Former Liverpool ace Neil Mellor reveals how he got his hands on AC Milan Champions League runners-up medal
The Reds heroically fought back from 3-0 down at half-time before winning the competition on penalties in Istanbul
NEIL MELLOR has a peculiar memento to remind him of Liverpool's heroic comeback in the 2005 Champions League final.
The retired striker was injured and unable to receive a winner's medal, but he did not leave empty handed.
Liverpool's heroic return after chasing AC Milan's 3-0 lead at half-time will forever be one of the greatest in the competition's history.
The Reds levelled the scoring, before going on to win 3-2 on penalties at the Atatürk Stadium.
Mellor, who played an integral role in the 3-1 group stage win over Olympiacos, was injured for the final and was forced to spectate from the sidelines.
As a result, the former Preston North End star found himself without a winner's medal at the end of evening.
So, along with Fernando Morientes and Mauricio Pellegrino, they collected the next best thing.
Mellor said to the club website: “We flew out there, got to the game and at half-time everyone was thinking ‘What’s going on?’ At full-time, we win the game, the best European Cup final ever.
“We get on the pitch after blagging a steward, Morientes blags a steward – that’s another story.
"AC Milan get presented their medals and then it’s time for the Liverpool players, so we’re just hovering by the podium.
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“The Liverpool players all get their medals and go and stand on the podium by the cup, then Stevie does. And as Stevie is about to go on the podium, for whatever reason we could go and join them.
“Pellegrino, who is now the Southampton manager, led the way and said ‘Look, there are five AC Milan medals here, anyone want one?’
“I was behind him and said ‘I’ll have one of them, no problem!’ So Maldini and Shevchenko had left their medals behind. We went on the podium and celebrated away.”
