© EuroFootball.com
Forty-five minutes played. Players from teams with completely opposite moods changed into their tracksuits, while European football fans sat in front of their television screens, waiting for an intense battle, pulling towards the fridge for snacks and beer, faces showing disappointment, thinking about how the victory will be celebrated by the fans in the fashion capital of Italy. 3-0 - such a lead after the first half of the 2005 UEFA Champions League final already loaded and firmly held onto the trophy with one hand.
"Everything could be said by looking at the faces of the Italian players - they thought the match was over. Honestly, I thought the same," - now jokingly tells Liverpool's team captain Steven Gerrard, who, just after an hour and a half of a thriller in Istanbul, lifted the trophy of the champions.
It was this goalkeeper who, soon after the referee's whistle signaling the start of the second half, softened the result with a great header and proved to be a true leader, constantly urging his teammates to stand up for a decisive battle and not lose hope.
A few moments later, Czech Vladimir Smicer sent the ball into the net for the second time with a powerful shot like a cannon, and Xabi Alonso finished the fantastic comeback, scoring a goal after his own unfulfilled penalty shot. The result remained unchanged during the remaining time and extra time, and in the penalty shootout, "Liverpool" goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek became the hero, deflecting several opponent's shots. The victory and the cup set off for Merseyside for the fifth time.
Now history repeats itself - these two teams will meet again in the final, this time in Athens, Greece, on May 23.
"I do not think that the fact we are playing against 'Liverpool' again will be additional motivation for us," - said Milan's defender Gennaro Gattuso - "We don't need it when playing in the Champions League final. Nevertheless, this is more than just a final for us because we are playing not only for the cup but also for the honor."
"As a footballer, that evening, during 120 minutes, I experienced all possible emotions," said 26-year-old S. Gerrard. "I watched highlights countless times, listened to commentary, saw photos. The night was magical, but all of it is now in the past, and I want to experience it again. I am as hungry for success as I was back then."
Number eight jerseys are the hearts of the teams' midfield areas. A large part of the success depends on their performance, so this individual duel may be one of those that will determine the final result of the match.
S. Gerrard often plays on the right flank this season, and G. Gattuso knows well how to deal with wingbacks - the Italian pitbull simply overwhelmed Cristiano Ronaldo, who has shown exceptional form this season. The Portuguese, overshadowed by Gattuso, could not find his game, and without him, "Man Utd" appeared much weaker than usual and suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat in Milan.
For the Englishman from Liverpool, this year has not been as impressive, but the captain's value in the final will undoubtedly be very high.
"S. Gerrard is a great player who never gives up, but I am just the same," G. Gattuso smiles.
Liverpool's defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano, added to the team in January, did not hesitate to praise Gerrard: "You can see that this player is a true leader even without speaking to him. He inspires respect in me and in the whole team".
"Kaka has natural talent, and G. Gattuso simply radiates passion that infects everyone," Milan's coach Carlo Ancelotti did not miss the praise.
G. Gattuso was amazed by himself: "When I watch my matches on television, I don't understand where I get so much energy from. Probably it's inside of me. Kaka was born talented and does everything he does using it. My strengths are different, and I try to use them as well as possible."
Both the Italian and the Englishman, unlike some other senior coaches, carefully avoided the pitfalls of the media and described each other without any ambiguity or possible controversies.
"When the match starts, all those words are forgotten, and you try to perform your individual duties as best as possible," says S. Gerrard. "In addition, I prepare to play not against G. Gattuso, but against the entire 'Milan' team. He is a great and experienced player, a World Cup winner. Over many years, G. Gattuso has shown at the highest level that he is a top-class player, but I am not worried about him, I am worried about the whole opponent team, I am worried about how S. Gerrard will play. That's what I focus on. If everything goes well for me, we'll see if this Italian will stop me."
"We want to go down in history as heroes, we want to return home victorious. We are not afraid of them. We are a good team ourselves, and we believe we are capable of winning," the Englishman concluded.
"A second success after the victory in the 2003 final would push us to the same level with the best legendary past 'Milan' teams," G. Gattuso turned the pages of history. "Two years ago, we certainly did not expect to face 'Liverpool' again in such a decisive clash. Now we have the opportunity to make up for what we lost then. I will not call it revenge, but in the end, we have the chance to erase that night from our minds."
