Where are they now? The Liverpool team beaten by AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final

Liverpool start their 2021-22 Champions League under the lights at Anfield on Wednesday night (20.00 BST).

AC Milan are the visitors in Group B - and the Reds have got well-documented history with the Italian opponents.

The two historic clubs have won the competition a combined 13 times, with Milan boasting seven and Liverpool bragging six.

They’ve only met twice before in the European Cup - with both coming in finals.

No Kopite will forget the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005. Rafa Benitez's side fought back from three goals down at half-time to win a dramatic penalty shootout. It’s arguably the greatest night in the club’s history.

Two years later in a rematch in Athens, however, Milan would get their revenge with a 2-1 victory courtesy of Filippo Inzaghi’s double.

The two European heavyweights prepare to lock horns again 14 years later, although it’s no surprise there are no surviving members from the last meeting on either side.

But where are the Liverpool players who suffered heartbreak that night in Greece? Scroll down to find out.

Goalkeeper - Pepe Reina

The Spaniard made 396 appearances during nine seasons at Anfield before leaving for Bayern Munich in 2014.

Reina subsequently represented Napoli, Milan, Aston Villa and is now plying his trade with Lazio at the ripe age of 39.

Right-back - Steve Finnan

The defender left Liverpool the following season after scoring one goal in 217 games. He opted to join La Liga outfit Espanyol and ended his career at Portsmouth in 2010.

Finnan then went into property development but sadly had to auction off his 2005 Champions League winners’ medal after racking up €3.9m worth of debt.

Centre-back - Jamie Carragher

You’d have to be living on Mars to not know what the Bootle-born defender’s up to now.

After playing 737 times for the Reds, which puts him second on the club’s all-time appearance list, Carragher’s one of the main pundits on Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage.

Centre-back - Daniel Agger

The Dane left Merseyside in 2014 after 14 goals in 232 outings to return to Brondby. The 36-year-old is now manager of second-tier side HB Koge in his homeland.

Left-back - John Arne Riise

Following 348 games and 31 goals at Anfield, the Norweigan left for Roma in 2008.

He returned to the Premier League with Fulham before representing APOEL, Delhi Dynamos, Aalesunds FK and finished his career in India at Chennaiyin.

In 2019, Riise joined Maltese club Birkirkara as sporting director and is now head coach of IL Flint in the fourth tier of his native land.

Right-wing - Jermaine Pennant

The former Arsenal wide man never realised his full potential in his career. He netted three times in 81 games for Liverpool before leaving for La Liga outfit Real Zaragoza in 2018 after a loan spell with Portsmouth.

Pennant then played for a swathe of clubs, with his career taking him to Stoke, Wolves, Indian side Pune City, Wigan, Singapore outfit Tampines Rover and Bury before he ended his career at non-league Billericay Town in 2018.

Pennant recently released an autobiography, while he has appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and The Jeremy Kyle Show.

Centre-midfield - Xabi Alonso

Kopites were gutted the cultured midfielder left for Real Madrid in 2009 after bagging 19 goals in 210 games.

Alonso won the Champions League again in 2014 at the Bernabeu before ending his career at Bayern Munich in 2017.

He’s now Real Sociedad B manager after working in Real Madrid’s academy.

Centre-midfield - Javier Mascherano

The Argentine scored two goals in 139 appearances before he was poached by Barcelona in 2010.

The destructive midfielder won two Champions League titles at the Nou Camp and retired last November when ending his career at Estudiantes in his homeland.

Left-wing - Bolo Zenden

The Dutchman’s last of his 23 games for Liverpool came in Athens. He moved on to Marseille and then returned to England with Sunderland, helping them retain their Premier League status in 2011 before hanging up his boots.

Zenden reunited with Benitez when he became his assistant manager at Chelsea in 2012 and now works as a coach for PSV.

Attacking-midfield - Steven Gerrard

One of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history couldn’t get his hands on a second Champions League trophy. In total, he made 710 outings for his boyhood club, scoring 186 goals before leaving for LA Galaxy in 2016.

Gerrard is now making waves in management after being appointed Rangers boss in the summer of 2018. Last season, he led the Gers to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years.

Striker - Dirk Kuyt

The hard-working Dutchman netted a late consolation goal against Milan but it wasn’t enough. Kuyt scored 71 times in 286 outings for the Reds before leaving for Fenerbahce in 2012.

He then returned to Feyenoord before calling it a day in 2017.

Sub 1 - Harry Kewell

The Australian replaced Zenden in the 59th minute. Kewell managed 16 goals in 138 games for Liverpool before leaving for Turkish side Galatasaray in 2008. He then ended up in his homeland playing for Melbourne Heart and Melbourne Victory.

Kewell has since gone into management, having previously been in charge of Crawley, Notts County and Oldham he is now manager of non-league Barnet.

Sub 2 - Peter Crouch

The striker came on for Mascherano on 78 minutes. Crouch bagged 42 goals in 134 games in total for Liverpool and left for a second spell at Portsmouth in 2008. He went on to play for Stoke and then finished up at Burnley.

The affable Crouch is now enjoying a busy life in the media, working as a pundit on BT Sport and hosting popular BBC podcast The Peter Crouch Podcast.

He’s also a director at non-league Dulwich Hamlet, where he had a loan spell as a 17-year-old.

Sub 3 - Alvaro Arbeloa

The Spaniard was brought on for Finnan with two minutes remaining. Arbeloa, who netted twice in 98 games for the Reds, left for Real Madrid in 2009. He finished his career in the Premier League with West Ham in 2017.

The 38-year-old is now an ambassador for Real.