(Video) Milan legend shares what Ancelotti told players at half-time of 2005 UCL final v Liverpool

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Andriy Shevchenko has revealed what Carlo Ancelotti told his AC Milan side at half-time in the 2005 Champions League final against Liverpool.

The Rossoneri led 3-0 at the interval in Istanbul after outclassing the Reds during the first 45 minutes, before Rafael Benitez’s team drew level and ultimately went on to win the club’s fifth European Cup after triumphing on penalties.

Various players from the Milan team on the night contradict one another as to what the mood was like within their camp, with Cafu revealing that they were celebrating at half-time (FourFourTwo, via ESPN) but Hernan Crespo vehemently denying that was the case (FourFourTwo, via Daily Mail).

Shevchenko’s version of events appears to lean more towards his strike partner’s account of proceedings, with the Ukrainian sharing some new insight.

He was on punditry duty alongside Jamie Carragher, a member of the victorious Liverpool side, for CBS Sports on Tuesday night as the two of them reminisced about that legendary final in Istanbul.

The ex-Milan striker was asked about what Ancelotti told his players at half-time, responding: “His instruction was that we carry on playing in the same way.

“There was a good atmosphere inside [the dressing room]. There was nobody getting excited. We knew we were facing a very good team and we knew the quality of this team.

“English teams always believe and we respect that a lot, because every time you play against a team from England, especially Liverpool, you know at any moment if you lose attention a little bit that they can come back.”

Perhaps it was a case of some Milan players letting their guard down at 3-0 and others determined not to let Liverpool back into the game.

Whatever the truth may be, history will recount how the Rossoneri were utterly shellshocked by a Reds team who threw absolutely everything at them from the start of the second half and got their most glorious of rewards for it.

You can see the clip of Shevchenko and Carragher below, via @CBSSportsGolazo on Twitter:

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