Liverpool’s Istanbul stars: Where are they now?

Liverpool return to Istanbul, scene of one of their greatest triumphs 14 years ago, for Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash with Chelsea.

Rafael Benitez’s side famously came from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties in the 2005 Champions League final.

Here, PA looks at what happened to the personnel involved for the Anfield club that night.

JERZY DUDEK

Left Liverpool in 2007 to become Iker Casillas’ deputy at Real Madrid, where he spent four seasons before retiring in 2011.

STEVE FINNAN

Spent an injury-affected season at Espanyol after leaving Anfield in 2008 and then joined Portsmouth, retiring after their 2010 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea. Currently involved with London-based construction firm Finnan Developments.

DJIMI TRAORE

After spells at Charlton, Birmingham, Monaco and Marseille, the much-maligned Frenchman spent two years in the United States with the Seattle Sounders before retiring in 2014. He is now one of the assistant coaches with the Major League Soccer club.

SAMI HYYPIA

After an emotional Anfield farewell in 2009, Hyypia headed to Bayer Leverkusen where he finished his playing career before becoming assistant manager and then manager. After being sacked in April 2014 he became Brighton boss in June but lasted just six months. He spent the 2015/16 season in charge of Swiss side FC Zurich before being dismissed. He now has a keen interest in ice hockey and motocross.

JAMIE CARRAGHER

The centre-back retired in 2013 after 737 appearances for the club and has since become a pundit with Sky Sports.

JOHN ARNE RIISE

Riise spent three years with Roma after leaving Anfield in 2008 before returning to England with Fulham and went on to have spells with APOEL in Cyprus, Indian club Delhi Dynamos, Norwegian outfit Aalesund and Indian side Chennaiyin before hanging up his boots. He had a brief spell as technical director of Maltese club Birkirkara earlier this year before resigning due to personal reasons.

STEVEN GERRARD

The final player from that night in Istanbul to depart Anfield, Gerrard left his boyhood club in 2015 to tackle a new challenge with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He spent a year in America before retiring in November 2016, and 18 months later was handed the managerial reins at Scottish club Rangers.

LUIS GARCIA

After his departure for Atletico Madrid in 2007 the Spaniard spent two seasons in the Spanish capital before spells at Racing Santander, Panathinaikos and Mexican sides Puebla Club and Universidad Nacional. Announced his retirement in January 2014 only to make a short-lived comeback for newly formed Indian Super League franchise Atletico de Kolkata, with another brief stint following in Australia with the Central Coast Mariners in 2016.

XABI ALONSO

Played a pivotal role for Real Madrid for five seasons after his Liverpool exit in 2009, culminating in the club’s 10th Champions League victory in 2014. Went on to spend three years patrolling Bayern Munich’s midfield. Returned to Madrid to coach Real’s under-14s in 2018 before moving last month back to his first professional club, Real Sociedad, to take charge of their youth team.

HARRY KEWELL

The Australian left Anfield for Galatasaray in 2008 for three seasons and returned home to play for Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart – either side of a short spell with Qatari’s Al-Gharafa – where he retired in March 2014. Has since taken his first steps in management with Watford’s youth team, Crawley and most recently Notts County.

MILAN BAROS

Left for Aston Villa immediately after the Istanbul win and later played for Lyon, Portsmouth and Galatasaray before three times rejoining Banik Ostrava – the club he originally left for Anfield – amid stints with Turkish side Antalyaspor and Czech outfits Mlada Boleslav and Slovan Liberec.

DIETMAR HAMANN

Left for Manchester City after Liverpool’s 2006 FA Cup win, having initially agreed to join Bolton, before finishing his playing career in 2011 at Milton Keynes Dons where he was player-coach. Joined Leicester as first-team coach before a short, ill-fated spell as manager of newly relegated Conference Premier side Stockport. Now a media pundit.

VLADIMIR SMICER

His last Liverpool appearance was the final, in which he scored, and his career could never match up to those heights. He spent two seasons with Bordeaux before returning to first professional club Slavia Prague and retiring in May 2010.

DJIBRIL CISSE

Enjoyed a nomadic existence after leaving Anfield in 2006, with stints at Marseille, Sunderland, Panathinaikos, Lazio, QPR, Al-Gharafa and Kuban Krasnodar before returning to his homeland with Bastia and then briefly Saint-Pierroise. Having announced his retirement due to injury in October 2015, he hoped to make a comeback but announced his retirement again in February 2017 and told Yahoo Sport, where he was set to work as a pundit: “I’m going to give myself body and soul to my career as a DJ, a producer, and as a pundit, as well as develop my line of clothing.” He came out of retirement again to play for Swiss side Yverdon two years ago and then Italian Serie D team AC Vicenza 1902 last year.

Manager: RAFAEL BENITEZ

Disagreements with the owners and failing results resulted in the Spaniard leaving Anfield in 2010. A similar scenario saw him get sacked after just six months in charge at Inter Milan. Resurfaced as Chelsea interim manager, succeeding Roberto Di Matteo, and despite being deeply unpopular at Stamford Bridge because of his Liverpool connections led them to Europa League glory. Joined Napoli in the summer of 2013, winning the Coppa Italia in his first season, and guiding them to within one goal of the 2015 Europa League final. Named Real Madrid boss in June 2015 but lasted little over six months, before in March 2016 being handed the Newcastle reins. Could not save the Magpies from relegation but guided them straight back up, before stepping down when his contract expired in June this year. Named manager of Chinese side Dalian Yifang last month.