The captain was – by some distance – our best player but such results proved Benitez could get the most out of the collective, drilling them to within an inch of their lives.
Forget not, Alonso also missed both Leverkusen legs, the famous home win over Juve and the semi-final tussle with Chelsea…
Rewind 12 months and when Liverpool went into any fixture minus one of Gerrard or Michael Owen, defeat or at least disappointment felt inevitable. Benitez was gradually changing mindsets in both the squad and stands.
The Benitez factor
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and manager Rafael Benitez celebrate with the trophy, Istanbul, 25.05.2005
And his own Liverpool legacy took root at Craven Cottage.
That day we saw the best and worst of Rafa. It’s said there is no great genius without a touch of madness and this was certainly evident on a cloudy day in October 2004.
Quite why Alonso was left out is unknown. Similar questions were asked of his selection in Istanbul, which was equally bewildering/maddening. That day Hamman fell victim to a frankly suicidal gameplan.
In both instances, Liverpool paid a price, but Benitez was able to turn the tide and defy the odds.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - WEDNESDAY, MAY 25th, 2005: Liverpool's Jerzy Dudek celebrates saving the last penalty to win the European Cup against AC Milan during the UEFA Champions League Final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul.
That speaks to his mastery, but tactical shifts only go so far. Players need belief and muscle memory to fight back in near-impossible scenarios. Fulham gave them that.
It’s no exaggeration to say that without Craven Cottage there is no Istanbul.
Unlike the crescendo of that season, no books or films will be made about that afternoon in Fulham, but it may just have changed the course of history
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