"Arena is the best stadium I've ever played in", says Morientes

Although he was unable to make his dream of winning the UEFA Champions League for the fourth time come true, Fernando Morientes was still full of praise for the Arena AufSchalke after the final. And the Spanish international wasn't alone in his assessment.

The European governing body UEFA, for example, thanked everyone at FC Schalke 04 and the Arena for putting on an "outstanding performance". The reactions of the fans, honorary guests and officials had been "entirely positive", a spokesperson said.

This was a view shared by Morientes. In answer to a question about his first appearance at the Arena, this year's leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League said: "I've already seen a lot in my career, but this is the best stadium I've ever played in."