What a match, what a final!! Liverpool stage one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history and win the trophy in Istanbul. They came to the match as underdogs with nothing to lose, heck they finished 4th in the EPL last season and this season they finished 5th! They haven't won their league since 1990 and some might say that a team that hasn't won their league or even finished 2nd aren't worthy enough to be champions of Europe. But who cares?!! Liverpool have won the hearts of neutral football fans the world over this season by being the underdogs and winning against much stronger teams like Milan, Chelsea & Juventus.

Milan went ahead in the very first minute, when vetaran defender Paulo Maldinin scored the fastest goal in the Champions League to put his team ahead. Two strikes by Chelsea's on loan striker to AC, Hernan Crespo, meant that Milan would go to the half time break leading 3-0 and people were saying that the cup was already won, Chelsea have extracted some kind of strange revenge by having their onloan striker score two goals to beat Liverpool, who beat the London club by a single controversial "goal". But whatever half time talk that coach Rafa Benetiz had with his players seemed to work. In the space of 6 staggering minutes, Liverpool equalised through Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer & a penalty by Xabi Alonzo. The 32 year old Smicer, who played his last game for Liverpool is going to French club Lens, with whom he first established himself as a good player in the late 1990s. The game went to extra time but nothing could seperate the two. So on it was to penalties and Milan missed 1 & Liverpool goalie Jercy Dudek saved two to make sure that his club were back among Europe Elite clubs.



As wonderful & romantic the win was, the real clincher is that Liverpool won't be back to defend it next season!! Since they only finished 5th in their domestic league, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United & Everton will take part in the premier European competition. UEFA denied the right for England to have 5 teams in the tournament saying that it wasn't that important for the defending champions to play in the next year. This will be the first time that the defending champions will not be around to defend it. But does any Liverpool fan care at the moment. NO! They are soaking in the glory and revelling in the great comback that proves once and for all what a great game football is.



Song for the day - "We Are The Champions" - QUEEN