Peter Crouch has joked about choosing to hit Dirk Kuyt with a go-kart instead of Xabi Alonso before the 2007 Champions League final.
Just over 16 years ago, Liverpool were preparing for a mouthwatering rematch against AC Milan. The Reds won one of the most dramatic games in football history 24 months earlier to secure their fifth European crown.
However, they could not repeat their Istanbul heroics in Athens as Liverpool lost 2-1, with Filippo Inzaghi bagging a brace. Brazilian superstar Kaka would go on to win the Ballon d’Or later that year and the final was brushed off as a night to forget for the red half of Merseyside.
But somebody who will always remember his experience is ex-Liverpool forward Kuyt. While he did score a last-minute consolation, the Dutchman also got a heavy bump from his teammate Crouch.
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Speaking to BBC 5 Live, former Reds striker Crouch retold the hilarious story about crashing into him on a go-kart track. The 6ft 7in target man had to make a split-second decision about which teammate should take the damage.
“We went go-karting just to relax before the Champions League final. I was in my go-kart and thought ‘This will be great’. You know when you come in really fast? I thought I would just slam on (the brakes)’. I slammed on and I had no brakes whatsoever.
“It was between Dirk Kuyt and Xabi Alonso (who he was going to hit). I basically thought, who do we need more? I went straight into Dirk! To be fair to him, he was sharp - he jumped over it! The way Rafa (Benitez) looked at me on the way back in…”
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