A Liverpool hero spoke about his reasons for leaving the Reds for Atletico Madrid, with the two sides set to meet again in the Champions League.
Luis Garcia insisted that he could not turn down a move to Atletico Madrid when leaving Liverpool in 2007. The Reds icon was an integral part of the side that won the Champions League under Rafa Benitez but later chose to end his time at Anfield and return to Spain.
The 48-year-old will likely keep a close eye on his two former sides on Wednesday as Liverpool host Atleti in their opening Champions League league phase clash. In 2005, Garcia wrote himself into club folklore by scoring in three knockout rounds, including his decisive semi-final ghost goal against Chelsea, as the Reds made their way to Istanbul and claimed the trophy in unforgettable fashion.
While new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola will seek to help the club become European champions for the seventh time in their history this season, Atleti are yet to win the famous trophy. However, that did not deter Garcia when deciding to leave for them almost 20 years ago.
The winger had previously spent the 2002/03 campaign with Atleti before returning to Barcelona, where he caught Liverpool’s attention. Ultimately, the opportunity to rejoin the Madrid club proved too enticing for the Spain international.
“I could have stayed or I could return to Spain,” Garcia explained upon leaving Liverpool in 2007. “I have made a decision which I believe is the right one. I simply couldn't reject the offer when given the opportunity to return to Atletico.
“It was a personal decision. Liverpool are one of the best clubs in the world. I spent three great years at Liverpool but it was time to consider my future.
“Liverpool has been very important in my career and I will never forget my time there. Their fans are amazing, they supported me since my arrival, in good and bad times.
“I tried to do the best I could to repay their trust but nothing I can do can ever repay their unconditional support.”
Garcia scored several important goals throughout his 122 appearances for Liverpool. Among them was his stunning strike in the FA Cup semi-final 2-1 win over Chelsea, which left goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini rooted to the spot. However, he was suspended for the iconic final against West Ham United.
The Spanish forward had been shown red in a league match against the Hammers for elbowing Hayden Mullins, who was also banned for his reaction. A heroic brace from Steven Gerrard saw Liverpool claw back to 3-3 and clinch the trophy on penalties, but Garcia was left with the biggest regret from his time at the club.
“We won the Champions League and later the FA Cup – unfortunately I missed the final, which is something that I still regret,” recalled to the club’s website in 2023. “That was a difficult experience for me but if you’re intelligent you learn from your mistakes, and I made a pretty big one getting sent off in the build-up to that game.
“I scored in the semi-final, though, and it was against Chelsea again. So that is a memory I can look back on proudly. When I do talks now and clinics with young kids I always refer to that experience. You can never lose your cool. It was very out of character for me.”