Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Liverpool, Champions League, Rafa Benitez, Football, AC Milan
Marcus Chan
Topics: Liverpool, Champions League, Rafa Benitez, Football, AC Milan
An ex-Liverpool star has slammed Rafa Benitez for the way the Spaniard treated him prior to the club's famous 2005 Champions League victory.
Over 20 years ago, Liverpool and AC Milan were involved in arguably the greatest Champions League final of all time at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey.
By half-time, the Reds looked out of it as Milan led 3-0 thanks to a goal from Paolo Maldini and a brace by Hernan Crespo.
However, Liverpool were to complete one of the greatest comebacks in history. Strikes from Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso made it 3-3 as the clock ticked towards the hour.
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In the end, the Premier League giants came out on top by winning the penalty shootout 3-2, with Andriy Shevchenko missing the crucial spot kick.
While that final in Istanbul will be remembered fondly by Liverpool players and fans, there was one person who had a different memory of that special night.
Defender Stephen Warnock, a boyhood Liverpool fan, was far from impressed with the way Benitez treated him in the lead-up to the final against Milan.
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Speaking last year on the Under The Cosh podcast, the former player stated that he was omitted from the matchday squad for the final despite Benitez previously naming him in the 18-man list.
Warnock revealed that he had phoned his family to book flights to Istanbul before being told by assistant manager Pako Ayestaran that the management had made a mistake on the squad and he was no longer involved.
He said: "It was hard for me because I'm a Liverpool fan, I grew up standing in the Kop and everything. I thought 'I f***ing hate this team, like what's going on here'. I was fuming, I was so angry.
"I didn't hate the team, I hated Rafa. I sat there thinking, 'I'm so happy for the lads, but I'm also p***ed off with the way things have played out'."
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Warnock then stated that each player involved in the 18-man squad would receive a bonus of £200,000 if Liverpool won, £100,000 if they were defeated.
He then added that he missed the parade and had to watch it on Sky Sports.
Warnock continued: "I remember that night just going to bed and they said. 'right, the plane leaves at this time in the morning to go for the parade in Liverpool'. And then they changed it and said, 'all the squad who were involved, the 18, and their wives or girlfriends'.
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"So they put all them together, bearing in mind they'd been on our flight coming over, the wives and girlfriends, and we flew back separately. Missed the parade, I watched it on Sky Sports.
"Our flight was late coming in. The lads literally landed at Liverpool Airport, got ferried to the buses and then just started the parade. I just remember thinking 'what a s***show'."