Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta doesn't believe that his team-mates collapsed against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final, despite blowing a three-goal lead in just six minutes.
After Paolo Maldini and a brace from Hernan Crespo had put AC Milan 3-0 up in the first half of the final, it looked impossible that the Italian giants would relinquish their grip on another Champions League crown. Except they did, with Liverpool fighting back to take the game to penalties and, ultimately, win.
But Costacurta - who spent more than 20 years at Milan in his playing career, and who spent the full 2005 final as an unused substitute - is still full of praise for the side that played in Istanbul against the Reds.
Milan didn't collapse, but they did become complacent against Liverpool
I think the Rossoneri team that played in Istanbul was the greatest Milan of all the finals we played, alongside the 1989 final against Steaua," Costacurta tells FourFourTwo. "For 114 minutes we played an extraordinary, beautiful game, but in [the other] six minutes we were condemned to a draw and then we lost a penalty shootout.
"I understand that conceding three goals in just six minutes indicates that at the start of the second half, we thought we had already won. Anyone who has played at a high level knows that feeling: when you go 2-0 up, the opponent is in shock and you think the game is over.
"We underestimated Liverpool’s strength of character. After they equalised, we created many more chances – I appreciate why it’s a talking point but, again, it was one of the best Milan teams in modern football history. The goals from Hernan Crespo and Paolo Maldini are remarkable."
Costacurta continues, suggesting that complacency crept in and minor details in the build up to Liverpool's goals were the reason for their failure to hold onto the lead, rather than any real disaster.
"When you see Liverpool’s goals, Kaka is tying his laces when Steven Gerrard heads home – that shows we weren’t 100 per cent focused [in fact, the ball passed Kaka while he adjusted a shinpad and Vladimir Smicer made it 3-2]," he adds.
"But we didn’t collapse. We lost focus for six minutes. For the other 114, we were extraordinary. Thankfully, we took revenge two years on in Athens."
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