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May 25th, 2005 was a memorable day for the city of Istanbul, as it was hosting its maiden Champions League Final. The whole of Istanbul was divided into two shades of Red. The boulevards leading up to the stadium were packed, with traveling fans from both clubs. The teams that were contesting in the finals were Liverpool and AC Milan.
Leading up to the match, the supporters of both the clubs were in full voice and shared a common dream, to return home as Champions. The night had a festive feel about it, and the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric. As for the players, they were just eagerly waiting for their moment to shine
AC Milan were the favorites coming into the final, and rightfully so. The Rossoneri's had a dream team that included superstars like Kaka, Maldini, Crespo, Pirlo, Shevchenko, etc. On the other hand, the Liverpool team was a relatively young squad with players like Gerrard, Alonso, Carragher, etc.
AC Milan had a dream start to the match and scored within the first minute. The Rossoneri's built on their impressive start and added a second in the 36th minute. At this moment, Liverpool was clueless about what hit them, and Milan further asserted their dominance by adding a third in the 44th minute. The Kopites were 3-0 down at halftime.
It seemed like the match was done and dusted, and a comeback seemed impossible. But the passionate Kopites did not give in and they did everything in their power to lift the team up.
In the second half the unthinkable unfolded before the eyes of 69,000 people in attendance. Steven Gerrard sparked a comeback, with a goal in the 54th minute. The Reds scored two more goals in quick succession and were back in business. The whole of the Milan rooster was left bamboozled.
The match remained even at 3-3 after extra time, and penalties were needed to settle the thrilling contest. Liverpool went on to win 3-2 on penalties. The remarkable night in Ataturk Olympic Stadium will forever be one of the greatest in the history of "The Beautiful Game and LFC."