ATHENS — AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed the Italians' victory over Liverpool in Wednesday's final as "the greatest victory we have ever had."

News photoAC MIlan's Filippo Inzaghi scores the decisive goal past Liverpool's Jose Reina in the second half of the Champions League final in Athens on Wednesday night. AC Milan won 2-1. AP PHOTO

Ancelotti paid tribute to his players after they not only avenged their heart-breaking penalty shootout defeat to Liverpool in the 2005 final, but also showed their depths of recovery after becoming embroiled in last year's Italian match-fixing scandal — which briefly threatened their place in this year's competition until UEFA gave them the green light to enter.