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18th May 2016

Steven Gerrard gives Liverpool fans a nostalgia kick before Europa League final

Tom Victor

Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League victory means another of their recent European triumphs often goes unrecognised.

But former club captain Steven Gerrard has looked back not to Istanbul but to Dortmund, as the Reds prepare to take on Sevilla in tonight’s Europa League final.

Back in 2001, Liverpool went to the Westfalenstadion chasing a rare cup treble, with Spanish opposition awaiting in the form of Alaves, and triumphed 5-4 after extra time.

Gerrard was one of three players to start both games, alongside Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher, and shared a photo of himself with the trophy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFiW6B-nHm4/

After that dramatic late win in 2001 and the penalty shoot-out glory in 2005, Liverpool fans might be hoping for a more comfortable victory in Basel.

But their opponents Sevilla will not make things easy for them – Unai Emery’s team are chasing a third straight Europa League title after seeing off Dnipro and Benfica in the last two years.

They have won the competition a record four times (two of which were when it was still known as the UEFA Cup), including one victory against English opposition when they demolished Steve McClaren’s Middlesbrough 4-0 in 2006.