Steven Gerrard's speech at HT in Istanbul inspired incredible Liverpool comeback vs AC Milan

On this day 17 years ago, Liverpool won the Champions League in the most incredible circumstances.

The 2005 Champions League final saw Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool take on Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded AC Milan in Istanbul.

The Italian side were strong favourites heading to Turkey with the likes of Paolo Maldini, Jaap Stam, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Getturo Gattuso, Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo all in their starting line-up.

And they lived up to the favourites tag.

Within 60 seconds, they were ahead through Maldini.

A Crespo brace in the final few minutes of the half appeared to end the final as a contest. It was 3-0 at half time and Liverpool were being embarrassed on the biggest stage of them all.

What on earth would Benitez say at half time? What could he say?

There are multiple stories that have emerged in the 17 years on exactly what happened in that dressing room at the Attaturk Stadium.

What we do know is that Steve Finnan was replaced by Didi Hamann as a substitute and that the Liverpool fans in the stands weren’t giving up hope by singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ despite trailing by three goals.

However, according to someone inside the dressing room that night, it was actually captain Steven Gerrard who inspired the comeback.

Djibril Cisse – who came on as a substitute in the second half – explains all.

“At half-time, Rafa did a speech. He was really optimistic. But what really changed the game was Stevie’s speech,” Cisse explained.

“He asked nicely to the staff to be alone with the players and he said that he is a Liverpool kid, always been his club, he didn’t want to see his club being like this, being humiliated.

“And he said if we scored in the first 15 minutes we would win the game and he’s