While Liverpool have won the Champions League since, few finals will be as memorable as their great comeback against Milan in 2005.
Taking place in Istanbul, the game got off to a crazy start, with Paolo Maldini scoring in the first minute, leading to Rafa Benítez’s men finding themselves 3-0 down at half-time.
However, few could have predicted what came next, as a dejected looking Liverpool side turned things around in the space of six minutes, taking the game to extra-time and eventually lifting the trophies after a tense penalty shootout.
One of the key men of that game was Vladimir Šmicer, who came on in the 23rd minute for Harry Kewell, injured.
The Czech international scored his team’s second goal and the fourth penalty in the shootout, just before Andriy Shevchenko saw his penalty saved by Jerzy Dudek to give the title to Liverpool.
Speaking to France Football, the former playmaker looked back on that crazy final with fondness, and explained what went through his head.
He said: “After scoring the second, I felt we were going to get a third. I was celebrating it, but no one came with me! All the players were in the middle and waiting for the whistle to attack again. The Milan players didn’t know what was going on. Those six minutes were crazy.
“I was very happy because it was my last game for Liverpool. I could leave calmly! That’s what I was a bit nervous too. I knew that Benítez was going to ask me if I wanted to take a penalty. I was 32, I felt good. I said yes. He answered: ‘OK, you’re fourth’.”
He continued: “I said: ‘OK, fine!’, but suddenly all my confidence left me! I was feeling very, very nervous. It would be my last shot with Liverpool. I told myself: ‘If you score, you can come back to Liverpool for life, but if you don’t, you’ll never be able to come back! Never!’.
“Then, the relief was amazing. The shootout started well, they missed the first. They were under pressure. It helped us. That final, it was Jerzy’s [Dudek]. Even if he conceded three goals, he couldn’t do anything. He saved us in extra time by making two amazing saves on Shevchenko.
“He was three metres away from an empty goal. Jerzy was on the ground. Even Shevchenko didn’t think Jerzy would get a hand on it. If he’d tried it 100 times, he would have missed it only once, and it was then, in Istanbul. And then, the penalties, it was the Jerzy show”.
