The last time the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul hosted a Champions League final, fans were treated to arguably the greatest European Cup showpiece match in history.
The match featured Liverpool, a club desperate to relive their successes of the 1980s, against AC Milan, a team that emerged from the 1980s as the premier football club in Europe.
What ensued over the next 120 minutes of football was nothing short of breathtaking. Sure, too often, football fans, writers, and commentators describe games as landmark moments, but the 2005 Champions League final was truly one for the ages.
Going into the final, Liverpool had last won the competition in 1984. Milan were European champions just two years before, defeating Juventus in one of the dullest finals of all time. It was a game between the club of the past and the team of the present.
Carlo Ancelotti’s high-powered Milan featured the likes of Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko, and Andrea Pirlo. The Rossoneri had one of the greatest starting XIs of all time and the substitutes were big names too.
Liverpool, on the other hand, were in their first season under manager Rafael Benitez. His squad was mostly made up of players signed by previous manager Gerard Houllier. Benitez had signed several players for his first season, including Liverpool’s first Spanish players, but most had failed to click.
The Reds’ journey to the final started in the third qualifying round, with a win over Austria’s Grazer AK. The group stage was a difficult journey
Indeed, Liverpool were set to exit the Champions League at the group stage until Steven Gerrard’s 86th-minute 25-yard screamer against Olympiacos in the final group stage game altered the course of history forever.
The final was the perfect microcosm of both clubs in 2004-05. Milan raced out to a 3-0 lead at halftime. Paolo Maldini opened the scoring in the first minute, deflating Liverpool and their supporters. Hernan Crespo added two more goals before the half.
Plenty of Liverpool supporters turned their TVs off at halftime expecting the match to get worse. It almost did, as Milan nearly scored a fourth in the second period.
Then, something happened, as the stars aligned. Gerrard headed home a John Arne Riise cross to pull the Reds a goal back. Vladimir Smicer then found the back of the net thanks to a low, speculative shot from long-range.
Minutes later Gerrard made a powerful run into the box and was pulled down by Gennaro Gattuso. Xabi Alonso stepped up to take the penalty, but it was saved by goalkeeper Dida. Alonso was first to pounce on the ball, sending it into the roof of the net. The comeback was complete.
Liverpool had drawn level in the space of seven minutes. Game on. The Reds almost threw their comeback away, however. Milan looked more likely of winning the game in the final 28 minutes.
Stoppage time featured some incredible saves from Liverpool goalie Jerzy Dudek, who kept Liverpool in the game. His heroics didn’t end there. Dudek masters Liverpool’s shoot-out win, conjuring the ghosts of the Anfielders’ previous European Cup wins.
Of all the European Cup and Champions League finals Liverpool have played, none can touch the magic of Istanbul.