Istanbul will be the venue for the final Champions League match between Inter Milan and Man City. Seeking excitement, football fans are turning back the clock, to the place where Istanbul experienced a magical night 18 years ago.
Istanbul marks 18 years since that magical night.
Against the Stars
On May 25, 2005, the world temporarily stopped what it was doing to turn its attention to the Olimpico Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, where the Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool was taking place.
The reputations of both teams guarantee a high-stakes clash, but considering the relative strength of the two sides, it's difficult to say this will be a balanced match.
The AC Milan team that day was full of stars across all positions.
AC Milan's squad that year was a galaxy of world-class stars such as Dida, Maldini, Pirlo, Kaka, and especially the outstanding European player Shevchenko. This exceptional team was led by the veteran coach Ancelotti.
Most of the players in AC Milan's squad had conquered Europe two years earlier, and now they are once again eager to win the Champions League to reaffirm their status as a major force. Some even liken AC Milan to an invincible army with no rivals.
For Liverpool, the Champions League is seen as a lifeline, given their current fifth-place finish in the Premier League and elimination from the FA Cup in the third round.
At that time, Benitez's team didn't have any big names; most were young talents on their way to proving themselves. Gerrard and his teammates would have a historic mission: to defeat the powerful team from Italy.
Mission impossible
The world only needed 50 seconds to imagine a terrible match befalling Liverpool, when Maldini opened the scoring for the Italian side. Then, Hernan Crespo went on to score two more goals, ending the first 45 minutes with a 3-0 lead for Milan.
To reiterate, after a 3-0 lead following the first 45 minutes, the young men from the English port city, on their way to proving themselves, were now suffering devastating blows. They sensed the immense strength of AC Milan, they saw the children in the stands that day begin to cry, and they scrambled to escape into the tunnel, a place where only those who had just been humiliated could find each other.
Even during halftime, former UEFA president Michel Platini told the Liverpool chairman: "You should focus on limiting the number of goals conceded instead of thinking about winning."
Anyone who loves Liverpool and fears nightmares could have turned off their TV, anti-fans of the Merseyside club were waiting for more goals to continue their gloating, and neutral fans were undoubtedly extremely disappointed with the first 45 minutes of the match. But in that world, there were also quite a few people dreaming of a miracle.
History is made in the locker room.
“My teammates, I was born in Liverpool and have been a Liverpool boy since I was a child. Think about what our fans went through in the first half. Our friends and family are watching this game. We can still do extraordinary things, and promise me, we will all fight our hardest.” Gerrard rallied his teammates in the dressing room.
Istanbul night was magical for the people of the port city of Liverpool.
The Liverpool players stepped onto the pitch under the skepticism of the world, but they had the responsibility of achieving something extraordinary. And then, one goal, two goals, and three goals came their way. In just six minutes, Liverpool scored three goals, courtesy of Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer, and Xabi Alonso.
From that point on, the spotlight belonged solely to Jerzy Dudek. The Polish goalkeeper repeatedly thwarted Milan's relentless barrage of shots, forcing the match into a penalty shootout. And then, he made history as a hero for Liverpool, successfully saving the decisive penalty from "European gazelle" Shevchenko.
Liverpool won the penalty shootout after trailing AC Milan 3-0; this statement must be repeated over and over again so that everyone watching the match believes they are living in reality.
"Resurrection from the dead" probably doesn't fully capture the emotions of the Liverpudlians that day. And for AC Milan fans, this nightmare will haunt their dreams for many nights to come.
Istanbul, 18 years old
Now, when a father or grandfather tells his children or grandchildren about the final between AC Milan and Liverpool, how can they explain that classic comeback, when Istanbul seemed to be under a spell? Or, to use Shevchenko's simple words, should they follow destiny's lead?
Eighteen years later, Istanbul once again witnessed a clash between two giants of English and Italian football, a battle that was also unevenly matched.
Looking back at history, Man City reminded themselves not to be complacent, even though victory seemed so close. As for Inter Milan, weakness doesn't equate to helplessness when you possess extraordinary willpower.
On June 11, 2023, football fans worldwide once again immersed themselves in the final match between Inter Milan and Man City. However, everyone should refrain from trying to predict the outcome based on the circumstances, as Istanbul has already witnessed a miraculous event.
Thang Nguyen
Image source: ST.
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