Football. ua and Mastercard, the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, tell the stories of the most vivid and truly priceless moments of the most prestigious football tournament in Europe.
Do you think that you boys will answer in the yard, if you ask their name the most successful Ukrainian football player? Perhaps, Andrei Yarmolenko? Or Eugene Linnet? The majority will immediately shout out the name of the current head coach of the Ukrainian national team Andrey Shevchenko. Since the late 90's, then still young talent of Dynamo Kiev became the idol of millions of fans all over Ukraine, and a few years later - the idol of many football fans around the world. Moreover, Andrei Nikolayevich does not cease to be a man from whom I want to take an example.
During her 19-year career Shevchenko managed to play in Dynamo, Milan and Chelsea, won many trophies, broke various records and confidently won the title of the most successful Ukrainian football player in history. Shevchenko won all kinds of trophies in Ukraine and Italy, won titles in England, with the Ukrainian team went to the quarterfinals of the World Cup, became the owner of the Golden Ball, but a special attention in his track record deserves a victory with Milan in the Champions League in 2003. Then the most cherished dream of a 26-year-old footballer took place. Let's remember how it happened.
Milan began the season led by Carlo Ancelotti and the following personnel:.
Goalkeepers: Dida, Valerio Fiori, Christian Abbiati Defenders: Paolo Maldini, Kaha Kaladze, Alessandro Nesta, Dario Shimich, Jose Chamot, Alessandro Costacurta, Serginho, Roque Junior, Martin Laursen Midfielders: Fernando Redondo, Gennaro Gattuso, Rui Costa, Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini, Samuel Dalla Bona, Ibrahim Ba, Christian Brockey Forwards: Filippo Inzaghi, Rivaldo, Jon-Dal Thomasson, Andriy Shevchenko Shevchenko entered the season hard, scored a little, and the main man in the attack was Inzaghi. Later Andrew, of course, did not miss the chance and pleased the fans with goals. In the 2002/2003 season, the UEFA Champions League used an old format in which the teams had to pass two group stages in order to qualify for the quarterfinals. Then in the first stage the quartet with Milan formed Deportivo, Lance and Bavaria. Perhaps you will be surprised, but for the right to play in the next group stage, Milan fought not with Bavaria, but rather with Deportivo and Lance. The Germans then completely failed the season in Europe, scored just two points and ignominiously left the tournament. Milan won the first four games and without a twinge of conscience lost the two remaining. Then in an away match with Lance, Andriy Shevchenko marked his first goal in the season in the Champions League. True, this capture did not help the "Rosso-Neri" escape defeat - 1: 2.
In the second group stage, the lot decided Milan in the rivals Madrid Real Madrid, Borussia from Dortmund and the Moscow Locomotive. In the first match of this stage, Milan was destined to play at home against Real Madrid. Ancelotti entrusted a place in the start of our Andriy Shevchenko and did not lose! After all, it was the goal of the Ukrainian that brought Milan a much needed victory in the most important match. Then the situation was repeated, and the Italians won three subsequent games and lost two extreme. 12 points was enough to enter the quarterfinals of the tournament, where Ajax was already waiting for Milan. The first match ended in a draw, but on San Siro with the direct participation of Shevchenko, a real thriller took place! Milan twice came forward, the visitors both times found the strength to recoup, but with the goal of Thomasson in the 92nd minute, "ayaksidy" was already unable to do anything. As a result of the fight, Shevchenko together with Inzaghi became the best player of the meeting and recorded at his own expense a goal and an assists transmission.
In the semifinals, Milan caught the most undesirable opponent - Inter, with whom the "Rossoneri" fought back in Italy during Serie A. Milan and Inter are irreconcilable rivals and the fact of a full-time meeting in the semifinals could not please any of the teams. As in the confrontation with Ajax, the first game on San Siro ended in a goalless draw and the favorite was still difficult to single out. In the second game the teams continued to be cautious and did not rush to risk, but Milan still found his moment and scored! And who was the author of the goal? Andrew Shevchenko at the end of the first half took the ball in the penalty area, easily beat Cordoba and sent the ball under the crossbar! After conceding a goal, Inter had to be scored twice, but Milan held out! Goal Martins in the 84th minute to the limit heated the situation, but the game ended in a draw 1: 1, which brought Milan to the Champions League final!.
In those years, Italian football dominated in Europe and it is not surprising that in the final Milan was waiting for another team from Serie A. Turin Juventus, who in all pairs rushed to the championship in Italy, was determined to take also the European trophy. On their way, "bianco-neri" met both with Real Madrid and Barcelona, ??but both Spanish grandees were not able to beat them.
So, on May 28, 2003, England, Manchester, Old Trafford. Final of the Champions League. Let's recall the compositions:.
Juventus: Buffon - Thuram, Ferrara, Tudor, Montero - Camoranesi, Tacchinardi, Davids, Zambrotta - Trezeguet, Del Piero Spare: Kymenti, Pessotto, Juliano, Conte, Birindelli, Di Vaio, Salayeta Milan: Dida - Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Costacurta - Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso - Rui Costa - Inzaghi, Shevchenko Substitutes: Abbiati, Laursen, Junior, Brocca, Ambrosini, Rivaldo, Serginho All 90 minutes in each section of the field there was a fierce fight, but the teams were afraid to take risks - the price of the mistake was very high. The main and extra time and ended in a draw 0: 0, which meant that the fate of the trophy will be decided in a series of penalty shoot-outs! And what a dramatic it turned out!.
Ancelotti decided that Shevchenko will punch the fifth. The coach understood that this blow could become decisive and entrusted this mission to Andrei. As a result, the series developed in such a way that the Ukrainian had a real chance to bring to the club the coveted trophy. For this it was necessary to simply score. Let's enjoy the triumph of Shevchenko in silence. The words are not needed here.
"The ideal moment. I have a chance to win the Champions League. I'm waiting for the whistle, but I can not hear him. I look at the goalkeeper, on the judge. The whistle sounded. I'm running out. The first thought is not to change the solution. My decision was to look at the goalkeeper. I saw how Buffon makes a move, falls, and I hit another corner. Goal. Dream come true".
Andriy Shevchenko looks and comments on his winning penalty in the final # Champions League with "Juventus" @ jksheva7 pic. twitter. com / mI3ewYRcHN - UEFA. com in Russian (@UEFAcom_ru) December 13, 2017.
Milan rejoiced, Ukraine rejoiced, Shevchenko rejoiced. This day, Andrei Nikolayevich remembers as one of the happiest in his life. It was the success he deserved.