Punching and kicking, he helped the team claw back three goals.
But soon he collapsed on the pitch.
To prove himself, he suddenly fell while running. Lying on the grass, he repeatedly hammered the ground with his fists, like a war hammer pounding on the hearts of the Liverpool soldiers.
At least, compared to the players in the video, they are all still intact, aren’t they?
If San Remo can do it, why can’t Liverpool?
If an Italian Third Division team can do it, why can’t a Premier League team?
At this moment, the Liverpool people were filled with determination!
In the second half, the sides switched to fight again.
Liverpool displayed incredible perseverance.
In the 51st minute, Izalelt had a very good free-kick opportunity.
Originally, AC Milan’s first choice for free kicks was Andrés, whose technique was impeccable.
But the whole crowd was chanting "hat-trick," "hat-trick."
Izalelt himself was indeed tempted.
Andrés, feeling helpless, had to give up the free-kick.
Izalelt’s skills were also not lacking, and the ball went over the wall, almost scoring.
But the Liverpool goalkeeper was spectacular, denying Izalelt’s hat-trick and quickly launched a long pass.
Liverpool seized the opportunity for a swift counterattack.
Liverpool’s left-back crossed at a 45-degree angle.
Liverpool captain Jelando sprang up in the penalty area, shaking his head like a lion.
The ball shot straight into the far bottom corner of the goal.
Liverpool scored!
After scoring, Jelando immediately rushed into the net to grab the ball.
They were racing against time; they would never give up!
Three minutes later.
Liverpool got a throw-in in the frontcourt.
Jelando received the ball and passed it sideways to a teammate, who passed it sideways again.
AC Milan’s defense was torn apart, revealing a flaw.
Liverpool’s forward took a long shot from the right side of the penalty arc, the ball once again found the back of the AC Milan’s goal.
2-3!
Liverpool made a two-goal comeback!
The commentator was thrilled, as the game reminded him of that infamous Italian Cup final just a week ago!
Not just the commentator, but many fans also thought of that match.
And there was no doubt that the AC Milan players on the field wouldn’t forget that crushing defeat either.
It was a mental demon, a bad omen.
The AC Milan players’ performance was clearly heavily affected; their mistakes began to increase.
On the other hand, the Liverpool players seemed to be on an adrenaline rush.
"San Remo!" Liverpool captain Jelando shouted this slogan.
Like the bugle call for a final attack, Liverpool players began aggressively pressing forward, intermittently shouting "San Remo," "Lu," these kinds of "exclamations," making them appear united in spirit.
In the 59th minute, Liverpool successfully made a steal.
After Jelando made a pass, he cut straight through AC Milan’s midfield, drawing the defenders’ attention.
The Liverpool midfielder bounced the ball off the wall to their own forward, and one of the two defenders around the forward was drawn away by Jelando, giving him plenty of space to handle the ball.
The defender who rushed at Jelando now turned back towards the Liverpool forward, but the forward didn’t hold the ball, instead, at the top of the penalty arc, he flicked the ball with his heel, pulling a defender away and letting the ball slowly roll into the penalty area.
Jelando arrived in full stride, lifting his foot...
Boom!
Butcher Praxedes tackled Jelando from behind; it was his defensive habit, but... this was in the penalty area!
The referee unhesitatingly called a penalty and showed Praxedes a yellow card.
Jelando stood at the penalty spot, mind calm.
He took a powerful shot, but the AC Milan goalkeeper was equally strong, saving this penalty.
Yet Jelando didn’t flinch, throwing himself at the ball with all his heart, scoring on the rebound, completing his brace, and helping Liverpool tenaciously equalize with AC Milan!
After the goal, Jelando dashed to the corner flag area and started celebrating wildly. He shouted into the microphone: "The Legend of San Remo..."
The next moment, the Istanbul Stadium erupted, but one slogan pressed over all the noise: "Is Setting Sail!"
At this instant, the AC Milan players were thunderstruck!
While the Liverpool players were so excited it was as if they had already won the match.
Ten minutes later, the regular game time ended in a three-all draw.
On Liverpool’s side, the head assistant coach, Laird, cheered the players on: "You are the best players! Don’t feel pressured, I know how this match will end. I watched a game like this just a week ago, trust me, we’ll win! We’ll win!"
The Liverpool players gathered together, and before the extra time began, they gave themselves another pep talk. Instead of shouting slogans like "Come on," or "Victory," they all shouted together a "Lu"!
Thirty minutes later, neither side managed to score in extra time, leading to a penalty shootout.
In the first four penalty kicks, AC Milan’s Izalelt and Andrés scored, while two other players missed.
On the Liverpool side, Jelando and two others all scored their penalties.
The fifth penalty for AC Milan, if missed, would mean they lost the match.
The fifth kicker for AC Milan was none other than their old captain, the last butcher Praxedes.
Praxedes kicked towards the center.
The Liverpool goalkeeper was already diving to the right.
But Praxedes was ultimately nervous, not daring to attempt a Panenka, although he shot towards the center.
The Panenka’s purpose is not just trickery or showmanship; it has theoretical backing.
The curve of a Panenka increases the hang time of the ball to some extent, ensuring that the goalkeeper dives in another direction and can’t recover in time.
But a central shot without a Panenka’s curve reaches the goal from the penalty spot too quickly, so quickly that some goalkeepers haven’t fully committed their dive before the ball arrives.
This gives those goalkeepers a chance to reach out a hand or stretch a leg to stop the ball.
And the Liverpool goalkeeper, already halfway through his dive, managed to swat Praxedes’ shot away with his left hand.
Penalty kicks can be followed up!
But in a penalty shootout, penalty kicks cannot be followed up!
Praxedes instantly dropped to his knees at the penalty spot.
The entire AC Milan team stood stunned, like wooden idols.
This nightmare, it seemed, they had lived through once just a week ago.
They even questioned the reality of what they were seeing.
If this is a dream, please let me wake up!
Meanwhile, the Liverpool players immediately jumped up.
Liverpool, are the champions!
The Champions League champions!
From 3-0 to 3-3, and then to 4-3, this felt like a dream.
If this is a dream, please don’t let me wake up!