Liverpool
Flickr photo by Kumpei Shiraishi shared under a Creative Commons (BY 2.0) license.

Liverpool and that infamous night in Istanbul

Ahmed Hasan·
Liverpool
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It’s been over a decade since Liverpool redefined what was possible in a European final…

“The time has come for Liverpool to play in yet another European final; Rome, London, Paris, and now Istanbul; 25th May; it’s a date.” These were the lines plastered across Merseyside as Luis Garcia’s goal, the only goal in the tie against Chelsea, was enough to steer them to their first European final since 1985 – when they lost 1-0 to Juventus. This was a chance for the then four-time European champions to relive some of their golden history. 550 years after Sultan Mehmed conquered Istanbul, it was Liverpool’s turn to conquer this magnificent city.

Newly appointed coach Rafael Benitez had been at the pinnacle of European club football before, only to taste defeat at the hands of Real Madrid. Liverpool had to go through the third qualifying round of the Champions League to clear a path to the main competition. However, a 1-0 loss to Austrian side Grazer AK gave Benitez a shaky start to his Liverpool career. Luckily for him, The Reds rallied to 2-0 win away from home.

In the group stage, Liverpool were drawn with last season’s runner-up Monaco, Olympiacos, and Deportivo La Coruna. After collecting only seven points from five games, it all came down to Liverpool vs. Olympiacos at Anfield to decide which team goes through alongside Monaco. Olympiacos took the lead early through Rivaldo, but Liverpool put three goals past them after half-time with Gerrard on the scoresheet, something Liverpool would do again against Milan in the final.

Comfortable wins against Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus in the round of 16 and quarter-final respectively saw Liverpool come up against English rivals Chelsea in the semis . A goalless game at Stamford Bridge amped up the importance of the return-leg at Anfield. Luis Garcia struck very early and Liverpool had their sights set on the European Cup in Istanbul.

AC Milan, placed second in their league at the time, boasted legendary players like Maldini, Cafu, Shevchenko, Inzaghi, Crespo, Pirlo, and Kaka. The odds were against Benitez’s side to triumph in Istanbul as many saw Milan as unquestionable favourites.

The Magical Night

The Milanese side displayed their strength and experience from the outset, going 1-0 up in the very first minute. Pirlo’s free-kick was struck home by club-captain Maldini and Liverpool were immediately on the back-foot. The Merseyside club were being utterly outplayed by Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who in the words of the commentators were playing ‘God-like football’ and were practically impossible to stop – but it was never going to be over that early.

Kaka’s excellence in midfield and Crespo’s exquisite finishing saw the latter hit a brace right before the half-time whistle – and the equation become significantly more daunting for Liverpool. They now needed at least three goals to have a chance of getting their hands on the trophy, something no team had accomplished before in a European final.

However, Liverpool came back on the field with renewed vigour and spirit. The captain, Stevie G, had motivated his teammates to fight till the death in spite of the battering they had received in the first-half. All the players appeared sorrowful and disheartened, much like their manager. Remarkably, one goal was all it took for The Reds to force themselves back into the game. The pressure was piling, and Liverpool found a way to unsettle their opponents, as they so often do.

Steven Gerrard set a prime example of leading from the front, heading home from Riise’s cross. There was nothing Dida could to stop the lofted strike from nestling into the back of the net. Just two minutes later, Šmicer drove in a shot from just outside the box, and it found its way past Dida again, courtesy of a fortuitous deflection. Liverpool were now starting to believe and fans had seen their prayers answered.

This time it’s Gerrard again who makes a fantastic run into the box. The English midfielder is pulled down in the box and it’s a penalty for Liverpool. The fans are all up on their feet, and maybe it’s possible. Xabi Alonso steps up, taking in all the pressure. Could he possibly do it against the odds, and bring Liverpool back into the game? Up against one of the world’s best keepers in Dida? No, he technically couldn’t as the Brazilian saved the penalty low to his right, only for Alonso to smack the ball into the the roof of the net on the rebound and make the seemingly impossible comeback a reality. Liverpool had just done what no other team had before, and no one even imagined they would have pulled it off. It was all testament to the courage the side possessed.

Both teams lacked sharpness in extra-time. Eventually, things came down to spot-kicks, a gamble which has glorified and defamed many careers. It was a battle of nerves in the shoot-out, and Milan were the first to falter through Serginho. The Reds pounced and took the lead through Hamann. Pirlo, who never seemed to stutter, had his poor penalty saved by Dudek. Liverpool continued to take advantage of their tally and were edging ever so close to European glory. However, a neatly struck penalty by Tomasson and Dida’s crucial save off Riise brought Milan back into the game. Kaka dispatched his penalty right before Smicer stepped up to the plate.

Ultimately, it all came down to Shevchenko’s penalty. If the Ukranian had missed, there would be no second chances. That’s exactly what happened, and the commentators were quick sing praises of Dudek. The European Cup would return to England and to Anfield. Liverpool, against all odds, were now five-time champions of Europe.

This comeback was so special that they even made a movie after it named, ‘A Night In Istanbul’. It’s a must see for any football fan, especially for Liverpool supporters.

Seeing how Jurgen Klopp’s current side shows resolve and will-power, it will take something extraordinary from European giants Real Madrid to stop this Liverpool side from being victorious.