Incentive for success

May 21 2007 Laurence Francis

TAKE a walk around Anfield and it is almost impossible to escape images of a certain miraculous night in Istanbul.

Everywhere you turn, pictures of Steven Gerrard holding the Champions League aloft, Jamie Carragher dancing giddily in front of supporters and Liverpool’s squad rushing to mob Jerzy Dudek after he had thwarted Andriy Shevchenko adorn walls.

Few are able to stroll past without stopping to pause for thought; supporters love nothing more than wallowing in the nostalgia of them, while players, understandably, want to be reminded about the role they played in one of Liverpool’s greatest achievements.

Either way, the snapshots of that extraordinary night on the banks of the Bosphorus are the perfect motivational tool as Rafa Benitez prepares to lead his squad into battle against AC Milan once again. Just ask Bolo Zenden.

The Holland international, desperately hoping he won’t miss out on the big occasion after sustaining an ankle injury in Spain last week to leave him a big doubt, was relaxing in his holiday home in May 2005.

He watched his soon-to-be employers defy implausible odds to win a fifth European Cup and he didn’t need to think twice when a contract was offered to him later that summer.

Yet, at the same time, Zenden can’t help but feel slightly envious of his team-mates whenever Istanbul is mentioned.

No wonder, then, that he craves the chance to create his own special memories in Athens’ Olympic Stadium.

“When you look back, you want to remember the big games in which you have played and the trophies you have won and to have a Champions League on your CV would be quite something,” said Zenden, daring to dream for a moment.

“The closer you get to it, the more you think about it. When you look around the stadium and see the pictures of the fans celebrating last time . . . If you could be a part of it this time, it would stay with you for the rest of your life.

“We want to bring the cup home to see all those fans with smiling faces again. I sort of experienced it with the FA Cup final last year but I’m sure if we win the Champions League once again it will be slightly different!

“Before we played Chelsea, we saw some images of what it was like and what this team is capable of. It shows we can beat anybody.

“But winning after being three-nil down at half-time was incredible. We have got to keep the same mentality.”