Fans Blown Away By How Far Jerzy Dudek Was Off His Line In Liverpool vs AC Milan Shootout

Jerzy Dudek was a fine stopper of penalties - but he clearly took more than a few liberties when Liverpool's 2005 Champions League final with AC Milan went to spot-kicks.

The Reds famously fought back from 3-0 down at half-time to force the penalty shoot-out in Istanbul.

Dudek proved the hero as Liverpool won the trophy to write his name into Anfield folklore, but fans are amazed by his antics.

Serginho had blazed Milan's first spot-kick over, before Dudek denied Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko as Liverpool won 3-2 on penalties.

This is how Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YxnhvkkhZg

— 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨 aka Larry 🇺🇦 (@Cantona_Collars) May 25, 2022

However, as Pirlo runs up to take Milan's second spot-kick, Dudek is clearly at least four yards off his line.

The former Poland international certainly wouldn't get away with that nowadays, with recent rules stating a goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching the goal line at a penalty.

Fans have reacted to the footage and they're speechless, 17 years on.

One commented: "If Dudek was any further off his line he could have shook Pirlo's hand."

Another put: "Liverpool's 'Miracle of Istanbul' is the biggest myth and con in world football."

A third said: "This video kills me every single time I see it."

While someone tweeted: "Hahahah guy is nearly on the edge of his 6 yard box before the penalties taken."

On the balance of fairness, it's worth pointing out Dida was also off his line for a couple of Liverpool's penalties.

Dudek revealed that backup keeper Scott Carson and goalkeeping coach Jose Ochotorena served crucial roles in the shoot-out triumph.

"I'm not sure if many people noticed this, but it was actually Scott who would raise his hands to signal which way I should dive," he wrote in his autobiography, A Big Pole in our Goal.

"Ocho would look at his notes and tell him which arm to raise as each of their players walked down towards me."

Dudek repeated his heroics in Turkey's capital a year later when Liverpool defeated West Ham on penalties in the FA Cup final.

A 2001 signing from Feyenoord, Dudek made 184 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool before leaving for Real Madrid in 2007.

Words by Tom Harvey