Greatest Football Matches #2 - 2005 UEFA Champions League finals - Liverpool vs AC Milan

“It probably was the greatest cup finals ever played” lauded various dailies and magazines around the world after Liverpool completed the Miracle of Istanbul. It is not often that you see a team come back and lift the trophy after going 0-3 down.

From agony to joy and from zeros to heroes, Liverpool completed one of the greatest comebacks in the world of Football.

The Setup

It was Liverpool’s sixth appearance in Champions League finals and it was the first after the Heysel stadium disaster of 1985. On the other hand, it was the 10th finals for the Italian giants and second in three years. They had won six prior trophies and were gunning for the seventh. They were the clear favorites.

Milan had ousted giants like Barcelona, Manchester United and Inter Milan en route to the finals and people expected them to win.

The History

This finals was of great importance to the football club of Liverpool. Their road to Istanbul went a 20 years back to Brussels, Belgium.

It was the 1985 UEFA Champions League finals between Juventus and Liverpool. It was also the last time that Liverpool played a Champions League finals before this match.

That day, the great domination of Liverpool in Europe came to an end as they not only lost the match but the supporters of Liverpool had to endure the pain of causing the Heysel Stadium Disaster which took the lives of 39 innocent fans.

After that dreadful event, English teams were banned for five years from the Champions League. It was dubbed as the “darkest hour in club football.

This Champions League finals was off great significance to Liverpool because they had to bury the demon that was haunting them for more than 20 years.

The Match

The Brits don’t usually play beautiful football and neither do the Italians. So, people were not expecting a high scoring game. But, the first half proved them wrong.

A severe dent was made to the hearts of the Liverpool supporters when Paolo Maldini struck a goal in the very first minute. Before the half time, AC Milan were leading 3-0 and the game was set to become one of the most loop-sided cup finals of all time.

But, the hope was not lost. Liverpool, inspired by Steven Gerrard produced one of the greatest comebacks that modern football has ever witnessed.

In just six minutes, the British team leveled the 0-3 deficit to force a penalty shootout. I have never witnessed a lost game turn around in such a short period of time. It was mesmerizing, amazing, jaw breaking and unexplainable.

After such a fighting comeback, it was only fit that Liverpool won the game on penalties.

Andrey Shevchenko had to score against Jerzy Dudek to keep the game alive for Milan but his attempt was saved and Liverpool lifted the cup on the night which is now referred as the “Miracle of Istanbul”.

It certainly was a miracle!