On what will go down as THE most incredible night in this club's
illustrious history Liverpool reclaimed their crown as Kings of
Europe after miraculously overcoming a 3-0 half-time deficit to
defeat AC Milan at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul.
It was the Reds first appearance in a European Cup Final for 20
years and, despite defeating Juventus and Chelsea during a
memorable run to the final, they went into the game as overwhelming
underdogs against the formidable Rossoneri.
An estimated 40,000 Liverpudlians followed their heroes to Istanbul
but when Milan raced into a 3-0 interval lead it looked as though
their trip had been vain. Cue an inspirational half-time team talk
from the boss, a passionate rallying cry from the fans and the most
amazing comeback of all time.
Jamie Carragher: "It was one of the
greatest finals of all-time. People will be talking about it in 20
or 30 years time. I don't think it can ever be bettered. Obviously
this club can win the European Cup again but I think it's the way
we won it that made it so special."
Steven Gerrard: "Milan had played the
ball so quickly and so fluently and cleverly that we were lucky to
be 3-0 down at half time. It took a lot out of us chasing their
shadows because we could not get near them."
Jamie Carragher: "They were a good side.
Kaka was causing us all sorts of problems. We were deflated when we
went in at half-time and I didn't think we could turn it
around."
Rafael Benitez: "It was very difficult to
go into that dressing room and see the players with their heads
down. We talked about different things. We had worked very hard for
ten days and we needed to fight to the end. You have to keep
believing in yourself. We had fought hard to be in the final. I was
thinking about what to say and what to change. I needed to change
the system and we needed to be more aggressive. I had to give
confidence to the players."
Steven Gerrard: "The manager came in at
half time and he calmed us down basically. He drew some things on
his board, he made a few changes and he said that we should just
try to score early. He said if we scored early, it would change the
game. I couldn't concentrate. I don't know what was going through
my head. It was weird. I was sitting there and my head was in my
hands. I thought it was over."
Rafael Benitez: "At half-time we needed
to do something and decided to make some changes. There is no way
we could have went back out and lost by four or five goals in front
of our wonderful fans. Once we started thinking and believing we
could do it, anything was possible."
Pako Ayesteran: "We couldn't change
things in the first half because of the problems with Harry's
injury but he (Benitez) came up with a great solution at half time.
Didi started winning the second ball and that became a great
help."
Djimi Traore: "When we were back in the
dressing room the Milan players were outside already celebrating
that they were champions, celebrating the victory. That really got
to us and gave us the hunger to come back at them."
Rafael Benitez: "I was last in the
dressing room. I didn't hear Milan celebrate but Alex Miller did.
He told the players they were celebrating winning the cup. That was
a good thing for us."
As well as Rafa's inspirational half-time pep talk the Liverpool
players were also lifted by the sound of the club's phenomenal
followers.
Luis Garcia: "We were sitting in the
dressing room and we could clearly hear thousands of fans singing
You'll Never Walk Alone. Can you imagine how that felt? We were 3-0
down in the Champions League final and all we could hear were
45,000 people letting us know they still believed in us. We knew
they had endured a long journey and made so many sacrifices to be
there. It was at that point we started to believe
too."
Jamie Carragher: "The best thing the
manager did on the night was bringing on The Kaiser (Didi Hamann).
What a performance from Didi. When he wasn't there in the first
half Kaka caused us all the problems. We couldn't control him when
he just kept breaking at our defence but Didi did. When we got the
goal Milan just seemed to go."
Djimi Traore: "Once we scored the first
one they were scared, and they fell back. When we brought Didi on
it gave us a lot of experience in midfield and it really disrupted
them."
Rick Parry: "At half time we knew it
would be an uphill struggle but then you think of Basel and you
think of Olympiacos and you say to yourself it is possible. But
then you say you're playing AC Milan and they don't concede three
goals. The early goal got us going and from then on we thought we
could do it. It was just an amazing night."
With the Milan defence visibly rocking Liverpool continued to lay
siege to their goal and the all-important equaliser duly came when
Xabi Alonso converted on the rebound after Dida had saved his
spot-kick.
The tension inside the stadium was now at fever pitch but there was
to be no further goals in open play thanks mainly to the brilliance
of Jerzy Dudek.
Steven Gerrard: "When Jerzy made that
double save from Shevchenko, just before he hit it, I thought
'goal', and I knew that would be the end of it but then when it
went over the bar, I thought maybe it was going to be our day."
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Jamie Carragher: "[color=red]When Jerzy made that save from
Shevchenko I thought we would go on to win it because Shevchenko is
a top striker and he put in a top performance. There was no way he
was going to miss that chance. I was just waiting for the ball to
hit the back of the net. When it stayed out, you begin to think
these things happen for a reason - Stevie Gerrard scoring in the
last minute against Olympiacos, coming back from being 3-0 down in
a final."
Jerzy Dudek: "My brother phoned me the
morning after the game and asked me had I seen the match again? I
said no and he said 'you need to see it because your save from
Shevchenko was the hand of the God'. I told him I didn't know how I
did it."
The tension heightened as the penalty shoot-out commenced but just
like in Rome 21 years before the Reds held their nerve to
triumph.
Djimi Traore: "We had so many injuries at
the end of normal time and in extra time. We were well prepared and
physically ready for the game, but the tension and the mental
fatigue were too much. It was a question of praying for penalties
and we were desperately hanging on. We showed grit, determination
and bravery. We were strong mentally."
Jerzy Dudek: "We had studied the Milan
penalty takers on video and knew which way they kicked the ball but
when it came to it, I dived the other way to the way I'd been
instructed. Carra came up to me after extra time and said 'Remember
Grobbelaar and the rubbery legs of 84 - and do the same. Dance, do
anything, put them off'."
Djimi Traore: "We didn't decide before
the game who was going to take the penalties as we never expected
it to get that far. Rafa asked all the players if they wanted to
take on but I said 'No thank you'."
Dudek's final save from Shevchenko sparked delirious scenes on and
off the pitch. Liverpool were Kings of Europe once again and the
celebrations commenced.
Jamie Carragher: "At the end I just took
off towards our fans. I couldn't believe it. There were probably
40,000 Liverpool supporters in the stadium and yet the exact place
I ran to was where all my family and friends were celebrating. It
was unbelievable because I honestly hadn't a clue where they were
in the stadium. I went so mad that I must have had a bit of a
blackout. I just crashed to the floor somewhere and I can't
remember a single thing that was going on around me for a few
moments. What I do remember as I was lying on the floor was
starting to cramp up again!"
Jerzy Dudek: "To be honest when I saved
the penalty from Shevchenko I didn't know that was it but when I
saw all the guys running towards me it was just a great feeling.
You honestly can't describe the feeling as it is just special. We
celebrated into the night and it was magnificent. We had a few
drinks, well maybe a bit more than a few!"
Steven Gerrard: "I didn't sleep with the
cup but I had it in my room! It was just special and I just had to
have the cup with me, lifting the cup as Liverpool captain was just
the best moment of my life."
Vladimir Smicer: "I celebrated with the
largest cigar you have ever seen. I went with the fans to dance in
the streets. It was incredible to be with the fans. I just wanted
to share with them what I felt. It was the greatest night of our
lives. I didn't go to bed at all. There is no need for sleep after
a night like this. I just wanted to go out on a high."
Rafael Benitez: "This was without doubt
my biggest night in football. I was so proud of my
players."