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      New Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou won Champions League with SOUTHEND on Football Manager… before they sacked him

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      NEW Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has claimed that he won the Champions League with Southend on football manager.The Australian, 57, was named the new boss at Spurs after winning back-to-back Scottish championships with Celtic.
      Ange Postecoglou won the Champions League with Southend on Football ManagerCredit: Kenny Ramsay
      Southend currently play in the National LeagueCredit: Getty
      Despite winning 21 major titles at previous clubs, Postecoglou has managed, there have been concerns from supporters that he lacks experience at the top level.
      However, not many managers can say they have taken a club from non-league to the pinnacle of European football.
      But this is exactly what Postecoglou can say as he revealed that he took Southend on an amazing journey in the game, Football Manager.
      In 2020, he told The Sydney Morning Herald: “I had to knock back some big clubs to stay the course.
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      “I used journeymen and loaners to get out of the lower divisions, then bought young unknowns from Italy and South America.
      “I didn’t mess about with tactics – I just wheeled and dealed. Harry Redknapp on steroids.”
      However, despite helping the club rise through the cyber ranks, his journey ended in heartbreak as he was sacked by the Southend board less than a year after winning the Champions League.
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      He added: “I got sacked six months after winning the Champions League.
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      “I’d knocked back Juventus, Real Madrid and the England national team before then.
      “No loyalty after everything I did for them. I was gutted. Hopefully got a statue there.”
      Despite the achievement only being on a computer game, Football Manager is used by real clubs to scout players using its extensive player database.
      Sports Interactive, the game’s developers, have been praised in the past for the level of detail that is in the annual game.
      Postecoglou, however, can not do the same at Spurs next season as the club failed to qualify for any European football. More

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      Play Single Game Survivor alongside Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan – £2,000+ prize pot!

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      Manchester City are on the brink of an historic treble.Having edged out Arsenal to win retain their Premier League crown and beaten neighbours Manchester United in the FA Cup final, Pep Guardiola’s formidable side must beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final to complete a three-peat of dominance.
      With all eyes on Istanbul this Saturday, why not enhance your experience of the final further by playing Single Game Survivor alongside the momentous fixture?
      There’s a prize pot of £2,000+ up for grabs and the sharper your instincts for the beautiful game, the more cash you’ll win!

      PLAY SINGLE GAME SURVIVOR NOW! £2,000+ PRIZE POT FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

      Credit: DREAM TEAM
      What is Single Game Survivor?
      Single Game Survivor takes its inspiration from our Classic Survivor Game.
      In Classic Survivor, you pick a Premier League team to win each week. They win, you survive; they don’t, you’re out.
      And it’s exactly the same principle with Single Game Survivor (or SGS as it’s more snappily known), except that in this game you submit predictions relating to specific match events.
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      Get your predictions right as the game goes along and you’ll survive; but get them wrong and you’re out.
      The pleasant twist? You get two lives to play with!
      How do you make picks in SGS?
      Ahead of the Champions League final, we’ll serve up some questions for you to consider. Such as:

      Which team will score first?
      Which of these four players will have a shot on target first?

      And so on.
      Win these mini-battles to keep yourself alive!

      How do I win money in SGS?
      Now for the good bit.
      You get two chances to win in SGS, with the first cash prize coming if you survive until half-time.
      If your sharp football instincts help you survive until full-time, you take a share of the prize pot that remains.
      Why should I play SGS?
      QUICK MONEY With our two chances to make money – half-time and full-time – you might win money in just 45 minutes!
      TWO LIVES You get not one, but two lives as you chase down the cash!
      BEAT THE REST Test your knowledge against our thousands-strong community
      LIVE EXPERIENCE See your rivals eliminated and the prize pool increase during the match
      What’s the best way to follow SGS?
      Follow along live with us!
      Sign-in to your account and track all the key moments via our live tracker to see how they affect you and your rivals.
      You’ll also be able to see how the cash pot rises as other players get knocked out!
      Read more on The Sun
      Good Luck!

      PLAY SINGLE GAME SURVIVOR NOW! £2,000+ PRIZE POT FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL More

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      I played with Mario Balotelli at Inter.. he was as good as Messi & Ronaldo but his big mouth and tiny heart let him down

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      WESLEY SNEIJDER believes Mario Balotelli could have been as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo if he fixed his attitude.The pair played together at Inter Milan between 2009-10 before Balotelli was sold after falling out with then-manager Jose Mourinho.
      Mario Balotelli and Wesley Sneijder were team-mates at Inter Milan and NiceCredit: AFP
      Sneijder claims Balotelli could have reached the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
      Balotelli, 32, had a role in Inter’s Champions League win in 2010 and although Sneijder admits he was an “amazing” player, the Dutchman feels he never lived up to his potential.
      Sneijder, a FedEx ambassador for the Uefa Champions League, told SunSport: “Balotelli was a player with a really big mouth and a tiny heart.
      “He was an amazing player. He could have been one of the best strikers in the world if he was normal.
      “His mentality was not always correct but he was a nice guy. For me he was like a little child when he was with us.
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      “We tried to manage that with him but it was really hard. Mourinho tried it but Mourinho was also a coach if you go against him, he will punish you even harder.
      “That’s what he did in the [Champions League] final – he made him warm up for 45 minutes but didn’t put him on.
      “Definitely, definitely [up there with Messi and Ronaldo]. In training he was amazing, he had everything that a striker needs. But if your mentality is not correct you won’t make it.”
      Controversy has followed Balotelli throughout his career – from setting off fireworks inside his house while at Manchester City to punching an Adana Demirspor team-mate during a match.
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      Sneijder and Balotelli linked up once more at Nice and the striker now plays for FC Sion, who were relegated from the Swiss Premier League this season – his 10th club since leaving Inter.
      Last month he was branded a “zombie” after being subbed off at half-time in a 5-0 defeat to Servette.
      The former Italy international also flopped at Liverpool and AC Milan and was forced out of City by Roberto Mancini.
      But he did win the Premier League and helped Inter to the treble in 2010.
      Balotelli has three Serie A titles to his name and one FA Cup, but he failed to deliver on the big expectations placed on him after he won the Golden Boy award in 2010. More

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      Mateo Kovacic ‘agrees terms’ with Man City with transfer fee for Chelsea star to be settled after Champions League final

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      MATEO KOVACIC is tipped to join Manchester City next week after the Chelsea midfielder reportedly agreed terms.Transfer guro Fabrizio Romano reckons a transfer fee will be decided after City’s Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday.
      Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic should complete a move to the Etihad following their showpiece clash against Inter in IstanbulCredit: AP
      The Premier League champions are already said to have held advanced talks over signing the Croatia star.
      And the 29-year-old admits he’s open to a move after Chelsea’s “very bad” season.
      City have just sat out one major transfer battle as Real Madrid landed Jude Bellingham.
      And so far the Treble seekers are not seen as in the running for West Ham skipper Declan Rice.
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      So recruiting a cheaper, more experienced player with Champions League-winning pedigree makes sense.
      Kovacic, who is on international duty, stirred exit talk with frank comments over the past 24 hours.
      He told Nacional, via the Evening Standard: “I have one more year with Chelsea, this season was very bad.
      “Everything is going towards the fact that after five good years I will change, but in football anything can happen.”
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      The former Inter and Real ace even added: “Manchester City is a top team and deserves to be in the Champions League final.
      “That’s what I have to say. The summer is long, we’ll see what happens.”
      He softened those remarks only slightly by describing Chelsea as “phenomenal” and revealing he “loved” London as well as Blues’ fans.  More

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      Erling Haaland reveals inspiration behind Saturday’s Champions League dream and Man City fans will not like it at all

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      ERLING HAALAND admits Manchester United inspired him to want to be a Champions League winner.The Manchester City goal machine, who faces Inter Milan in Saturday’s final, has dreamt of lifting the European Cup ever since he was seven and watched his club’s big rivals defeat Chelsea in the 2008 final when Alex Ferguson was boss.
      Erling Haaland admits Manchester United inspired him to want to be a Champions League winnerCredit: PA
      Man Utd’s 2008 triumph had a big impression on a young Haaland
      Haaland said: “I’ve been dreaming and thinking of winning the Champions League my whole life — it’s been my dream as long as I can remember.
      “In 2008, it was Chelsea-United. When I saw the celebrations, I wanted to do that as well and now we’re getting closer.”
      Haaland has netted 52 times in a phenomenal debut season with his City side a single win away from securing the Treble.
      He was even videoed playing the Champions League anthem in his car when he was a teenager at Red Bull Salzburg.
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      And Haaland told BBC radio: “I love this competition and I enjoy it, so that’s why I listened to it. It’s also a really nice song!”
      Haaland, 22, is under no illusions that City bought him from Borussia Dortmund in order to conquer Europe for the first time.
      He said: “The Premier League, they won it two times in a row before I came here so they know how to win the Premier League.
      “The only thing they miss now is the Champions League so you can read between the lines — I’ve been coming here for a reason.”
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      City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne says he is no longer the “mane man” in his household following 22-year-old Haaland’s arrival.
      The Belgian has been the club’s biggest star since arriving in 2015.
      But Haaland’s incredible first season has turned the heads of everyone — including KDB’s kids.
      The 31-year-old said: “All three children have long hair and Erling is a superstar. I see that with the kids at their school, too. They all have hair like that. It’s funny.”
      De Bruyne has won five Prems, two FA Cups and five League Cups but international team-mate Romelu Lukaku and his Inter pals stand in his way of completing the set by adding the Champions League.
      He added: “He’s one of my best friends in football. I’ve known him since 13, 14 years old.
      “In the end it’s football for 90 minutes, we try to win against each other and after that we will see each other with the national team.”
      Romelu Lukaku and Belgium team-mate Kevin de Bruyne go way backCredit: AFP More

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      Man City stars look relaxed as they touch down in Istanbul but Inter Milan ace ramps up pressure with cheeky claim

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      INER MILAN STAR Andre Onana believes the pressure is all on Manchester City in Saturday’s Champions League final – but you wouldn’t think it looking at them.Guardiola’s outfit showed no signs of being daunted as they touched down in Istanbul.
      Pep Guardiola led Manchester City off their planeCredit: Getty
      Upon landing he was handed a bouquet of flowersCredit: Getty
      The City boss had a beaming smile as he headed to their HQCredit: Getty
      Erling Haaland will be hoping to fire Man City into the history booksCredit: Getty
      Key stars including Mahrez,De Bruyne, Ake, Stones and Phillips looked calm after landing in IstanbulCredit: Getty
      Pictured stepping down off of the plane, Guardiola cast a beaming smile after being handed a bouquet of flowers.
      His stars, who followed an all-white polo shirt and blue jeans dress code, followed closely behind.
      For them it is a chance to complete history and win the Treble after winning the Premier League and beating Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
      They can also correct the record by going one better than the 2021 final, when they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.
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      Inter Milan goalkeeper Onana has no fear of facing Erling Haaland & Co — or a penalty shootout in Istanbul and says history is on the Italian’s side.
      The three-time winners are the underdogs in most people’s eyes and those within Simone Inzaghi’s squad know they are facing an incredible side.
      But Onana feels that could work in their favour, saying: “Why would I not be relaxed? I am calm.
      “I’ve no pressure, we have no pressure at all.
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      Inter Milan goalkeeper believes the pressure is all on CityCredit: AFP
      They have the chance to land an historic TrebleCredit: Getty
      The players donned an all-white top and blue jeans dress codeCredit: Getty
      Before they were whisked off by Man City-branded coachesCredit: Getty
      “We know it is not going to be easy but we will be there. They have more pressure than us, I am calm.
      “We are a big club so there is a lot of expectation. When Inter arrive in a final they have to win.
      “When you look that way, we are not the underdogs because the history speaks for us.”
      Asked how he feels about the prospect of facing 52-goal Haaland, Onana added: “Very good. It is football.
      “In this life I am only afraid of God and I don’t see him on the pitch. Men are men.
      “They are probably the best team in the world but they have to show this on Saturday.
      “We’ll be there to defend and represent Inter, to make history. It is not going to be easy but they have to show they are the best on Saturday.”
      Inzaghi’s side are robust at the back and will look to cause City problems on the break.
      If they can keep them out and take the game to extra time and penalties, Onana insists he’is ready to face spot-kicks.
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      He added: “Penalties? Very good. I am very good. For me I am not afraid to face anyone, not only City.
      “We are all big players and know how to play finals. We will be there, it will be tough for us but also for them as well.” More

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      Man Utd’s legends of 99 and City treble-chasers combined XI with De Bruyne, Scholes and Beckham

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      MANCHESTER CITY are ready for their date with destiny and the chance to win a historic treble.Pep Guardiola’s side meet Inter Milan in the Champions League final, ready to match their great city rivals.

      They have the chance to add that illustrious piece of silverware to the Premier League and the FA Cup to cap a truly memorable season.
      United, of course, became the first English side to ever win the Treble in the 1998-99 season.
      Both teams were riddled with stars, and of course were led by two of the greatest managers the Beautiful Game has ever seen in Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola.
      But who makes a combined XI from the history-making line-ups?
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      Choosing the goalkeeper was one of the hardest decisions.
      The role of the stopper back then was a different ball-game, literally. It wasn’t about passing it around back and forth with the defence and more about clearing the lines.
      Both Peter Schmeichel and Ederson are as commanding as you like between the sticks – but both bring other skills to to the job.
      For his leadership, defensive organisation and supreme arm strength, the great Dane gets the vote.
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      Pep Guardiola is certainly following in the footsteps of Sir Alex FergusonCredit: Getty
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      There is nothing easier on the eye than attacking football – which has led us to go for a 3-4-3 formation.
      United legend Jaap Stam is joined at the back by City pair Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker.
      Stam took no prisoners, was a beast in the air and deceptively quick for a big man.
      Dias was heralded when City snapped him up – and he has lived up to the promise. He is one of the coolest defenders in the Prem.
      And Walker, who if anything still appears under-rated in some quarters, will not be beaten in a foot race and has strength in abundance.
      Sir Alex Ferguson won the Treble in 1998-99Credit: Rex Features
      The midfield three is almost as lip-licking as the forward line.
      Rodri will be the lynchpin. The Spaniard was signed by Guardiola as Fernandinho’s long-term replacement. He has really come into his own since the Brazilian departed the Etihad.
      Paul Scholes sits just ahead Rodri to provide those defence-splitting passes for the fearsome forward line.
      Sure to pull the fans in, David Beckham bags a spot on the flank. His sumptuous crossing and free-kick ability will have the strikers frothing at the mouth.
      On the other side is Kevin De Bruyne. Him and Becks can fight for the ball for free-kicks and corners.
      The final third is enough to strike fear into every defender.
      Dwight Yorke and Andrew Cole were lethal for UnitedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Erling Haaland has smashed the Premier League to smithereens this seasonCredit: Alamy
      Dwight Yorke and Andrew Cole just cannot be separated. They worked in perfect tandem for treble-winning United, keeping the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham out.
      And he may have only played one Premier League season, but Erling Haaland just has to be in the team.
      With Cole one side of him and Yorke the other – goals scored could be even more obscene than his 52 scored since joining City from Borussia Dortmund.
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      The likes of Ryan Giggs, Ederson, Denis Irwin, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva would make most teams – but not this one. More

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      Where Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League winners are now from property developer to Sky Sports icon

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      LIVERPOOL fans are still toasting their Champions League win over Tottenham in 2019.But even the most ardent Anfield supporter will admit it pales in comparison to 2005’s Istanbul comeback against AC Milan.
      Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League comeback against AC Milan remains legendaryCredit: PA:Press Association
      What happened to the stars who brought European glory to Merseyside?Credit: PA:Press Association
      Liverpool’s starting XI from that famous night in Istanbul
      Led by Rafa Benitez, the Reds lined up against one of the greatest club sides in European history.
      A backline of Dida, Cafu, Jaap Stam, Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini made for a rock-solid defence.
      And a midfield four of Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf and Kaka remains one of the best in the business.
      Milan also boasted a fearsome frontline of Andriy Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo.
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      And the Italians made their dominance show by storming into a 3-0 lead at half-time.
      However, Liverpool produced the greatest comeback in football history to level the score at 3-3 by the 61st minute.
      The two sides then played out extra time before going to penalties.
      And it was the Reds who emerged victorious, with Milan missing three of their five efforts.
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      But what became of 2005’s heroes? And where are they today?
      SunSport reveals all below…
      GK — JERZY DUDEK
      Jerzy Dudek works as a Uefa ambassador promoting the Champions LeagueCredit: EPA
      Polish ace, 50, saved two penalties in the shootout and remains iconic thanks to distracting Milan with his “spaghetti legs.”
      He spent four years at Real Madrid after leaving Liverpool in 2007.
      Dudek raced in the Volkswagen Castrol Cup in 2014, and he is now promotes the Champions League as an ambassador for Uefa.
      RB — STEVE FINNAN
      Steve Finnan flogged his winner medal after his company racked up huge debtsCredit: PA:Press Association
      Irish defender, 47, played for Espanyol and Portsmouth after leaving Anfield.
      He retired in 2010 and moved into business ventures, setting up a property development company in London.
      But in 2020 it was revealed the company had gone into liquidation, with Finnan auctioning off his winner medal after racking up £3.6million-worth of debt.
      CB — JAMIE CARRAGHER
      Jamie Carragher works as a pundit for Sky Sports and CBSCredit: Getty
      Popular centre-back, 45, was still playing for Reds up until 2013.
      He has now made a name for himself as a pundit on Sky Sports and CBS.
      And Carragher isn’t afraid to ruffle a few feathers either, even calling out Man United legend Rio Ferdinand recently.
      CB — SAMI HYYPIA
      Sami Hyypia had a brief stint as Brighton managerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Finnish favourite, 49, finished his career at Bayer Leverkusen after leaving Anfield in 2009.
      Hyypia went on to manage the Germans, as well as Brighton and Zurich.
      But he is now without a club after serving as FC Haka assistant until 2020.
      LB — DJIMI TRAORE
      Djimi Traore was a coach at Seattle Sounders in the MLSCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Left-back, 43, was shipped off by Liverpool just a year after Champions League win.
      He spent time at numerous clubs like Charlton, Portsmouth and Birmingham before eventually settling at Seattle Sounders.
      Traore worked as No2 with the American side until 2021, and he is currently a coach for the Right To Dream Academy in Ghana.
      RM — LUIS GARCIA
      Luis Garcia is an analyst after retiring in AustraliaCredit: Reuters
      Silky Spaniard, 44, already had a reputation before joining Liverpool after time at Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
      He returned to Atleti after leaving Liverpool in 2007 and retired nine years later with Australian side Central Coast Mariners.
      Garcia did not move into coaching but occasionally works as an analyst for ESPN.
      CM — XABI ALONSO
      Xabi Alonso is boss of German giants Bayer LeverkusenCredit: Reuters
      Playmaker, 41, scored third against Milan before going from strength to strength after Liverpool with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
      He added another Champions League and four league titles to his collection, as well as two Euros and a World Cup with Spain.
      And Alonso, previously linked with Tottenham, is now coaching at the highest level after taking charge at Bayer Leverkusen in October.
      CM — STEVEN GERRARD
      Steven Gerrard could be in line to take charge at LeedsCredit: PA
      Legendary midfielder, 43, scored first against Milan and remained a Liverpool man until 2015 before retiring at LA Galaxy.
      He went into management, winning the Scottish title with Rangers before joining Aston Villa.
      Gerrard was sacked by the Midlands club in October and SunSport understands he is now in contention for the Leeds job.
      LM — JOHN ARNE RIISE
      John Arne Riise manages a women’s team in NorwayCredit: Getty
      Norwegian wide-man, 42, played up until 2017 after further spells with Roma and Fulham.
      He moved into management with Flint Tonsberg in 2019.
      And Riise is now in charge of women’s football team Avaldsnes in Norway.
      AM — HARRY KEWELL
      Celtic coach Harry Kewell could follow Ange Postecoglu to SpursCredit: Getty
      Aussie forward, 44, was injured 23 minutes into final and went on to play for Galatasaray and Melbourne Victory.
      Went into management with Crawley Town before spells at Notts County, Oldham and Barnet.
      Is now a coach at Celtic and could follow compatriot Ange Postecoglu to Tottenham.
      ST — MILAN BAROS
      Milan Baros is still playing football at amateur levelCredit: Getty
      Striker, 41, left Liverpool immediately after triumph before spells at Lyon, Portsmouth and Galatasaray.
      Baros then went through six clubs in as many years, taking him from the Czech Republic to Turkey.
      And incredibly, he is still playing at amateur level for minnows FK Vigantice.
      FIRST SUB — VLADIMIR SMICER (23’)
      Vladimir Smicer stood for European Parliament nine years agoCredit: Getty
      The first sub in Istanbul, 50-year-old Smicer scored Liverpool’s second against Milan.
      He went on to play for Bordeaux and Slavia Prague before retiring in 2009.
      Smicer, now a Uefa ambassador, then tried coaching before unsuccessfully standing for European Parliament for Czech party VIZE in 2014.
      SECOND SUB — DIDI HAMANN (46’)
      Pundit Didi Hamann clashed with Liverpool boss Jurgen KloppCredit: Getty
      Subbed on at half-time in final for Finnan, 49-year-old Hamann left Liverpool for Man City before ending career in 2011 with MK Dons.
      He coached the minnows and Leicester before a brief spell as Stockport boss.
      Hamann is now a pundit and famously clashed with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp earlier this season.
      THIRD SUB — DJIBRIL CISSE (85’)
      Djibril Cisse is a part-time model and plays in Gerard Pique’s new leagueCredit: Getty
      Coming on for Baros in Istanbul, 41-year-old Cisse played for likes of Marseille and Sunderland after leaving Liverpool in 2007.
      Read more on The Sun
      He now plays in Gerard Pique’s Kings League for Los Troncos FC and is a part-time model.
      Cisse also enjoyed TV appearances in France, featuring on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘Mask Singer’. More