Runners-up Milan Dates 13 Jul 2004 – 25 May 2005 Goals scored 333 | Champion Liverpool F.C. Top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy Matches played 125 | |
 | ||
Teams 32 (group stage)
72 (total) Similar 2003–04 UEFA Champio, 2005–06 UEFA Champio, 2005 UEFA Champions League F, 2006–07 UEFA Champio, 2002–03 UEFA Champio | ||
2004 05 uefa champions league
The 2004–05 UEFA Champions League was the 50th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, and the 13th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in 1992. The competition was won by Liverpool, who beat Milan on penalties in the final, having come back from 3–0 down at half-time. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was named as UEFA's Footballer of the Year for his key role in the final and throughout the Champions League season. The final, played at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, is often regarded as one of the best in the history of the tournament. With eight goals, Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy was the top scorer for the third time in four seasons.
Contents
As it was their fifth European Cup title, Liverpool were awarded the trophy permanently, and received the UEFA Badge of Honour. A new trophy was made for the 2005–06 season.
Porto were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Internazionale in the first knockout round.
Group stage
16 winners from the third qualifying round, 10 champions from countries ranked 1–10, and six second-placed teams from countries ranked 1–6 were drawn into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group will advance to the Champions League play-offs, while the third-placed teams will advance to the third round of the UEFA Cup.
Tiebreakers, if necessary, are applied in the following order:
- Points earned in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
- Total goals scored in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
- Away goals scored in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
- Cumulative goal difference in all group matches.
- Total goals scored in all group matches.
- Higher UEFA coefficient going into the competition.
Maccabi Tel Aviv made their debut appearance in the group stage.
Final
As winners of the competition, Liverpool went on to represent UEFA at the 2005 FIFA Club World Cup.
Statistics
Statistics exclude qualifying rounds.