One Liverpool star endured a wild ride of emotion in the 2005 Champions League final after he was subbed off before being brought back into Rafa Benitez's team
Liverpool cult hero Djimi Traore was left "devastated" when Rafa Benitez sent him for a shower midway through the club's iconic 2005 Champions League final win over AC Milan. That's according to fresh insight revealed in Untold: Liverpool's Miracle of Istanbul, which is set for release next Tuesday (May 19).
Following a dismal opening 45 minutes in the Turkish capital, the Reds found themselves 3-0 down at the break on one of the most legendary nights in European football history. Traore had been a particular thorn in Liverpool's side during the first period, conceding the free-kick that led to Milan's opener and nearly handing another goal to Andriy Shevchenko.
Several stars from that trophy-winning squad, including Traore himself, contributed to the retelling of Istanbul as part of the new Netflix documentary. Those who featured in the greatest comeback of all time recalled Benitez's dramatic decision to send his left-back to the showers before being compelled to perform a swift U-turn.
Traore, 46, said he "felt ashamed" of his individual performance, as well as that of the team. Both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher then commented on the "commotion" that soon unfolded, with different players hurling blame at one another.
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"There was fighting and like, 'You're not doing this'," recalled Carragher. "Rafa tells Djimi Traore that he is going off. He says 'Traore, shower'. He [Traore] is devastated, he has just been brought off in the biggest game of his life. Djimi goes for his shower and Didi Hamann goes out to warm up because he is coming on at half-time.
Hamann then commented how he felt helpless in his bid to impact the scoreline as he added: "My first reaction was, 'What am I meant to do now?'"
"We were 3-0 down against a world XI, the chances of coming back are next to nothing. I went outside to start warming up and the next thing I see is Djimi taking his kit off and walking naked to the shower."
Yet it emerged Traore's involvement was far from finished. Shattered, naked and convinced his one opportunity at European glory had slipped away before it had even begun, the former Mali international was suddenly told to get his kit back on.
Carragher continued: "After Djimi goes for his shower. The physio tells Rafa that Steve Finnan, one of our defenders, is injured and couldn't continue."
"I just remember a little pause from Rafa and he just said, 'Finnan, shower'. And then there is another pause from Rafa - 'Traore, out of the shower'. Djimi comes back out again and has to put all of his kit back on. Didi Hamman comes back in. Oh it was chaotic."
Traore ultimately redeemed himself after the break. Liverpool netted three times in six breathtaking minutes to level matters against all expectations and it was Traore who denied Milan retaking the lead in the 70th minute when he hooked a Shevchenko effort off the line.
Hamann also proved instrumental in shaping history given it was his penalty that established the momentum for the remainder of the shootout. Djibril Cisse and Vladimir Smicer also converted their spot-kicks, while Jerzy Dudek produced his legendary heroics to keep Milan at arm's length, denying two penalties.
The outcome saw Traore etched into folklore alongside the rest of a squad that had been dismissed at the interval. And nobody inside the Ataturk Olympic Stadium that evening experienced a more dramatic turnaround than Traore, who was stripped of everything before being restored in iconic fashion.