In the memorable Champions League final, Gerrard threw everyone out of the booth at half-time, apart from the players, and triggered…

The memorable Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan was virtually decided after half-time, but after that things started to happen that every Liverpool fan remembers fondly. Even more so Djibril Cisse and Steven Gerrard.

Cissé was an outstanding footballer in his day, scoring 271 goals (607 games) in his rich club career, but unfortunately he didn’t win any major trophies, except for one, and he owes that one mainly to Gerrard.

It is therefore not out of place to recall what happened in the Liverpool cabin at half-time. I believe that many will get goose bumps from the following lines.

“I will never forget Gerrard’s half-time speech to the players in the 2005 Champions League final. Benítez came into the dressing room then and told us we must not give up and must score a quick goal.

Steven then stood up and asked everyone except the players to leave the booth because he wanted to be alone with the players. Everyone obeyed him and left, even the masseurs and others left us alone.

Stevie then stood up and said that Liverpool is all he has, it’s his club and all he’s ever known and he doesn’t want to go down in Champions League history by being a laughing stock to everyone.

He said that if we respect and like him as captain then we need to man up and get back in the game. He then scored the first goal and won a penalty.

He gave a superhuman performance in the second half and finished the game as a right-back. It was a crazy game, but his half-time speech will be stuck in my head forever!”

That’s how Cissé revealed Gerrard’s half-time performance years later. AC Milan met Liverpool again after two years and again in the final, but this time it was the Italian side that was victorious.

Fans had to wait until today for the next competitive match, but the situation turned around and Liverpool were the clear favourites, who once again managed to turn around an unfavourable half-time result and win.

Source: Champions League