Former Liverpool star Luis Garcia trolls Chelsea fans with ghost goal Halloween costume

Ghost goal: Luis Garcia's strike against Chelsea sent Liverpool into the 2005 Champions League final
AFP/Getty Images
Standard Sport31 October 2016

Former Liverpool forward Luis Garcia has taken his chance on Halloween to serve a haunting reminder to Chelsea fans about his 'ghost goal' which dumped the Blues out of the Champions League semi-finals 11 years ago.

Garcia famously fired in the fourth-minute goal against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final second-leg at Anfield that secured Liverpool's passage to the 2005 final - which they went on to win on penalties against AC Milan - despite then-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insisting the goal should not have stood.

Milan Baros beat Petr Cech to the ball in the build-up to the goal but, after being fouled by the goalkeeper, Garcia ran into the box and tapped the loose ball towards the net which William Gallas hacked away.

The strike was allowed to stand, and ensured that Rafael Benitez's Liverpool side booked their place in the European Cup final for the first time in 20 years.

Mourinho was less than impressed following the 1-0 loss at Anfield and insisted the goal should have been disallowed.

"It was a goal that came from the moon - from the Anfield stands," he said. "Liverpool scored, if you can say that they scored, because maybe you should say the linesman scored."

With the goal remaining a fierce source of debate even now, Garcia decided to remind Chelsea supporters about his 'phantom goal' on Halloween by dressing up as a ghost and appearing to hit a ball into a net.

Writing alongside the photo, which was posted on his Instagram on Monday, Garcia wrote: "Happy Halloween!! Some will find it funny...others Scary! #Halloween #Ghost."

Mourinho returned to Chelsea for a second spell in 2013 and last August - four months before he was sacked - brought up the subject of Garcia's goal during an interview with BT Sport.

"I lost semi-finals on penalties, where the best penalty-takers in the world missed penalties," the now-Manchester United manager said when asked about his record in the Champions League.

"I lost a semi-final with a goal that was not a goal. Today with goalline technology , it would be different."

However, in an interview with the Guardian two years ago Garcia said: "For me it was [a goal] and the referee gave it so. We can say: 'If this', 'if that'.

"But the goal was given. If not it would have been a penalty and a red card, so we don't know if it was better what happened or not."

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