Dudek driven by Polish predecessors

By Maciej Iwanski

Liverpool FC's Jerzy Dudek is looking forward to tonight's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea FC as he aims to emulate fellow goalkeeper Jozef Mlynarczyk, one of only two Polish players to have won the European Champion Clubs' Cup.

Revenge mission
Dudek describes the semi-final as the biggest games of his club career and has revenge on his mind as the London team have beaten Liverpool three times already this season - in two Premiership fixtures and the English League Cup final.

'One target'
"This is what you play football for," the 32-year-old told uefa.com about a match that will produce an English Champions League finalist for the first time since 1999. "Liverpool have only one target – to play the best football we can. And watching Liverpool in Europe, you can be sure we will give our best possible performance."

Bitter memories
Should Liverpool prevail, it will be a remarkable end to an up-and-down campaign that so far peaked with the quarter-final triumph against Juventus FC. By repelling the Italian side's efforts at the Stadio Delle Alpi, Dudek helped his team to a 2-1 aggregate success that was especially meaningful because his first-ever Champions League appearance, for Feyenoord, had been a 5-1 defeat in Turin.

'Sweet taste'
"That was something I was really happy about," Dudek said of the 0-0 scoreline. "That first game for Feyenoord in Turin was tough and that's why the success at Juventus's stadium had such a sweet taste for me." Despite his heroics, the No1 jersey has been hard to secure at Anfield. There has been competition from Chris Kirkland, whose prospects have been hampered by a series of injuries, and now Scott Carson, who arrived from Leeds United AFC in January to make it a three-way fight.

Two to follow
The example of Mlynarczyk, who lifted the European Cup with FC Porto in 1987 after a 2-1 victory against FC Bayern München, is proving an inspiration. The only other Polish player to have collected a winners' medal is Zbigniew Boniek, who was part of the Juventus side that defeated Liverpool in 1985, and Dudek would love to make it three.

Liverpool fan
Dudek signed for Liverpool on 31 August 2001 after several outstanding seasons with Feyenoord which ended with him being voted the Dutch Eredivisie's best player. The transfer was completed hours before a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Norway that sealed Poland's passage to the Korea/Japan finals. "It was amazing for me," Dudek recalled. "As a kid I had a Liverpool scarf over my bed."

Costly defeat
The Anfield club retain hopes of finishing fourth in the Premiership which would earn a qualifying place for next season's Champions League, although last weekend's loss at Crystal Palace FC has made their task more difficult.

'No cliques'
"We have a very hard situation in the Premiership," Dudek said, "but we can still go all the way in Europe. I really believe it's possible. In the national team we don't have any cliques, we are all as one, and the feeling is the same with Liverpool. It's been the key to our good run in the Champions League."

No stopping
If they do not make it this year, there may be other opportunities for Dudek because he has no intention of contemplating retirement until he turns 40. "Who knows, if I have no injuries I could be playing in goal for the next ten years."