LIVERPOOL
CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE 2005
CELEBRATION PACK

The 2005 UEFA Champions League final was held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on the 25th of May 2005, and saw Liverpool take on AC Milan.

 

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AC Milan got of to the best possible start, with club captain Paolo Maldini scoring within the first minute, a Hernan Crespo double followed to give Milan a 3-0 half time lead. The second half saw Liverpool replace Steve Finnan with Dietmar Hamann and in doing so switched to a 3-4-2-1.

 

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On the 54th minute, Riise swung in a cross which club captain Steven Gerrard headed into the net, making it 3-1 and a mere few minutes later a drilled effort from range by Vladimir Smicer found it's way past the despairing Dida to make it 3-2

 

 

Just after the hour mark Gerrard made a nice one two with Milan Baros and Gerrard was sent sprawling in the box under the challenge from Gennaro Gattuso, a penalty was awarded and in fact saved by Dida, but Xabi Alonso spared his anguish by converting the rebound to level the game at 3-3!

 

 

Extra time could not split the sides, so it went to a penalty shoot out, Jerzy Dudek channelled his inner Bruce Grobelaar and used the crazy legs distraction to cause 3 AC Milan players to miss, the last of which was Andriy Shevchenko, a stark contrast to the 2003 final where he scored the winner. Liverpool had fought back heroically to claim their 5th European Cup and would return to a heroes welcome at Merseyside.

 

 

Corinthian commemorated this achievement by releasing the Liverpool Champions of Europe 2005 Celebration Pack, featuring the 11 who started the final, the 3 used substitutes, a vital squad player and the manager Rafael Benitez.

 

 

This was the first and only time Rafael Benitez would be released by Corinthian, a figure who's demand has never diminished and once which is always sought after. Goal keeper Jerzy Dudek is the same sculpt as seen in Series 18, while Hyypia is the same sculpt as seen in Series 12, with John Arne Riise being the same sculpt as released in Series 18.

 

 

This was an all new sculpt of Jamie Carragher, one which Corinthian would not actually use again. Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan and Steve Finnan were all first time sculpts, superb ones too, with only Finnan being released again, as part of Series 40. Given how Traore and Biscan only appear in this pack ,their loose figures are much sought after and seldom appear for sale.

 

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Liverpool had an incredibly strong and experienced midfield, with Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Vladimir Smicer, Harry Kewell and Luis Garcia, with this being the first release of Garcia, who would also appear in Series 35. 

 

 

The pack also features an all new sculpt of German midfielder Dietmar Hamann, here in the eye catching away kit, with this sculpt never again being released by Corinthian.

 

 

Completing the team pack is the strike force of Milan Baros and Djibril Cisse, this was the same sculpt of Baros as we saw released in the International tournament greats series, while the Cisse sculpt was first seen in Series 27 Super Strikers.

 

 

Corinthian released the Liverpool Champions of Europe 2005 Celebration Pack on the 7th November 2005, with an initial retail price of £50, this is certainly a pack which has vastly appreciated in value since it's release and also in demand.

 

 

Each pack came issued with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity, with just 2005 packs being produced. The pack came with 16 figures, 16 collector cards and a free platinum pack of one of the figures, with the platinum packs coming with an individually numbered collector card, with just 125 of each platinum made, as you can imagine these Platinum Packs are scarce and can command a lot of money, especially Benitez and Gerrard.