Ranked! The 20 greatest European comebacks EVER

Champions League, final, 2004-05

Anfield needs a statue of Steve Finnan’s groin. His injury necessitated a half-time change in Istanbul where, as you may know, Liverpool trailed Milan 3-0. They’d dug deep to find three second-half goals against Olympiakos when required, doubling their group-stage tally, but this was the final – a recovery was impossible. Except it wasn’t, as substitute Didi Hamann was now plugging the gaps left by Steven Gerrard whenever he felt bored.

Liverpool’s 4-4-1-1 hadn’t worked against Milan’s midfield diamond. They’d conceded in the first minute, ignoring Andy Townsend’s exhortation to “be alive in these early stages, Clive” by letting Paolo Maldini score. Hernan Crespo added two, one assisted gloriously by Kaka, while Milan also had a goal disallowed and spurned a two-on-two. Rafael Benitez’s switch to 3-4-2-1 protected the defence and freed up Gerrard, who steered home a fine header and then won the equalising penalty.

At the other end, Jerzy Dudek’s miraculous double save in the 117th minute took the tie to spot-kicks. The Reds prevailed courtesy of more Dudek heroics – Benitez thanked him by promptly signing Pepe Reina – and at half past midnight in Turkey, Liverpool won a fifth European Cup. All because of Finnan’s groin.