I have a small surgery on March 11th so no way for me to go if selected but I will share the story anyway.
Great chance for people to see the PL game live, don't miss it if you can go.
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It was 15 years ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. College times, where beer money is always stretched hard.
Liverpool was about to play Olympiakos in CL group stage, last game, needed a 1-0 win or win with 2+ goal difference to progress.
One of the tickets I played that day was a single bet on them winning the CL, I do not remember the placed amount but the winnings were 150 Euros - which was half of my monthly students salary at that time. I think odds must have been around 50 because my usual bets at that time were around 5-7 Euros and this was a shot in the dark so I must have placed a lower than usual amount.
So, I sit to watch the game, Rivaldo free kick, Kirkland in no man's land. Liverpool needs 3 goals to progress. I take the ticket, shred it to 8 pieces, throw it in the trash and continue to watch the game.
Liverpool turns it around, Pongolle 1-1 soon after the break, then Mellor for 2-1 moments after entering the game and finally the 'OOOH YOU BEAUTYYYY' Gerrard moment for 3-1.
While I was watching the game my mom was eating oranges and throwing the remains in the trash can. They were early oranges, these that you cannot really peel off easily so there are pieces of orange that remain on the 'skin' - don't know the proper name for it.
So, I search the little trash bin, find the 8 pieces of my ticket, all sticky and dirty from the orange juice. I tape it together and place it in a drawer. It looks horrible.
Bayer, Juve and Chelsea were stressful but Liverpool was always either in lead or drawing. Ticket was safe in the desk.
Fast forward to Istanbul, this time I am watching with friends. For some moronic reason, I do not defend the ticket - I guess the odds on Milan winning were just too small to do it.
1st minute, Maldini 1-0. 10 minutes before HT, Crespo 2-0. 45th minute, Crespo 3-0. I do not smoke but I'm watching with friends, remember? So, I take a lighter from the table, I light up the corner of the ticket. BUT - it is taped from the Olympiakos game - so it burns for a while, gets to the tape and the tape just melts and the ticket does not burn out. One corner is missing though. I am frustrated, take it, squish it in my hand and throw it out of the window.
We continue to watch, Gerrard scores for 3-1. Minutes later, Šmicer, 3-2. I run out of the building, I hear yelling while I'm searching for the ticket. The window is a backyard one so I find the ticket, friend yells out of the window that it's a penalty for Liverpool and that Alonso is taking it. I remember being furious it isn't Gerrard, friend shouts from the window that Dida saved, I remember looking at the ticket thinking OH YOU MOTHER FUCKER when I hear screams GOOOALLL. I run upstairs, just in time to see the replay of Alonso putting in the rebound.
So, Liverpool wins on penalties and the ticket at this point looks like something from a devastated building. I go to claim it the next day, the woman just looks at me and says 'Well, we had a few torn ones with Liverpool winning but this is next level. Congratulations.' I was lucky that the ticket number was fully visible so she paid me out without too many questions.
Beer was good for a while, but ultimately the stress around it was huge