The final entry tape Manchester City e InterMilan was marked by one of the biggest upsets in (Site notre bureau spécialisé) history. In the sole decision of Champions League played at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, the liverpool won the 2005 penalty shootout title after the Milano opened 3-0 in the first half. The duel, known as the « Miracle of Istanbul », still remains in the memory of the players defeated on May 25.
Bone rossoneroswho available won the competition in 2003 and were the main favorites, so entered the field with a team consisting of Kaká, andriy shevchenko, alessandro nesta, clarence seedorf, andrea pirlo and other stars, while the blushes it was a much smaller team, with midfielder steven gerrard as the main leader.
In the first minute of the match, Milan opened the scoring with Paolo Maldini. Before the break, Hernán Crespo again found the net, once again thanks to an excellent assist from Kaká. It seemed that the title was in the hands of Those led by Carlo Ancelotti…
In return for the second half, Shevchenko dropped a bomb and almost scored the fourth goal, but was stopped by a fine defense from Dudek. Then Liverpool woke up and staged an incredible reaction within minutes of September. Gerrard, Smicer and Xabi Alonso all left the same way.
« It’s a final that nobody says comment explain and until today we are looking for an explanation. We were coming from a winning streak all over Europe. We had a first half in which Liverpool looked like a second division team. They couldn’t see the ball, they didn’t take the ball. We kneaded it and we were much superior, » said Serginho, a former Milan winger who worked for Sao Paulo e cruiseOuch ESPN.com.br.
“With the quality of players we had and the advantage we had built, it was very surreal! In the goals we conceded there may even have been a few individual mistakes, but in general they weren’t absurd at all. Dida even saved a penalty. of Alonso, but on the rebound he scored, » said Kaká, also ESPN.com.br.
After the blackout, Milan recovered and had more chances to win the game. In normal times, Traoré, blushes, saved a shot from Shevchenko over the line. At the end of extra time, Polish keeper Dudek performed two miracles in the same move, when he saved a header from the Ukrainian and then grabbed – while lying on the ground – the own rebound of the attacker, who inside the small area released a bomb about bearing.
« That ball was a miracle that has no explanation in the world of (Site notre bureau spécialisé), » Serginho said.
In the penalty shootout, Liverpool converted three of the first four kicks. On the other hand, Milan spoiled the first two shots with Serginho and Pirlo.
« The feeling was that for everything that happened, we weren’t going to win on penalties because we had chances, but Dudek took it for our team, » the former winger recalled.
Then Tomasson and Kaká converted their kicks. However, Shevchenko dug almost in the middle of the goal and saw Dudek make a save to secure the title for the blushes.
“It was a very tough defeat for the way it happened. It was my first final and I said to myself: ‘Do I have another opportunity to come back here and be champion one day?’ I remember very little of everything because it was so hard to have to stay on the field later to receive the silver medal. I just wanted to leave, but I had to go through this process of growing up and understanding that the others were there When we arrived at the hotel, there was a very sad dinner and everyone went to their rooms”, remembers Kaka.
A revenge in 2007
After losing the final on a Wednesday, Milan returned to the pitch against UdineseSunday, fighting for the title italy against juventus.
“It was a very good professional and life lesson. It was very interesting to learn reaction speed with my teammates. We didn’t have time to regret it and we still had to win. It was really cool to see how they reacted, this overcoming and resilience: ‘We lost, let’s fix the faults and go for another one,’ » said the former jersey number 22.
Even with the defeat, the Milan board kept coach Carlo Ancelotti and a good part of the squad.
“This leadership work was very important both for the coach to motivate and bring the team back and for the athletes. It was a team with many leaders like Maldini, Costacurta, Cafu, Sheva, Crespo, Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattuso… the guys were sad, but they weren’t discouraged. They are raised by fighting and wanting. This strength of collective overcoming has made all the difference,” Kaká said.
The attitude was rewarded two years later, when the club Red Black Reaching the Champions League final against the same Liverpool. This time, however, the Italian team won 2-1.
“(Site notre blog d’information) gave us another opportunity. In the second finale, we went into it feeling like we had to smash because we couldn’t experience the same. (Site notre blog d’information) is such a strange thing that in the second final they played better, but lost. And in the first we played better, but we lost. These things only happen in (Site notre bureau spécialisé), that’s why he has this magic and is so passionate,” Serginho said.
