2004–05 UEFA Champions League
The 2004–05 UEFA Champions League was the 50th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, and the 13th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in 1992. The competition was won by Liverpool, who beat Milan on penalties in the final, having come back from 3–0 down at half-time. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was named as UEFA's Footballer of the Year for his key role in the final and throughout the Champions League season. The final, played at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, is often regarded as one of the best in the history of the tournament.
The Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul hosted the final. | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | Qualifying: 13 July – 25 August 2004 Competition proper: 14 September 2004 – 25 May 2005 |
| Teams | Competition proper: 32 Total: 72 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Liverpool (5th title) |
| Runners-up | Milan |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 125 |
| Goals scored | 333 (2.66 per match) |
| Attendance | 4,945,419 (39,563 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 8 goals |
As it was their fifth European Cup title, Liverpool were awarded the trophy permanently, and received the UEFA Badge of Honour. A new trophy was made for the 2005–06 season.
Porto were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Milan's cross-city rival Internazionale in the first knockout round.