There can be few better illustrations of a team fighting above their weight than Liverpool, whose prime concern going into the Champions League final tonight was the fitness of Boudewijn Zenden, a player who was surplus to requirements at a pre-Ronaldinho Barcelona and a pre-Abramovich Chelsea and who, regardless of what occurs this evening, is highly unlikely to be at Anfield next season.

After having acupuncture to treat an ankle injury that threatened to rule him out, Zenden was able to participate fully at training in the Olympic Stadium last night and he will line up on the left side of mid-field against AC Milan unless he suffers a reaction, in which case Harry Kewell, who has played only 46 minutes of competitive action since last summer’s World Cup finals, will move up from the substitutes’ bench.

On the opposite flank, it seems, will be Jermaine Pennant, who failed to make the grade at Arsenal and who, at the age of 24, has yet to represent England at senior level.

The wide positions are weak links in Rafael BenÍtez’s team – deficiencies the manager will hope to address by signing the top-class wingers that have eluded him in three previous summers scouring the transfer market – but, if opportunity knocks for any of them this evening, they will hope to seize the moment just as Vladimir Smicer did in Istanbul in 2005, in his final appearance for the club, and Jerzy Dudek, who will depart Anfield this summer after two years living off the memories of Istanbul.

Expert View

Liverpool will win if they use two strikers and go for the jugular

Tony Cascarino

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BACKGROUND

• Debate: how can Liverpool beat Milan?

• Gerrard calls for heroes to make history

• Two clubs united by darkest days in history

• Istanbul has not scarred us

• The writing’s on the banner

Multimedia

• Athens audiocasts

• Rafael Benitez podcast

• Songs of The Kop

Related Links

• Liverpool fans clash with police outside ground

Zenden, 30, is unlikely to be retained when his contract expires on June 30, but Benítez trusts him on the big occasions and welcomes his influence in the dressing-room. “It’s not easy when you talk about Bolo because some people don’t know how good he is, as a professional and as a player,” the manager said. “His mentality is very competitive. He is always a fantastic teammate.

“One manager that he had said Bolo was like the glue because he is always between the players, trying to keep them together – the young players, the new players, the English players, the Spanish players – because he talks a lot of languages. He is a fantastic teammate, a fantastic professional and a good player.”

These are qualities that Zenden is likely to be taking to another club’s dressing-room next season, whereas Pennant will be expected to build on a quietly effective first campaign at Anfield.

“It’s a great honour,” he said as he pondered playing in a Champions League final 12 months after relegation with Birmingham City. “I couldn’t have dreamt of playing in a Champions League final. Not a lot of players have this chance, so to have this possibility in my first year at Liverpool is a great achievement.

“Any involvement would be brilliant for me. I’m just desperate for the kick-off to get under way. It’ll be a great night for Liverpool’s fans and for myself.”

Pennant, of course, has experienced more painful lows than relegation, having spent 30 days in prison after a drink-driving conviction in 2005. “You take every step at a time,” he said when asked about his change in fortune. “That’s what I’ve done in my career. I’ve taken the setbacks as a man.

“I’ve loved football since I was a kid. Liverpool showed a lot of faith to bring me here. It’s been a great season for me – maybe not the best for Liverpool – but I’m thrilled to bits. If I get the nod, I’ll go out there to repay that faith. Being at a big club like this has given me an opportunity to shine.”

There can be few better opportunities to shine than in European football’s showpiece event. The question for Pennant and Zenden is whether they have the quality to impose themselves on the biggest stage in club football against a Milan team with few apparent weak links of their own.

If he gets the chance from the bench, Kewell will hope that his night is less personally disappointing than it was in Istanbul two years ago.

A shock selection then, having made 23 starts in all competitions, scored one goal and come on as a substitute in one leg of the semi-final, he limped off after 23 minutes. This time he has scored one goal again, but he has made only two substitute appearances in a season plagued by septic arthritis.

His goal was a penalty in the final minute of the final match of the season, a 2-2 draw at home to relegated Charlton Athletic. He came on after 57 minutes for Zenden, provided the cross for the first goal, hit the crossbar and converted the penalty. At least the brevity of his contribution means that Milan cannot have much scouting information on him.

Harry’s games

29 Kewell’s starts in all competitions in 2005-06. He made 11 substitute appearances and scored three goals

2 Appearances, both as a substitute, in 2006-07 (one goal)

2 Starts for Australia in the 2006 World Cup finals. Missed the second-round defeat by Italy (injured)

10 Average goals per season for Leeds United in all competitions (four per season for Liverpool)