Crouch dreaming of Milan meeting

Forward excited by clash with seven-time European champions

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 7th October 2008

Peter Crouch Guimaraes v Portsmouth - UEFA Cup

Crouch: Points to progress

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Peter Crouch admits it will be a 'dream come true' for Portsmouth to play AC Milan in the Uefa Cup.

The Premier League outfit have been drawn alongside seven-time European Cup winners Milan, while Heerenveen, Braga and Wolfsburg also came out of the hat in Group E.

And forward Crouch - who made a substitute appearance against Milan for former club Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final of 2007 - is looking forward to another meeting with the Italian giants.

"I'm very excited," Crouch told Sky Sports News when asked about the prospect of Milan visiting Fratton Park on 27th November.

Fantastic

"To play against AC Milan is a dream come true, certainly for the fans and the people at Portsmouth, and for the players as well."

Milan finished fifth in Serie A last season to miss out on a place in the Champions League, but Carlo Ancelotti's side are now ranked as favourites to win the Uefa Cup.

And Crouch believes that facing the Rossoneri is a testament to the progress made by Portsmouth - who booked a place in Europe after winning the 2008 FA Cup - and manager Harry Redknapp.

"They (Milan) were expected to be in the Champions League and it is a fantastic challenge for us," Crouch, who scored an extra-time brace against Guimaraes to fire Pompey to the group stages, added.

"The fact that we are playing teams like AC Milan, testing yourself against the best teams in the world, is a credit to the manager."