Although the 2005 Champions League final was over two decades ago, this weekend’s matchup between a former Liverpool player and Istanbul will be reminiscent of that tournament.
Naturally, Liverpool won the Champions League trophy at the end of the 2004–05 season after mounting an absolutely incredible comeback against AC Milan in the Turkish final. The game went into extra time and ultimately penalties, with Jerzy Dudek emerging victorious in an unforgettable shootout, despite the Reds trailing three goals at the break. Liverpool fans will always cherish their greatest Champions League comeback, which took place 19 years ago. Harry Kewell, a former Red, will face off against an old rival in this legendary match.
HARRY KEWELL’S RECAP OF ISTANBUL Kewell
spent five years as a player with Liverpool, starting the Champions League final in 2005 before being replaced due to a groin injury.
The Australian was also substituted in during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final. However, Kewell is currently content with his life in Japan, managing Yokohama F. Marinos and leading the team to the Asian Champions League final. He will square off against former AC Milan player Hernan Crespo on the touchline in the main event of the two-leg final, which begins on Saturday. The United Arab Emirates team Al Ain, who will play Kewell this weekend, is now led by Crespo, who is renowned for his two goals in the Champions League final from 2005.
Given that the AFC Champions League final is split into two parts, with the second leg taking place on May 25, a comeback a la Istanbul won’t be exactly feasible, but Crespo won’t be nostalgic about his other big matchup with Kewell. Kewell made the following statement regarding the upcoming games: “I’ve always thought that two-leg semi-finals are the toughest games because finals are usually a one-off affair. “Enjoy the moment when you reach the final. However, I’m also experiencing something new with this [two-leg final]. You’ll need to learn how to manage your feelings.
You won’t lose interest after the first game. There is always going to be another chance for you. Nothing that occurs on May 11 [the first leg] will decide everything.