Djibril Cissé: Liverpool's Istanbul '05 was better than Man United's Barcelona '99

Updated: 05 Jun, 2024 • 0 • min read

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Djibril Cisse attends during the SPORTEL Monaco 2016 - Day Two at Grimaldi Forum on October 25, 2016 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Photo: Valerio Pennicino/GETTY IMAGES

Djibril Cissé believes Liverpool's 2005 Champions League final was a better comeback than Manchester United's feat in 1999.

The Reds won the Champions League in 2005 in one of the most extraordinary finals of all-time when AC Milan went 3-0 up only to lose on penalties after an incredible comeback in Istanbul.

Trailing 3-0 at half-time to a Milan side overflowing with the greatest talents of the era, Liverpool hauled themselves level in six frantic second-half minutes and emerged victorious from the pressure of a penalty shootout.

2005 is undoubtedly one of football's greatest ever comebacks and, in a Champions League context at least, it stands against a similar comeback win in a final for United in 1999.

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With injury time underway in the 1999 Champions League final, Bayern Munich led United 1-0, after a sixth-minute goal put them in front early on.

Sensationally, substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær would score two goals in three minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for United.

Speaking to Ladbrokes: Fanzone this week, though, Cissé, who side-footed in the second Liverpool spot-kick, believed the spirit shown by Liverpool after going in so far behind at half-time makes their comeback a better one.

The Man United v Bayern Munich game in 1999 was unbelievable, of course. But it all happened so quickly, late on in the game. We were three goals down against that AC Milan side inside 45 minutes.

We went in with this feeling that we were in for a really song second-half, and all of a sudden you're thinking about what happens if they score the next goal, then it's four, then it's five, then you're six goals down in a Champions League final.

I think that because of the way we came out and responded, against that side, and the manner in which we went on to go and win the game... I think our comeback is better.