Benitez praises Liverpool spirit

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">ISTANBUL:</span> Rafael Benitez saluted the pride of his players, as well as his own half-time shift in tactics, for bringing Liverpool an unbelievable Champions League final victory over AC Milan.<br /><br />"We couldn''t go out to play another 45 minutes in front of our supporters and lose by four or five goals,� Benitez said.<br /><br />"We got an early goal and we started believing it was possible." <br /><br />Benitez''s plan B involved switching to a three-man defence, while pushing captain Steven Gerrard further forward. <br /><br />It worked to devastating effect as Gerrard headed in Liverpool''s first in the 54th minute and further goals came from Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso. <br /><br />Benitez decided to be more cautious once the game had finished 3-3. "We started really badly and I was very disappointed," he said. "We gave away a silly foul, lost a silly goal and then lost a player to injury. "But I''m proud of the players for the way they came back." <br /><br />Benitez took the job of rebuilding the fading Liverpool team after leading Valencia to victory in the UEFA Cup last season. <br /><br />Victory over Milan capped that achievement but the Spanish coach was able to keep his perspective at the end of the match. <br /><br />"It might be the greatest night of my life I footballing terms," he said. "But I have a wife and two children and I''m not allowed to say that it''s simply the best night of my life." <br /><br />Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard came close to pledging his future to the Anfield club after becoming the first Liverpool captain to lift the European Cup in 21 years. Gerrard stepped up to receive the trophy on Wednesday after a man-of thematch performance in a remarkable Champions League final victory over AC Milan. <br /><br />Liverpool''s fifth European Cup triumph means they will now get to keep the trophy. More importantly, they may also now get to keep the inspirational Gerrard. <br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />"We''ll talk soon — I''m sure the manager (Rafael Benitez) and (chief executive) Rick Parry will want to talk soon," said the 24-year-old England midfielder. "How can I leave after a night like this and all the nights this season? "My form has been hot and cold and I''ve had a stressful season but you''ll see a different player next season." Gerrard, who turned down an offer to join Chelsea last year, scored one goal and created another against Milan on Wednesday as Liverpool rallied from 3-0 down to level the match at 3-3 and then went on to win a penalty shootout 3-2 after extra time. <br /><br />The Liverpool captain took his side through the qualifiers with two goals against AK Graz and brought them back from the brink of elimination in their final group game against Olympiakos with a stunning late goal. <br /><br />Gerrard has been a Liverpool fan since childhood and the support the team received from about 40,000 fans at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium clearly left a huge impression on him. "Liverpool fans are crazy, unbelievable, and they were the 12th man tonight," he said. "I''d like to dedicate this win to the fans. They were amazing. This has been the greatest night of my life. <br /><br />"At halftime I thought it was impossible. I thought there would be tears, frustration and disappointment but we kept going and kept fighting to the end." </div> </div>