Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard admitted his side's defeat to AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League final was hard to take. Milan avenged their 2005 defeat to Liverpool in Istanbul to claim the Champions League trophy for the seventh time in their history following a 2-1 win over the Reds, thanks to Filippo Inzaghi's brace. "You've got to take it on the chin, move on and try to pick yourself up but at the moment it's heartbreaking," Gerrard was quoted as saying by the club's official website. "I thought we started well, we were in control just how we like to be but when you do that you've got to score. They got the first goal, with a bit of luck, but it was a big lift for them. "We gave everything but it wasn't to be tonight and certainly this feels the complete opposite to what it was like after Istanbul." Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt notched a consolation late in the game, but the Dutch frontman would have been happier had Liverpool repeated the 2005 glory.
Kuyt "It was nice for me to score in a Champions League Final but, in the end, I would swap that goal for a win every time," he said. "It is so disappointing. We honestly felt we were the better team and were in control before Inzaghi scored - we had even kept Kaka quiet." English international defender Jamie Carragher was also disappointed but believes the five-time European champions can bounce back next season. "We are devastated but hopefully the defeat will make us stronger and we will be back next season." "While it's hard to take losing a final, at the same time we've got to hold our hands up and give great credit to AC Milan who are a great side. "We enjoyed the celebrations of winning it two years ago so we have a lot of respect for Milan and we will move on from this," he added.
