Former Milan striker Hernan Crespo reflects on the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool – ‘even today I can’t believe it’.
The Rossoneri were leading the match 3-0 at half-time, but conceded three goals in six minutes, before losing on penalties.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the match, and Crespo spoke to British newspaper the Guardian about his memories of the day.
“That match is part of destiny, of things that can’t be explained,” the Argentinian striker reflected.
Former Milan striker Hernan Crespo reflects on the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool – ‘even today I can’t believe it’.
The Rossoneri were leading the match 3-0 at half-time, but conceded three goals in six minutes, before losing on penalties.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the match, and Crespo spoke to British newspaper the Guardian about his memories of the day.
“That match is part of destiny, of things that can’t be explained,” the Argentinian striker reflected.
“Even today I can’t believe it. In some matches there is nothing we can do, unfortunately. Aside from those six minutes we were basically the only team playing.
“Destiny wanted that Cup to go to Liverpool.
“For me to be in a Champions League final playing for Milan was already the best experience you can imagine.
“I grew up watching the great Milan teams with the Dutch players. I felt like I was living a dream: I was starting, I scored two goals and the other was scored by a legend such as Paolo Maldini.
“It was one of those nights where you can do everything easily, everything worked, every ball went where I wanted it to. It was a great feeling.
“[At half-time] My legs were shaking. I thought straight away about calming down, I told myself: ‘Okay, we are still 0-0, nothing has happened yet.’
“I told myself that anything could still happen. Yes, everything, but I certainly didn’t expect something like what happened…
“Nobody celebrated in the changing room, those stories are made up.
“In that Milan side we had players such as Alessandro Nesta, Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf, Andriy Shevchenko and many others: do you think they would celebrate after 45 minutes?
“Quite the opposite, there were some who were discussing how we should have been playing better, despite fact we were beating Liverpool 3-0.
“Carlo [Ancelotti] didn’t give us specific instructions. He wanted us to calm down, he wanted to ensure we weren’t satisfied.
“We were focused on our play until Rafa Benítez changed the match with a move: Didi Hamann came in in front of the defence to cover to free up Steven Gerrard.
“That switch put us in a very difficult situation. And then something that only destiny can control happened.
“I will never forget [Jerzy] Dudek’s save [in extra time] from Shevchenko’s effort, something incredible.
“I believe that Jerzy still to this day has no idea how he stopped that shot. How Shevchenko did not score that goal is surreal.
“When Liverpool scored the last penalty I was about to go to the dressing room but then I stopped and said to myself: ‘No, it cannot be true that I am going to go and have a shower without having won the Champions League when we were 3-0 up.’
“So I sat down behind the photographers. I had to see with my own eyes that Gerrard was actually going to lift the trophy. I still couldn’t believe it, it didn’t seem real.
“When Steven finally lifted it I thought: “So it really happened.” And then I went to the dressing room completely speechless.
“It was like a funeral. They were very difficult moments, nobody was able to speak even when we returned to the hotel: some team-mates were crying, others were embracing their wives or kids.
“Trust me, it was a very difficult night.”
Crespo is now involved in the coaching set-up at Parma, taking charge of the Primavera side, but reveals he could have been in Roberto Donadoni’s role as head Coach.
“I like coaching a lot and I’ve always had this desire in me.
“After I stopped playing I went to study with some of my previous managers such José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, then Cholo [Diego Simeone].
“Parma had offered me to Coach the first team when it looked like Roberto Donadoni was going to Lazio, then everything collapsed and I accepted the Primavera
“Starting with young players is the right thing and fascinating.”