Robbie Keane out to take second chance for glory on Champions League stage
THE closest Robbie Keane has ever been to playing in the Champions League was when he was part of the Inter Milan side which was knocked out at the qualifying stage by Swedish outfit Helsingborgs.
That 1-0 aggregate defeat came eight years ago, shortly after Keane had swopped Coventry's Highfield Road for the more salubrious settings of the San Siro in a £12m move which made the whole of Europe sit up and take notice of the young striker from Tallaght in Dublin.
Tonight, Keane finds himself in the qualifiers again and he is hoping this time he will go at least one stage further with new club Liverpool.
"That was as close as I've ever been," he recalls. "It's tough when you get knocked out in the qualifiers because, like every player in Europe, you want to take part in the competition proper because the Champions League is such a special tournament.
"Hopefully that's exactly what I'll do with Liverpool. I'm a massive fan of the club and I know just how special our European heritage is and that's why it's so special to sign for them.
"But it's one step at a time at the moment. We know we've got a tough qualifying tie to come through before we can even think of the group stages or anything else and with Standard Liege being Belgian champions there's no way we can look beyond this tie."
One gloriously unforgettable night in Istanbul in 2005, another final in Athens two years later and a semi-final last season make Rafa Benitez's Liverpool Europe's toughest nut to crack.
There will already be many in the game who fancy the Reds to go all the way again this time around, particularly with the final being in Rome where they have triumphed twice already in European Cup finals, but £20m signing Keane is not buying into any wishful thinking, preferring to stick to the "one game at a time" mentality which served Ronnie Moran so well for so long.
"The win over AC Milan in Istanbul is obviously the game that sticks in the mind most because it was such a fantastic night," said Keane.
"I was watching it in a hotel in Spain and the bar was full of Liverpool and AC Milan supporters and even watching it there was memorable. So it must have been incredible for everyone who was there.
"Those nights are part of what makes this club so special and of course they are part of the reason why I came here.
"It would be fantastic if something like that happened while I'm at the club because it is the stuff that dreams are made of but, like I said, there's no point getting carried away with ourselves.
"We have a difficult qualifying tie to come through and we'll have to make sure we are focused and that we play well because Liege are a good side."
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It is now just over a fortnight since Keane joined the Reds and in that short time he has been convinced, if he needed it, that the move he made from Spurs is the right one.
The 28-year-old has featured in four pre-season friendlies at Villarreal, Rangers, Valerenga and at home to Lazio and, as far as he is concerned, the bedding in period has gone really well.
He said: "The welcome I have received from everyone at the club has been first class and I've enjoyed every minute so far.
"I knew a few of the lads already and they've been great with me but even the lads I didn't know have been exactly the same and it is a real big help when you're given that kind of welcome.
"The club has definitely lived up to my expectations and if anything it's exceeded them because it's only when you sign for a club like Liverpool that you realise just how big they are.
"The fan base is incredible.
" Last week we played in Oslo and pretty much the entire stadium was full of Liverpool fans and it's like that wherever we go.
"I never thought I'd made the wrong move for a second when I came to Liverpool but everything I've seen since coming here has proved that I was right to do so.
"It is a massive, massive club and I'm just delighted to be here."
That feeling of delight will only intensify should Keane and his team mates live up to their favourites tag and find a way past Standard Liege.
But his experience with Internazionale at the very same stage of the competition means Keane will not be totally happy unless the second leg at Anfield in a fortnight ends with Liverpool safely in the draw for the group stages.
"That's what it's all about right now," he said.
"We've got the start of the Premier League on Saturday and that's obviously important but for the time being we have to make sure we do everything we can to give ourselves every chance of getting into the Champions League proper.
"Liverpool are expected to beat teams and expected to be in the Champions League and do well in it.
"That brings a pressure in itself but it's a good pressure because you know you are at a club which has high expectations because it has already proved what it can achieve.
"The Champions League was one of the big reasons why I came here now I just have to do my bit to try and make sure we get there."
tonybarrett@liverpoolecho.co.uk
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