Galliani: I’m cheering for Roma against Liverpool due to Istanbul

Thirteen years on, the memories of AC Milan’s stunning Champions League final capitulation against Liverpool remain for Adriano Galliani, who will be cheering Roma on against them as a result.

In 2005, then Rossoneri vice-president watched his side take a 3-0 lead against the Reds in Istanbul, before becoming the first team ever in a final to throw away such a lead as they were beaten on penalties.

Roma pulled off a similarly stunning comeback in this year’s tournament to reach the final four, coming back from a 4-1 first leg deficit to eliminate Barcelona and set up a semi-final against Liverpool, which Galliani will be attending.

“I’ll be at the Stadio Olimpico to take in Roma’s game against Liverpool, I discussed it this week actually when I had dinner with Gandini,” he said. “I was at Milan for 31-and-a-half years and I’ll always be a Rossonero.

“When it comes to the league, we [Milan and Roma] are rivals but on the international stage, we are allies and I’ll cheer for them because they are representing and bringing co-efficient points, which is why we will have four Champions League teams going forward.

“With Liverpool too, you can also imagine my feelings after that game. I didn’t sleep for three months after it. It had never happened before in the history of the competition, losing a final from being 3-0 up. So Forza Roma!”

Roma face Liverpool at Anfield in the first leg on April 24, before the return game in the Eternal City a week later.