandably cagey start. Cagey, very cagey. As an aside, bet Alan Parry, the Sky commentator uses the word "brilliant" in his description of the first goal, when (or if) it happens.
My goodness, Emmanuel Adebayor is a handful. He goes up early for a cross from the right by Emmanuel Eboue and although he gets no power on the header, he certainly makes his physical presence felt on his marker, Alessandro Nesta. At the other end, Lehmann has already been called into action, making a smart reaction save to palm away a smart flicked header from Paolo Maldini following a left-wing corner.
Early injury worries for the home side. Kolo Toure gets in the way of an innocuous-looking shot from Pato, but he appears to have twisted his knee in the process and after limping to the sidelines it is clear he is unable to continue. Cue the first substitution, with Philippe Senderos entering the fray. He is no Pascal Cygan certainly, but if I was an Arsenal fan I would be more than a trifle worried with the likes of Kaka in the Milan side. In fact I would be a little concerned if young Senderos was asked to mark Marcus Leroux in our Times five-a-side team. Not that Marcus is a bad player, you understand.
Game on at Emirates. Worth noting that Pato, the Brazilian is only 18, but he has been preferred to Filippo Inzaghi, the veteran Italian international, in attack for the visitors. He must be some player. Just to remind Manchester United and Celtic fans that we will also be keeping you up to date with all the goings-on from their games this evening tonight as well.
Welcome to Emirates Stadium for tonight's mouthwatering Champions League clash between Arsenal and the holders, AC Milan. Arsene Wenger has restored Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini to his starting line-up, both having missed the 4-0 FA Cup drubbing by Manchester United at the weekend. Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna, the full backs, also return.
For AC Milan, goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac starts despite suffering from a dislocated finger while Pato, the teenager, is named alongside fellow Brazilian striker Kaka for his first Champions League start.
Tonight’s first-leg encounter is Arsenal’s 100th Champions League match (remember, just like in George Orwell's Animal Farm, history is often rewritten in football circles, so no-one has ever heard of the competition formerly known as the European Cup (and I risk my fingernails being extracted just for mentioning the "E" word).
Arsenal v AC Milan
Arsenal: Lehmann, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb, Adebayor, Eduardo. Substitutes: Fabianski, Senderos, Denilson, Silva, Bendtner, Justin Hoyte, Walcott.
AC Milan: Kalac, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Kaladze, Pirlo, Gattuso, Kaka, Seedorf, Ambrosini, Alexandre Pato. Substitutes: Fiori, Emerson, Inzaghi, Gilardino, Jankulovski, Bonera, Brocchi.
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Lyons v Manchester United
Lyons: Coupet, Reveillere, Squillaci, Boumsong, Grosso, Clerc, Juninho, Toulalan, Kallstrom, Govou, Benzema. Substitutes: Vercoutre, Cris, Bodmer, Fred, Ben Arfa, Delgado, Keita.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Hargreaves, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney. Substitutes: Kuszczak, Saha, Carrick, Nani, O’Shea, Fletcher, Tevez.
Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)
Celtic v Barcelona
Celtic: Boruc, Caddis, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Hartley, Robson, McGeady, Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald. Substitutes: Mark Brown, Samaras, Wilson, Sno, Donati, Killen, O’Dea.
Barcelona: Valdes, Puyol, Milito, Marquez, Abidal, Iniesta, Toure Yaya, Deco, Messi, Henry, Ronaldinho. Substitutes: Pinto, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Eto’o, Sylvinho, Giovanni, Thuram.
Referee: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden)
He didn't care one iota about the Carling Cup when Arsenal were handed a lesson in finishing by Tottenham Hotspur, their North London neighbours, in the semi-finals. He didn't give one jot about the FA Cup when Manchester United dumped out his side in emphatic fashion at Old Trafford on Saturday. The question now is: how much does Arsene Wenger care about the Champions League? A great deal, one would imagine - unless they lose.
Arsenal face AC Milan tonight in the first knockout round of European football's premier club competition. It will be up to William Gallas and Kolo Toure to shackle Kaka, the Brazilian, who is without doubt the star player for the Italian side, and for Emmanuel Adebayor to score the goals which could give English football a second memorable night against the giants of Serie A, after Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday.
We will be bringing you live commentary from Emirates Stadium from 7.45pm, plus all the goals news from Stade de Gerland, with Ryan Giggs expected to join the select band of players who have reached 100 appearances in the Champions League in Manchester United's visit to Lyons. We will also be featuring another mouthwatering tie with British interest, as Celtic look to accomplish mission near-impossible and beat Barcelona in the Nou Camp.
While Liverpool prevailed, ultimately, against ten men, there were no late fireworks in Athens, where the match finished goalless. Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, will be pleased enough with that result, but tonight belongs to Benitez. Goals from Kuyt and Gerrard in the last five minutes have inflicted the first defeat on Inter Milan in 29 games, since September 19 to be precise. It is a notable scalp for the Merseysiders, though they were helped by the sending off of Marco Materazzi, the former Everton defender, just before the half-hour.
2-0 LIVERPOOL and Gerrard does come to the party. Finnan plays a ball to his captain, 25 yards out from goal on the right edge of the area. The England midfielder takes one stride and fires in a shot which arrows towards the far corner of the net. Did it take a little deflection, not sure, but the ball hits the inside of the post and again finds the target. That is Gerrard's 50th goal for Liverpool at Anfield and looks certain to give Liverpool their 100th victory in Europe. The man with the biggest smile of them all must be Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager. His side have one foot in the last eight and his job appears to be safe again, for now at least. Who would have thought it - Barnsley better than Inter Milan!
Seven minutes to go: surely about time Stevie G made an impression. Gerrard has been battling his heart out in midfield, but has generally been well shackled by Inter. These Italians know a dangerman when they see one. But do they know about Dirk Kuyt, evidently not...GOAL LIVERPOOL! Finnan swaps passes with Pennant on the right, the cross somehow beats a host of players in the area and falls to the Dutchman at the back post. Kuyt's right-foot shot takes a fortuitous deflection off Maicon which carries the ball over the hands of the unlucky Cesar and nestles in the net. Advantage Scousers.
A long ball from the left is brought down wonderfully by Crouch, with all the care of a policeman catching a baby thrown from a blazing building. But having done the hard work, the ball gets caught under his foot and by the time he digs it out, Maxwell is there inside the area to charge down the strike on goal.
Another chance for Liverpool. Crouch nods the ball aimlessly up in the air, Cordoba's poor clearing header is directed right back to him and the Liverpool striker volleys first time, but wide of the post. Cordoba was hurt in a collision following that clearance and leaves the field on a stretcher. Nicolas Burdisso is his replacement.
Inter win their first corner 68 minutes into the game, but despite committing five men in the box for the setpiece, Carragher heads away. The visitors are beginning to sense that they might be able to sneak back Inter Milan with more than a goalless draw, which would be highly creditable in its own right considering the early sending off. It appears as though Jermaine Pennant will shortly be coming on as the second Liverpool substitute. Still goalless in Greece between Olympiacos and Chelsea, by the way...
Yes, the beanpole striker enters the action, coming on to replace Lucas Leiva, who has been largely anonymous this evening. Moments earlier, Torres had come desperately close again, turning on the edge of the penalty area and producing another sweetly-struck right-foot shot which whistled six inches wide of the post.
The closest yet from Liverpool. A Gerrard ball ricochets into the path of Torres, played onside by the dozing Maicon at right back. The Spaniard composes himself and a right-foot shot appears destined for the bottom corner until a truly magnificent diving save from Julio Caser diverts the ball past the post. From the corner, the ball finds its way from Gerrard to Finnan and on to Kuyt, who stands up a cross to the far post which Hyypia thumps over the bar with the scoring part of his anatomy, namely his head. Gerrard is then denied a penalty as Vieira appeared to handle his cut-back. That was a legitimate shout, but the linesman signals for a corner. Is that a giraffe I see stripping off in the distance? No, it's Peter Crouch.
I've seen it all now. Sami Hyypia, who never, ever scores with his feet, lets fly from long distance and looks genuinely disappointed that his shot is around 15 yards wide of the target. Boos all round from the Anfield crowd as Julio Cruz goes off and former public enemy No1, Patrick Vieira, enters the fray. The picture, by the way (click to enlarge) is of Materazzi being asked to depart the scene of his crime.