Where are they now? Istanbul 2005

Former Liverpool and Czech Republic striker Milan Baros has announced he will retire at the end of the current season. 

Whilst that might not be exciting news for football fans it does, however, highlight something more significant. The news means that Baros is the last player from the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul to hang up his boots. 

That night in Istanbul on May 25th saw the greatest comeback in European Cup history.

Trailing 3-0 to an AC Milan side containing several legends of the game, Rafa’s side scored three times in six minute’s. The games went through extra time into penalties and Liverpool fans know the rest. 

So with Milan Baros’ news, I take a look back at that team in Istanbul and follow their career’s after the Reds.

Jerzy Dudek

Soon after his heroics in the penalty shootout, Benitez went out and signed Pepe Reina from Villarreal. The Polish international then became the number two goalkeeper and in 2007 moved to Real Madrid. He retired in 2011 spending four years in the Spanish capital. 

Steve Finnan

Left the Reds in 2008 to join Espanyol where he only made four appearances due to injury. The Irishman then moved back to the Premier League to join Portsmouth. He retired after their 2010 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea.

Sami Hyypia 

The cult hero left Anfield in 2009 where he joined Bayer Leverkusen to see out the rest of his playing career. He then became assistant manager and then manager of the German side. After being sacked in 2014 he then we on to have equally disappointing spells with Brighton and FC Zurich. 

Jamie Carragher 

Retired as a one-club man in 2013. He managed 737 appearances for the reds putting him second on the all-time list. You can now see him as a pundit for Sky Sports.

Djimi Traore

The Frenchman went on the have spells at Charlton, Birmingham, Monaco and Marseille before moving to the MLS. He joined Seattle Sounders where he retired in 2014 and has since become an assistant coach at the side.

John Arne Riise

After leaving Anfield in 2008, Riise went on to spend three years in Italy with Roma. He returned to the Premier League to join Fulham. The Norwegian had two stints in the Indian Premier League as well as playing in the Cypriot and Norwegian leagues. 

Steven Gerrard

Captain fantastic left Anfield for LA Galaxy in 2015 in search on a new challenge. He only last a year in the MLS before retiring in 2016. The ex-skipper then took up a coaching role at Melwood which lead to him being appointed Rangers manager. 

Xabi Alonso

Shocked many fans when he moved to Real Madrid back in 2009. He went on to win La Decima with Real Madrid in 2014. He then moved to Bayern Munich after that final where he spent three years before retiring. Alonso has since taken up a coaching role at boyhood club Real Sociedad. 

Luis Garcia

Moved back to Spain in 2007 to join Atletico Madrid. Spent the rest of his career playing in Spain, Mexico, India and Australia before calling it a day in 2016.

Harry Kewell 

Left the Reds to join Turkish side Galatasaray in 2008. After three seasons in Turkey, he returned to his homeland and then to Qatar before retiring in 2014. Has a stint in coaching in England with Watford’s youth sides, Crawley and Notts County. 

Milan Baros

Left Liverpool straight after the victory in Istanbul where he moved to Aston Villa. Had spells in France, Turkey and Czech Republic before calling it a day last week. He also won the FA Cup with Portsmouth back in 2008

Substitutions

Vladimir Smicer 

The 2005 final was the Czechs last appearance for Liverpool. A move to French side Bordeaux and then boyhood club Slavia Prague lead to his retirement in 2010. 

Dietmar Hamann

The German left Anfield after their FA Cup victory in 2006 to join Manchester City after initially agreeing to join Bolton. He left City to take up a player-coach role at MK Dons where he retired in 2011. After a few unsuccessful coaching roles, Hamann is now working as a TV pundit. 

Djibril Cisse 

Similar to Hamann he left the club after the 2006 FA Cup victory at the then called Millennium Stadium. Had spells in France, England, Italy, Greece, Qatar and Russia. Cisse retired in 2015 and 2017 where he has become a pundit, DJ and music producer.

Manager

Rafael Benitez 

Left Liverpool in 2010 after guiding them to European and FA cup glory and guiding them to a second-place finish in 2009. The Spaniard went on to manage Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid and Newcastle United. In that time be won a Europa League (Chelsea) and Coppa Italia (Napoli) and a Championship title (Newcastle United). He then moved to Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League where he remains in charge.