Having played “perfectly” to beat Manchester United, AC Milan now can try to avenge one of its most painful defeats.

With a 3–0 rout of Manchester United yesterday, Milan earned a 5–3 aggregate victory and moved into the Champions League final against Liverpool. Two years ago, the English club rallied from a three-goal deficit to beat Milan on penalty kicks for the crown.

“It’s the dream of any manager to see his team play like we did today. We played perfectly,” Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti said. “We’re happy to be in the final again and to be playing Liverpool. What happened two years ago has no importance for the next match.”

Milan, which has won the European Cup six times, will make the trip to Athens on May 23 for its 11th appearance in the final and third in five years.

“It’s certainly special. The Reds have less quality than Manchester United, but they’re more physical,” Ancelotti said. “Liverpool is a well-organized team in defense and they do not allow you to play as we did tonight.”

They played last night as if they were the only team on the field. After blowing a lead at Old Trafford and losing 3-2 last week, the Italian club was completely dominant in the second leg.

Kaka, who scored both goals at Manchester, gave Milan the lead in the 11th minute. The Brazilian playmaker beat United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar after Clarence Seedorf leaded the ball into his path for a strong shot.

Seedorf made it 2-0 in the 30th, controlling a cross from the right with his chest and shooting past Van der Sar. Substitute Alberto Gilardino scored the third goal in the 78th minute on a breakaway, looping the ball over and to the left of the United goalkeeper.

Liverpool, a five-time European champion, beat Chelsea 4-1 on penalties Tuesday after a 1-0 win put the teams level at 1-1 on aggregate.

“When Liverpool won, a few players were already thinking about revenge for the 2005 final,” Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said. “The Istanbul wound is still fresh in our hearts.”

Milan, which has never lost to United over two legs, also knocked the English team out of the competition in the semifinals in 1958 and 1969.

“We never came out the blocks,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “If we had seen through the first 25 minutes without cutting our throats, we would have stood a chance.”

The result ended United’s hopes of repeating its 1999 triple crown of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles.

Milan dominated from the first minute, when Kaka sprinted past Nemanja Vidic and cut the ball across the face of United’s goal. Seedorf and Filippo Inzaghi could not reach Kaka’s pass.

Two minutes later, the ball fell to Seedorf on the edge of the area, but Van der Sar managed to tip the midfielder’s drive over the crossbar.

Inzaghi could have added another, but he missed the target from close range in the 41st.